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pigs

New piggies may 2026

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7122

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4264

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posted 1 month ago

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Hi all, picked up this year's Piggies this weekend.
Two fat, happy boys, 10 - 12 weeks old.
A summer of green grass, ice-cold Artesian spring water, all the organic produce from our garden, and several neighbor gardens.
I also just scheduled a date in late August/early September for them to go on a road trip to meet the butcher.
Until then, they are in Piggie Paradise!

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Their bedroom with food dispenser for late night snacks

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Rico Loma

pollinator

Posts: 593

posted 1 month ago

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Very fine swine, indeed.
Some folks believe boars have an off taste when compared with sows. What is your opinion on this?

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7122

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4264

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posted 1 month ago

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Well, any boars I have had have been castrated.
So absolutely no difference in taste.
However, they are butchered at 6 -8 months old.

I also have heard that an uncut boar can have a tainted flavor.
During the rut, a buck deer or a bull elk can have a gamey taste that is impossible to completely cover with spices.
I have never raised breeding hogs (They are huge!)
But I would have to guess that a breeding boar would indeed have a different taste.

For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
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Karen Allen

Posts: 2

posted 1 month ago

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Hey Thomas,

Great to see you here - and thanks for posting these. Are you training them to electric wire for pasture?

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7122

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4264

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posted 1 month ago

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Hi, Karen
No, I have three pens that I move them through.
There is plenty of room, and less chance of predators this close to the house.

For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
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thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7122

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4264

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posted 1 week ago

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Moving day.
Today I shut the piggies out of the bedroom pasture and let them into the comfrey pasture.
It won't take them long to till up this area, and be ready for the next.
I will reseed both of the small pens when I let them into the apple tree pen, home of the summer palace.

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
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Kara Ann

Posts: 48

Location: Mason County, WA USA:Ha; Harstine gravel ashy sandy loam

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posted 1 week ago

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Love the title of 'The Summer Palace' Thomas - the piggies surely will think so!

“Not everyone can be a truffle. Most of us are potatoes. And a potato is a very good thing to be.” Massimo Bottura, Never Trust A Skinny Italian Chef

thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7122

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4264

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posted 6 days ago

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What a difference a few days makes!
The piggies have been working diligently at tilling the whole pen.
If they dig too deep, they will hit a water line!
By July, they will be moved to the Summer Palace, which has its own apple tree.

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
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thomas rubino

master rocket scientist

Posts: 7122

Location: latitude 47 N.W. montana zone 6A

4264

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posted 7 hours ago

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Well, it has been just over a week now, and tilling is progressing quickly.
They exposed the water line briefly and are very close to it out in the middle.
They have terrorized the Comfrey patch as far as they can reach.
One more week should do it, unless they expose the water line again...

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For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

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