Bethune Catholic

Saturday evening (just at dusk) I am heading out to fill the car with gas and pick up some 'expired' beer down the street, when I hear a strange low guttural sound from Mama pig. As I go to investigate, I suddenly see that ALL the goats are out. They have forced a hole on the back side of their pen and are happily munching on some greenery. I call for help and head over.

By the time I get there, all but one of the goats has scrambled back into their pen. "Johnny" is still out, and since I am not the most popular guy with our goats (I cut their nails, chase them off the pig food, the garden, etc.) I wait for Number 2 daughter so I don't scare him off. Sure enough, she just walks over and grabs him, and we put him back in.

By this time Mrs. Curley is out as are my top (by age) three sons. The sons go to patch the fence and I decide to head out again. But just then I remember I was originally alerted by a strange sound from Mama Pig. Mrs. Curley is the closest, so I ask her to check.

Mama Pig is stuck in a tire .... Background: the pigs have rubber tubs for water. They are easy to tip over, so we get old tires from the recycling center and wedge the rubber tubs into the hole in the center of the tires. A determined hog can still tip it and still get the tub out of the tire, but it takes a lot more work.

Mama Pig must have gotten the tub out of the tire, then put her head through the hole, and somehow her front legs also. She was not happy.

So ..... Number One Son and I went in and slowly tried to work the tire back, the idea is that it will be easier to ease if off her hind quarters than to get it over an agitated hog's head. Progress was slow with Mama becoming increasingly unhappy, especially at the tire can't be too pleasant as we try to ease it past her full teats. Finally she has had enough and runs.

We decided that we would simply go and hang onto the tire. When Mama ran, we would hang on and pull it off. We tried it. We didn't get it off, but simply enraged Mama Pig. She came after us (very dangerous), and we retreated out of the pen.

Mrs. Curley suggested trying again, but this time lubricating her up first.

So we got some canola oil, and from outside the pen I poured it on her in proximity to the tire. Still outside the pen, I leaned over and grabbed hold of the tire. Then Mama tried to run ... the tire slipped off.

You never know what's going to change the schedule and interrupt plans around here.

Oremus pro invicem!

PS .... Oh yes, I forgot to mention, we are now off store milk. Our Jersey's milk is great!