The Story Of Number 21

Number 21

Recently I was asked by a new blog follower to tell them the story of Number 21
The rather sweet photo of the piglet on my side bar somewhat intrigued them and they wanted to know more about her and why I had celebrated her in such a way.
They may be surprised to find out that Number 21 was a pure monster.

Some years ago now , after some weeks preparation I came home with two piglets in the back of the old berlingo. The little boar was a perky saddleback and the sow piglet was a feisty Gloucester old spot.
I planned to fatten both up for the table.
From the get go, I was determined not to get attached to the two of them and so always referred to both by their  ear tag numbers.
It was not hard not to get attached to number 21.
She was a real bitch.

Where Number 12  grew into a massive, benign six footer teddy bear of a pig Number 21 developed clear psycopathic tendencies . Mercilessly she bullied her sty mate, nipping and biting him away from any tidbit that I or the neighbours threw for them and over a two month period she caught and ate at least twelve chickens who were stupid enough to wander into her enclosure. ( I had put the losses down to a fox until I actually saw her attack and rip to pieces a sleepy buff Orpington who had chosen to sunbathe in the wrong place.


The lovely number 12 with 21

When she was fully grown I refused to enter the sty without a pig board or a stick for protection for where Number 12 would nibble my fingers playfully as I stroked him Number 21 would try to take great chunks out of my wellies , thighs and buttocks when the mood took her.

I was constantly paranoid about her and the dogs as I had no doubt that if she caught one of them she would have killed them within seconds and this fear was substantiated by the sight of her once disembowelling a newly deceased female turkey called Gloria, a body that I lowered into the sty at 8 am one morning and one that had totally disappeared ( beak, feathers and feet included) by noon.

I shed a small tear when Number 12 wandered good naturedly into the abattoir in Denbigh a year to the day after he arrived.
I didn't miss Number 21 at all.
But she sure did taste good!

Over 85 kilos of sausages 


71 comments:

  1. Whahahaha! That’s a great story.
    Hopefully you don’t have too many PETA followers.

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    Replies
    1. There are a few nutters following I know that much

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  2. Well, I'd say you ultimately emerged victorious. She may have been a monster, but she sure was cute!

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  3. That is a great story and it sounds like 21 knew what she wanted, which was pretty much everything...

    The bottom pic isn't of 21, is it?

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  4. Yes it's the sausages I had made from both animals

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  5. Gone the way of all good pigs.

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  6. My ex-husband and I raised a female hog once and I was astounded at how huge she got so quickly. She escaped her pen frequently and I was afraid for my small children, quite frankly. And yes, we enjoyed the meat she provided for us.

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  7. I remember when you got them and they were very cute. What a piggy pig #21 turned out to be. I hope you tenderized him and added some good herbs during your final encounter with him.

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    1. Yes you were one of my first followers and I thank you for being so loyal x

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  8. After them did you resign from raising your own food? I’ve been curious about that.
    PS having just returned from the UK what about Google Box? Embarrassing bodies and naked.., dating? All hilarious!
    Ruth :::::sigh:::: back in Oxnard Ca. USA via Bracknell and Binfield.

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  9. People ask me do I love all farm animals and I say no, there is one farm animal that I can't stand, that gives me the creeps, that I will never allow on this farm and that's pigs! Especially when I found out they kill chickens and lambs, my aversion to them was sealed!

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    1. Steve, I have to balance this by stating no 12 was as sweet as a dog

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    2. John they can actually be good pets, other than dogs they are usually the smartest animal on the farm. Doesn't matter, they make my skin crawl, we had them when I was young. Anyone reading this and thinking about a pet pig, just know even the mini potbellies can grow over 300 pounds, a farm pig can be 500 to 700 pounds in kilograms that's still nuts! They are also nature's mini bulldozer so that is why you always hear about breaking out stories about pigs.

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  10. No. 21 sounds very much like a member of that Terminus group … you’re the butcher or the cattle. In No. 21’s case, he was both. Poor thing.

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  11. Can pigs kill coyotes? My biggest fear is coyotes killing and eating my pets. I live in a rural area.

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    1. I doubt they could catch one but they may frighten a coyote off

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  12. I had no idea that pigs could kill chickens!

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    Replies
    1. She also killed and ate moles, mice, several quail and an Indian runner duck

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  13. Yes, she was a demon indeed.

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  14. Always wondered about that sweet picture of 21. Goodness what a story.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. There's more sties on those side bar photos

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  15. My nephew raised a pig as a FFA project while in 8th grade, named it Charlie. On a visit some months later I didn't see it and asked about Charlie's whereabouts. My nephew led me to the freezer where packages were labeled 'Charlie's ham', Charlie's shoulder', etc.

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    Replies
    1. At least kids found out that meat has to be killed before eaten

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  16. Oh dear! Maybe Number 21 knew what was coming in her future and decided to become bad ass bacon while alive. Number 12 decided to live his short life sweetly each day. He was the better pig.

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  17. Full grown pigs are dangerous. The Vet I used to work for told a story of a child going missing. She fell into a pen, there wasn't much left.

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    1. Indeed I often fantasised on killing someone I disliked from the village and then feeding him to the numbers

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    2. The compost heap at my old allotment sat on a loose brick foundation of a previous shed and I often thought it would be the perfect place to conceal a body under. A complete arse of a boss was a particular favourite for interring there.

