A Different Kind of Farm

While we are "sweating like a pig" in this humidity, Orson and Welles… aren't. 🐖 Pigs don't actually sweat much. They have very few functional sweat glands, which is why they love a good mud wallow on a hot day. The mud helps them cool off as it evaporates, protects their skin from the sun, and even keeps biting insects at bay. So where did the expression come from? Not pigs—pig iron. During the iron-smelting process, molten iron was poured into molds called "pigs." As the iron cooled, moisture would condense on the surface, making it look like it was "sweating." Once it started to "sweat," it was cool enough to handle. #themoreyouknow🌈 Meanwhile, our pigs have their own ways to keep cool, plus year-round access to the inside of the barn to stay out of there elements.

One of the things visitors comment on most is how well all of the different species get along. Honestly, that's usually the easy part. The biggest disagreements on the farm tend to be between members of the same species. Goats have goat drama. Chickens have chicken drama. Pigs have pig drama (as we well know). Padme, on the other hand, seems to think she's part of every group. She sneaks into the chicken coop, rubs up against the goats, hangs out with the pigs, and is generally wherever the other animals are. Blaze has never seemed to question having a cat as part of the herd. It's a good reminder that every animal is an individual—and sometimes the friendships you least expect are the ones that come most naturally. 💕

A quick update on Orson and Welles: they're both recovering well from their neuters and have started spending some limited, supervised time together. It's still early, but we're encouraged by how they're doing. 🐷 We also want to say thank you. Together, you helped raise more than $1,300 toward their care. We are also so grateful for the food donations! Reducing food waste is something we care deeply about. Donations of excess food bank produce and end-of-day bagels not only provide healthy treats and enrichment for our residents, but also help keep good food out of the landfill. It's one of those rare wins where everyone benefits. Thank you for your support! 🧡

12+ hours later, and we're finally home. They'll have some time apart to decompress and let their hormones settle. Then we can work on reunification. Thank you to everyone supporting Orson and Welles! These boys have come so far and we're so excited for them to be together again.

UPDATE: We're here. After a much longer-than-planned drive to Quakertown, PA, the pigs are in surgery. We are relieved. Unfortunately, the truck is also in surgery. About halfway through the drive, it began overheating, requiring me to stop repeatedly and run the heat full blast. Now, we wait… If you haven't had a chance to donate, check out our fundraiser link or donate on our website. We've been overwhelmed by vet bills this year, and every donation really helps. Especially today.

Here we goooooo! 🐖 🐷 🛻 We're halfway to our $1,000 goal to pay for their neuters! Please help us get there today. 🙏