[garrybaldi]

Hi folks

As seems to be the case with a few others I've been hovering around the TAS site for a while without actually joining in ...so here goes.

I guess you could say I'm a frustrated farmer (at least thats what my wife tells me!). I grew up in farming country in SW Scotland with dogs, bantams and chickens and now live in the NE Scotland.  I have 1 wife, 3 kids (not the goat variety) and 3 rabbits although we are getting a couple of Indian runner ducks shortly which I'm very excited about and the kids want a chicken each so I am on the look out for 3 to start with. I'd really like to get a couple of pigs for fattening up and slaughter but the kids can't get their heads round the killing part yet, hence some of the frustration......although it's amazing how they could overcome the thought of killing them if we got a dog!! I feel a career in the diplomatic core coming on for my eldest.

Anyway, that me. Hope to speak to some of you at some point.
Cheers, Garry

[Hilarysmum]

Hi Gary re killing pigs, if you take them to the abattoir the kids need never know. 

[MiriMaran]

Hi Garry,  we have just bought 2 saddlebacks for the first time.  The children have chosen which is their pig and my 5 year old has asked that all the sausages are labelled so he only eats his own pig's sausages!!!!  He shows no mercy!

[sandy]

Hello, welcome to the forum, I love reading about people on this forum, bet you will toooooo. WELCOME

[HappyHippy]

Hello from me in Lanarkshire and welcome to the forum.
On the subject of kids and pigs - my girls were 3 and 4 when we got our weaners and we explained to them that they were only staying with us for a wee while and we were going to eat them. There were some tears, but we persevered and they were fine about it in the end. I thought it was important to be honest with them from the start and teach them where food comes from and hopefully give them a greater respect for the animals in the process.
Good luck with all your projects, look forward to hearing how you're getting on.