This is Malcolm.  He’s important, because he is the first animal to make our farm “work.”  We procured 13+ acres in rural Northeast Texas back in June, and Mr. Malcolm T. Porkchop is our first farm animal here.

He has some important jobs.

His first job is to be a happy pig.  My daughters were distressed that we would ultimately be eating Malcolm.   I explained that we feel that meat is an important part of our nutrition goals.  If I have to eat an animal, I want him to have a chance to be a happy animal before he dies.  So, he shall be a happy pig.  He shall have a very large pen for foraging.

He shall have clean water, and table scraps, and shelter.  He shall get scratched behind the ears and have a name.  He shall have friends and be a quite happy pig before he dies.

He will scratch up our garden and plow it with his nose.  He will break up the hard ground with his pointy feet, and he will eat up the weeds and roots in the field.  He will leave his droppings to fertilize it.  He will turn kitchen waste into usable calories for our family.

And when the time comes to butcher him, we will be sad, because the animal has life, and we respect that.  We will be grateful for him, and for his life, and for what he adds to our family.

When the time comes, we will miss him, because he will have been our friend.  This will hurt our hearts, but it will remind us that food doesn’t grow in styrofoam trays at the grocery store, and that life is precious.