justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
Well...let me start by saying...I have a problem....
Last summer, my sister asked me to raise her a hog...while I was raiseing mine. Now, this sister is....well off. She makes at LEAST 3 times what we make. This does not include her partners income...which is at least double ours. They have 2 girls...a beautifull home in the country...but not a farm. She doesnt want " stinky animals on her property" ( her words) So, I agreed to raise a hog for them. I went to the auction, and picked the pigs...and hauled them home. They came out, and picked the male. ( He was the biggest) of course. No problem...there are 4 in thier family, and 2 in ours. So, her pig was supposedly already cut, but I soon noticed testies. So, I called the vet...hauled the pig in, had ONE testie cut out....the vet could not feel another, so we assumed it had already been cut, as I was told at the auction. Now, her pig got pneumonia....I went to the vet...got the meds, and nursed it back to health. Then HER pig got pinkeye, again, I went to the vet, got the meds, and nursed it back to health. With all the rain, there was several times I had to buy straw, and lay it down in the pen, to keep them from sinking in the muck. Probably about 10 bales throughout the summer. ( $30.00 total) Several times they came out through the summer, and my sisters partner would comment.." Look at OUR piug, he is TWICE the size of yours, we are going to get the BIGGEST pig" I never said anything...but inside, I was fumeing. Just thinking...they would get the biggest pig, and I did all the work. I asked them a few times while they were here to help clean out the troughs, and fill the water troughs....to which they both replied..." there is NO WAY I am getting in there with those stinky animals." OK, so they never offered compensation for the work I did all summer...or for the straw...even tho I would hint that I spent X ammount each time. They DID pay half of the feed bill...which considering thier pig weighed in over 300, I think he ate more than half of all the feed. Mine weighed in around 225.
So, I arrange for someone to haul them to the butcher...and drive the hour ONE WAY, to make the order. I set up her order and mine....on how we wanted them cut. Later that day, the butcher calls me...and informs me, that the male had a testie tucked way up inside, and he doesnt think the meat will be palatable. He said it would taste OK, but the smell might be pretty strong. I talked to the butcher about the testie, and he informed me that because of the location of it, there would be no way to know it was there, untill butcher time. Now...he is going to let it chill for a few days, then cut off a piece of meat, and fry it...and will let me know if there is an odor. He is a great butcher!! However, he doesnt think the meat will be good. Sooooooo, I called my sister...and told her of the possibility of her pig not being any good. I explained that it would taste OK, but the smell when cooking it would be very strong.So, she starts to rant...." All that money I put into that pig, I bought a freezer JUST for that pig, and NOW I wont get anything out of it!?" There is NO WAY I can offer her ours...or even half of ours. We depend on the meat to get through the winter. We can not afford to buy meat...and besides...I wont eat meat from the stores. So, my delima....I feel terrible about her pig possibly being bad...and her being out of the money she has into it. So, should I offer her the $150 back, she has into it?? Should I offer her maybe a ham, and some bacon from ours? I know she is upset...but, It was nothing I did wrong....it was just nature..( and maybe carma) I really could use some advice here...we are a close family, and have all the holidays together...I dont want this to be a thorn in the family side...but then again, I really cant afford to give her the $150 back either. I mean, I could, but we would have to tighten the belt a little tighter, for a little longer. If any of you were in my situation....what would YOU do!?
Last summer, my sister asked me to raise her a hog...while I was raiseing mine. Now, this sister is....well off. She makes at LEAST 3 times what we make. This does not include her partners income...which is at least double ours. They have 2 girls...a beautifull home in the country...but not a farm. She doesnt want " stinky animals on her property" ( her words) So, I agreed to raise a hog for them. I went to the auction, and picked the pigs...and hauled them home. They came out, and picked the male. ( He was the biggest) of course. No problem...there are 4 in thier family, and 2 in ours. So, her pig was supposedly already cut, but I soon noticed testies. So, I called the vet...hauled the pig in, had ONE testie cut out....the vet could not feel another, so we assumed it had already been cut, as I was told at the auction. Now, her pig got pneumonia....I went to the vet...got the meds, and nursed it back to health. Then HER pig got pinkeye, again, I went to the vet, got the meds, and nursed it back to health. With all the rain, there was several times I had to buy straw, and lay it down in the pen, to keep them from sinking in the muck. Probably about 10 bales throughout the summer. ( $30.00 total) Several times they came out through the summer, and my sisters partner would comment.." Look at OUR piug, he is TWICE the size of yours, we are going to get the BIGGEST pig" I never said anything...but inside, I was fumeing. Just thinking...they would get the biggest pig, and I did all the work. I asked them a few times while they were here to help clean out the troughs, and fill the water troughs....to which they both replied..." there is NO WAY I am getting in there with those stinky animals." OK, so they never offered compensation for the work I did all summer...or for the straw...even tho I would hint that I spent X ammount each time. They DID pay half of the feed bill...which considering thier pig weighed in over 300, I think he ate more than half of all the feed. Mine weighed in around 225.
So, I arrange for someone to haul them to the butcher...and drive the hour ONE WAY, to make the order. I set up her order and mine....on how we wanted them cut. Later that day, the butcher calls me...and informs me, that the male had a testie tucked way up inside, and he doesnt think the meat will be palatable. He said it would taste OK, but the smell might be pretty strong. I talked to the butcher about the testie, and he informed me that because of the location of it, there would be no way to know it was there, untill butcher time. Now...he is going to let it chill for a few days, then cut off a piece of meat, and fry it...and will let me know if there is an odor. He is a great butcher!! However, he doesnt think the meat will be good. Sooooooo, I called my sister...and told her of the possibility of her pig not being any good. I explained that it would taste OK, but the smell when cooking it would be very strong.So, she starts to rant...." All that money I put into that pig, I bought a freezer JUST for that pig, and NOW I wont get anything out of it!?" There is NO WAY I can offer her ours...or even half of ours. We depend on the meat to get through the winter. We can not afford to buy meat...and besides...I wont eat meat from the stores. So, my delima....I feel terrible about her pig possibly being bad...and her being out of the money she has into it. So, should I offer her the $150 back, she has into it?? Should I offer her maybe a ham, and some bacon from ours? I know she is upset...but, It was nothing I did wrong....it was just nature..( and maybe carma) I really could use some advice here...we are a close family, and have all the holidays together...I dont want this to be a thorn in the family side...but then again, I really cant afford to give her the $150 back either. I mean, I could, but we would have to tighten the belt a little tighter, for a little longer. If any of you were in my situation....what would YOU do!?
and she didn't want that dirty animal on HER farm....let her get a taste of what farming is all about. 