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  18. I think that was about the time I entered into your blogging life John - and what a roller coaster of a ride it has been. I feel I know you - and know Trelawnyd - very well.

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  19. Number 21 was determined not to go gentle into that good night.

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  20. Posthumously, I hereby name Number 21, Sheila in memory of the pig my family fattened up in 1959. Besides, prisoners in concentration camps were known by their numbers and so just referring to Sheila as Number 21 has an eerie connection with those dark days.

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    1. You may recall we held a " name the pig save the pig&" raffle on one of our open days.........
      I can't remember the chosen name

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    2. That's unlike you, YP, to introduce a sombre note by wayof social commentary. I am in two minds whether to offer John use of my name should he ever find himself with another Number 21. I suppose I could be her godmother.

      U

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    3. Ursula would be a good name for a ginger alpaca.

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    4. Anonymous8:22 am

      The name Damien would've been suitable for 21. And an exorcism may have helped 21.

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  21. George6:29 pm

    Your number 21 was a right pig. You don't want any more of that sort of malarkey just to aquire a sausage for your bangers and mash.

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    1. George6:42 pm

      Acquire

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    2. George6:43 pm

      No.... keep guessing

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    3. Come on, John. Clive died the instant you didn't recognize me. More the tragic since he wasn't MY brainchild.

      As to "George" - I think his use of the word "malarkey" is a dead give away. And this is all my Watson to his Sherlock is prepared to offer. Mainly because I haven't got a clue.

      I am in shock, John. Your readers' comments an education. I had no idea that pigs are omnivores. Obviously I knew you could feed a pig anything but my imagination didn't stretch to flesh. Meat by another name. Anyway a quick excursion to google sorted that misapprehension of mine. Let's all find comfort in the fact that pigs are very intelligent and, of all animals, resemble humans the most. Not least when grunting.

      U

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    4. Like I said..... whatever

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    5. What does it take to bring a little cheer into your life this minute? Please don't say: "Whatever". That leaves too many options to choose from.

      U

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    6. Like I said I'm not in the mood for jokes.
      YP I am told it is you

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    7. George8:18 am

      It's not YP Ursula or Clive. Just me George.

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  22. Mary has a sister who is apparantly a real REAL bitch

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  23. It's hard to imagine a terrier that isn't a sweetie at heart but if you had one life would be pretty hard indeed! all that bouncing and chewing. Hard enough in playfulness but with intent *shudder*

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  24. Choosing animals and humans comes down to being lucky for the most part. Nurturing may help a bit but not always.

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  25. We remember number 21 well!

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  26. I don't know if this makes it easier or harder to eat my pork chops now . . . It's surprising that such a sweet looking piglet could grow up to be such a monster!

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  27. Hannibal lecter would have said she was "rude food" and deserved to be eaten.......

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  28. Now we know why Miss Piggy was so violent! It's in her hog nature!

    People who've never been around pigs are always surprised when I tell them that pigs are omnivores. And wild hogs are real terrors.

    Pigs provide great meat and lots of lard to cook with. We raised pigs. In their large pens, they had an easy life. Several greedy one got so fat they could hardly stand! They had rolls of fat on their faces, almost hiding their eyes. They had the most delicious meat and the most lard.

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  29. I never knew that pigs would kill and eat chickens. It makes me more nervous of them.

    I don't know if I could eat my own animals - I am afraid if I had to grow my own meat I would have to be vegetarian.

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  30. We never had a pig like that, we borrowed a boar once that just wanted to savage rather than ravage our sweet natured Berkshire, but never a murderous psychopath. Our chickens, even the tiny bantams, played happily in the pigs enclosures, paddock and arcs.

    It looks like Number 21 made good sausages.

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  31. PJ Wodehouse was evidently not inspired by your right little madam. What a great story, but what a challenge for you and your peaceable flocks of poultry! I'm sure The Prof had a few things to say at the time about your endeavour to keep the freezer full of tasty treats.

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  32. 'Tis hard to put down animals... easier if they are mean or stupid. We had a vealer called Rosie who came in season and trumpeted under our bedroom window every three weeks.. she was LOUD!! She had to go as we were bereft of sleep every cycle. Yet once packed in the freezer I found it hard to cook Rosie until the budget demanded steak on the menu having eating vegetarian for weeks. Daughter aged 4 asked the inevitable question at being served meat "Mumma is this Rosie? Yes darl'n.. this is Rosie! :( "Mumma... Rosie is delicious!!" Says it all really...

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  33. I hosted a law student intern who is a vegetarian, who raised beef cattle. I asked her about the seeming contradiction, and she said, "after a few of them pin you to the wall and try to kill you, you don't feel bad about killing them back." She wouldn't eat them, but she had few reservations about sending them off the market.

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  34. When DH and I first started dating-45 years ago-we went out to his Aunt and Uncles farm for Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner I had to go to the bathroom. There I am sitting on the throne thinking how hot it was in the bathroom when I heard snuffling. There was a five gallon pail over by the heat register. I raised up off the throne to look in the pail and there was a piglet in there. Couldn't get my pants up fast enough and get out of there. I dashed out of the bathroom and breathlessly announced there was a pig in the bathroom!! I was very nonchalantly told it was the runt of the litter and needed to keep warm and the bathroom was the warmest place for it. This big city girl (Manchester) had never seen anything like it and was just flabbergasted that they would keep a pig in the house, never mind the bathroom!!!!

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  36. OMG - How could you - eat them??!!

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