SEDA THE PIG, THE FINAL POST

This has been a tough post for me.  Seda the Pig, our sponsored pig for our friends son, has been auctioned and we know he has been "processed".

First the good stuff; he did very well for "T".  He came in THIRD in his class, and 26th out of about 225 pigs (just about top 10%).  There was the Grand Champion and the Reserve Champion and then about 23 other pigs ahead of him.  Not bad at all and we, as are his parents, are very proud of him, this was his first time doing this.  He had never even been around a pig before this, and he is more than willing to do it again next semester.

We went to the auction day to see him and cheer on T.  Seda was in his own separate pen and we got to interact with him for the first time in awhile.  He was a sweet pig, if pigs can be be sweet.  He was very gentle and very intelligent.  He recognized T every time he saw him and would get up and run toward him every morning.  He even had this really cute habit of rolling over onto his side when you scratched his belly.

Now comes the part that's tough.  When we saw him, we knew what the outcome would be.  T knew what the outcome would be.  All of the young men and women there in the FFA barn with their animals knew what the outcome would be.  But even still, it suddenly becomes so real.  "Processing".  What a nice euphemism for what is really the end result, killing and butchering.  I'm not going to dance around the issue, we do love pork.  We love beef.  We love chicken.  We love meat.

It's so easy to run on down to the grocery store and buy that big hunk of meat on the little white Styrofoam tray.  It's all wrapped so neatly in clear wrap and best of all, hey, it's on sale!  Glistening like jewels under the artificial light of the meat counters.  Then there are the big signs nearby with phrases like
"Pork!  The other white meat" or "Beef!  It's what's for dinner".

All of that shields us.  It protects us.  It keeps most of us from realizing the ugly truth.  Sure, those of us with a connection to nature, those that have farms or raise livestock or grew up around it understand, but I would dare say that most of the public just blindly buys their meat at the store, all neat and tidy and wrapped up, and never gives a second thought to it's origin.  I've always said that if most people had to raise and/or butcher their own food, they  would probably rather become vegetarian.  I have the utmost respect for those that do it on their homesteads and farms as I don't think I could.  I'm confident in saying I'd have to become vegetarian after my experience with Seda and even just being around the "nosey cows" of late.

Pig butcher chart, image courtesy of Wikipedia

But this whole process of raising the pig, for us, for T, and for his family, has really opened our eyes to just WHERE our food comes from.  We have learned a whole new respect for these animals.  They are more than lines on a chart.  They are intelligent, they can bond with us, they are alive, they care for their young, they protect them, and most of all, they look you in the eye.  We must make sure they are raised properly and if they are to be "processed", they must be humanely treated in their final moments.

T spent some alone time with Seda after the auction and said his goodbyes.  His mother said he thanked him for helping him, for teaching him, and told him he appreciated the gift he was giving him.  I am told there were quite a few tears shed in the barn that evening for all the animals that had been raised (understandable).  You know, in a way, I think I would be more worried if they didn't have a reaction like that.  It shows me that many young people do care for and have compassion and respect for life.

Here is the last photo I took of Seda.  That's 2nd Man reaching down to scratch his head.  I called Seda's name and he glanced at the camera.  I won't lie, shortly after I snapped this one, I shed a few tears myself.  I would like to thank Seda for giving T new direction in his life and for teaching all of us who came to know him to care about where our food comes from.

Seda 2012-2013

This picture is going to be printed and framed and kept on the photo wall at the farm.  Seda will always have a special place in our hearts.