Reintroduction

JustT

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Howdy all! I'm T. I was a member here a few years back but I've started my life over in a new location and thought I'd rejoin the community. I am making a go of it on my own with my critters, living mostly off grid. I LOVE this new lifestyle. I have horses, goats, potbellied, peafowl, geese, ducks, chickens, dogs and cats. I was told recently that I'll be adding some needy bunnies to the crew very soon as well.

I look forward to making new friends here!

Take care,
T
 

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JustT

Overrun with beasties
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Welcome back!
View attachment 79701
Thank you for sharing pictures, super cute!


So, what's the story on your life changing pig :)
Well... I'll try and shorten up a long story cuz I could get REALLY long winded. lol!

His name is George and he was abandoned on my mom's property by a family that was supposed to be buying her land. But they abandoned their deal with her, too. My sister lived right next door and for nearly a year she watched this poor pig endure a miserable life. When the family first brought him home, they put him out in a little pasture with their horses... who had great fun chasing him all over the field. Since there was nowhere for him to escape, he had to keep running until they were all funned out. Daily. 😕 They eventually got rid of the horses, but his owner wasn't very nice to him once he got past the cute piglet stage. When I found him, it took me about a week to gain enough of his trust just to get him into a big barn where I could trap him and bring him to my farm. Once I had him at home, it dawned on me that I knew nothing about potbellies. I grew up on a hog farm... but hogs aren't the drama queens that pots are! Anywho, I found a group online of 'pig parents' and over the course of several years I got to know a pretty good group of them quite well since we worked together to save a handful of pigs. Ultimately, I helped them save hundreds and personally fostered about 75 of them. All this rescue work put a strain on my already strained relationship, but feeling like I had a purpose having goals I was working toward gave me the gumption to stand up for myself a little more.

Sooo... a VERY long story short, I left my bad relationship and started over. George has been with me for 5 or 6 years now. It took him most of those years to recover from his abuse and begin to trust people again. He's still a worry wort and easily spooked, but he looks for attention now. And because of him, I now have 8 pet pigs and I board pigs for families who for one reason or another are forced to find a new place for theirs. The idea being that one day, their circumstances will change and they'll be able to bring their pigs home with them. When you consider that pigs can live for 20 years, boarding them for a couple years isn't unreasonable and for many, it's a better option than rehoming them.
 

Madhouse Pullet

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Well... I'll try and shorten up a long story cuz I could get REALLY long winded. lol!

His name is George and he was abandoned on my mom's property by a family that was supposed to be buying her land. But they abandoned their deal with her, too. My sister lived right next door and for nearly a year she watched this poor pig endure a miserable life. When the family first brought him home, they put him out in a little pasture with their horses... who had great fun chasing him all over the field. Since there was nowhere for him to escape, he had to keep running until they were all funned out. Daily. 😕 They eventually got rid of the horses, but his owner wasn't very nice to him once he got past the cute piglet stage. When I found him, it took me about a week to gain enough of his trust just to get him into a big barn where I could trap him and bring him to my farm. Once I had him at home, it dawned on me that I knew nothing about potbellies. I grew up on a hog farm... but hogs aren't the drama queens that pots are! Anywho, I found a group online of 'pig parents' and over the course of several years I got to know a pretty good group of them quite well since we worked together to save a handful of pigs. Ultimately, I helped them save hundreds and personally fostered about 75 of them. All this rescue work put a strain on my already strained relationship, but feeling like I had a purpose having goals I was working toward gave me the gumption to stand up for myself a little more.

Sooo... a VERY long story short, I left my bad relationship and started over. George has been with me for 5 or 6 years now. It took him most of those years to recover from his abuse and begin to trust people again. He's still a worry wort and easily spooked, but he looks for attention now. And because of him, I now have 8 pet pigs and I board pigs for families who for one reason or another are forced to find a new place for theirs. The idea being that one day, their circumstances will change and they'll be able to bring their pigs home with them. When you consider that pigs can live for 20 years, boarding them for a couple years isn't unreasonable and for many, it's a better option than rehoming them.
That is an amazing story!! Wow, George is lucky to have you :) thank you for sharing, it's very inspiring how far you've come from having him.
 

JustT

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That is an amazing story!! Wow, George is lucky to have you :) thank you for sharing, it's very inspiring how far you've come from having him.
Far is almost an understatement! lol! When I moved onto the property I stayed in a tent for the first couple months. There was nothing here... just land. No fences, no shelters, no nothing. Just land and trees and a pond. My friend was here just yesterday and mentioned as he looked around, that he remembers when there was nothing here but a tent under a tree. He reminds me all the time about how far I've come.
 

Senile_Texas_Aggie

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Miss @JustT,

I just found your post here. Welcome aboard again! Thank you for sharing your story above. I encourage you to start a journal in the forum "Social => Member's "BackYardHerds" Journals". There you can tell everyone more about yourself and your rescues, maybe post some before and after pictures of your farm, and then continue sharing with everyone your day-to-day adventures along your journey. I look forward to more of your posts. Again, welcome back!

Senile Texas Aggie
 
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