Bacon is good, but live bacon is even better

We all know that dogs are man's best friend, but what about man's other best friend?
There is a lot to say about man's relationship with dogs. Their love, funny personalities, and actions warm the hearts of millions every day. 

 I mean, can we really live without our four legged partners? And seriously, where would the world be without all of the funny dog videos on Youtube?! 

But what about other animals? What about pigs?

You might be thinking, "is she crazy? How could you even compare the two?" but hear me out. Most people think of pigs as fat, lazy, mean, eating machines, who are, at best, a good plate of bacon. And don't get me wrong now, I love bacon just like your average red blooded American, but have you ever put in more thought to look past this animal as just food that we as Americans depend on so much for our diet? Probably not. Living their lives in small stalls, popping out babies, and eating as much as possible is pretty much the standard lifestyle for your average commercial farm pig. But I can guarantee that most of you guys have very limited genuine experiences,  if any, with this lovable animal.
Well, this is where I come in to set the record straight and spread what I have come to learn and love about pigs.

I'm going start with the story of how we brought pigs to our farm in the first place:
We've always had chickens, goats, and horses here at CFR, and we definitely were not planning on getting anything very extensive. I'll let you in on a little secret, we were actually set on getting a sheep. 
But, as usual, life had a different plan. We ended up meeting a very friendly guy who raises pigs. We went and saw his operation which was very simple, but cute and well functioning. He had a couple of males and several pregnant females. We asked a lot of questions and gained a ton of insight on this whole pig raising business. 
When his two pigs had their babies we went and picked out a couple: a male and a female from different litters. We wanted to have our own breeding pair. We had to wait 6 weeks to pick them up, so, in the meantime, we started building our pig pen. 
And just like everything we build, keeping in mind that these little piglets were going to grow to exceed 700 pounds, it was built over the top: strong, insulated, and totally "pig proof." 

When we brought our piglets home, whom we had affectionately named Bonnie and Clyde, we weren't done with their house yet. So, their nights were were spent inside the house in our dog kennel and their days were spent walking on a leash learning the ins and outs  of the ranch, meeting the other animals, and basking in the sun while we worked on their house. 

They were just little things, and they quickly started bonding with us. We realized that, inside their amazingly human like eyes, there was recognition, warmth, intelligence, curiosity, and even humor. They looked up at us with their little snouts and squeaks with trust and started following us everywhere, eating right out our hands.

They are now a few months older, and at least a hundred pounds heavier, living outside with the other animals. But if they hear, smell, or see any movement coming from the house, they drop whatever they are doing and run as fast as they can to us now looking towards us  with the most love and devotion that I have ever seen.

Our Blue Heelers are their best friends.
Especially our 3 year old Percy, who has been their guardian and protector since the day we brought them home. He immediately jumped into the horse trailer with those little piglets, sat down next to them, and from that day onward, swore to protect them and stay by their sides. This was his first big responsibility that he took over from his dad "Sonny Boy." (Pictures of that very moment, above in  "The Pigs" page) He has definitely fulfilled that promise as he strolls with them everyday on all of their adventures.  They spend their days walking and playing with the goats and eating with the horses.
Bonnie is such a character, she loves to roll on her back so you can rub her belly, closing her eyes in great satisfaction and won't move and inch until you walk away. Then she'll run and grab a stick. darting and bucking... urging you to chase her. 
Then there's Clyde (aka little pigger) 
Unbelievably smart and agile. You cannot get anything over on him. If you move left, (before you even think to move) he moves right. He runs like lightning, and stares into your eyes and talks to you will little squeaks and snorts. He actually talks to you. 

Their insatiable curiosity paired with extreme intelligence has made for the funniest and enlightening time of our lives. They're influence has brought out the character And personality of every other animal on the ranch. You can see the others thinking and playing more than before. Using they're brains to solve problems. 

They have been such a wonderful part of our lives, and have brought so much fun and love to our ranch. 

Our journey with them has only begun and I'm so excited to see them grow and learn.

These amazing animals are so much more than just a source of food. They may actually be one of the smartest animals in the world. And they have enormous feelings. 

I'm telling you, your other best friend could definitely be a pig, and you would love them just as much as you do your dog. Everyone should see these awesome animals in a happy and thriving environment, you will definitely want to get that little piglet of your own. 

So... Mans other best friend?? You decide.

(There are so many wonderful photos of Bonnie, Clyde, and their interactions with the rest of the ranch. As well as their "PIG STRONG" house. Visit the pages, "Pig Pen"..."The Pigs"... "Bonnie" or "Clyde" to check out these amazing photos."

Also check out our Youtube page for funny videos of the pigs and more!!!!