This week, the spotlight is shining on Ginger! Ginger is the older of our two registered Tamworth brood sows. Ginger came to us as a spunky 14 week old gilt bred right here in Kentucky.
Ginger, or "Gingy" as she's come to be known, developed into a very nice Tamworth. She has wonderful length, a correct face, a docile temperament, and excellent foraging capabilities. We allow our pigs to live outside in the sunshine-eating plants and roots and digging wallows. Ginger and Penny do a wonderful job of tilling up new garden spaces and clearing scrubby spots on the farm.
Ginger really impressed us most, however, this past Easter when she first became a mother. Doug's grandfather raised hogs, and had one favorite who was very much like Ginger-as friendly as a dog until she farrowed (gave birth). Then she was mean as snake until her babies were weaned at which point she went right back to her friendly self. We didn't know what to expect with Ginger. How pleasantly surprised we were when she remained our laid back, happy gal!
She patiently let Doug attend the birth and enjoyed lots of belly rubs and treats while in the "maternity ward." She was never once vicious with us or her piglets. She was also almost comically gentle with her babies. Many pork producers have issues with sows rolling over on, flopping down on, or stomping on their offspring-some even aggressively attack their young! Not our Gingy. Before she would sit or lie down, she would gently sway side to side and shuffle her back feet as if to warn her piglets before she sat her 600lb self down. She tolerated their antics like a saint. We couldn't have asked for a better first farrowing for her. When we weaned the piglets at 5 weeks, though, Ginger was ready for freedom! She ran back to their paddock and immediately took a mud bath. A treat for all that hard labor and nursing!
The Tamworth is described as an active, outdoor pig with intelligence and agreeable disposition. We certainly got that in spades with our Gingy. We'll leave the spotlight with a video of our big, sweet girl playing with the water hose on the last 100 degree day.
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