Piggy Choir

I visited Kevin & Francis for what I expect to be the last time.  It's very enjoyable just being in their presence - when they're not trying to bite you.  I'll be sure to think of them each time I visit the farm.  From the look of this picture you might think that I'm leading the pigs in a choir.  Their happy grunts and snorts will be missed.

Make you think, make you laugh

Life has been a little busy in the past few weeks, hence no blogs and now the big catch up.  I visited Kevin & Francis today for the first time in about a fortnight and they have grown a lot.  Apparently they are still considerably smaller than average though.  When I arrived, they were huddled up together in their shed having a sleep in.  Once I got close enough, they quickly hopped up and came outside to greet me...or look for food.

Here is a link to some recent research on red meat intake (BTW, pork is classified as red meat).

“Red and processed meat intake is convincingly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence, but its impact on prognosis after CRC diagnosis is unknown”.

Well not anymore it seems...

“This study suggests that greater red and processed meat intake before diagnosis is associated with higher risk of death among patients with nonmetastatic CRC.”

So basically, red meat causes cancer and the amount you eat determines the likelihood of it killing you.

And in case that’s all a bit doom and gloom for you, here is something to hopefully make you smile...although it really shouldn’t.

If you find Bacon Bros. comics a little confronting, well...success!! They should be.  I'm not aiming to offend but I want to generate thought and discussion.  Here is a great TED talk on the Anatomy a New Yorker cartoon.  I'm not sure where Bacon Bros. fits in.

I should clarify that the chosen method of slaughter for Kevin & Francis is not to cut their throats.  They will be receiving a bullet to the brain, which will hopefully be very quick and painless.  I certainly hope though that they will instead get to live out their days at Freedom Hill.

Something for the meat-eating environmentalists

Check out this website for a great infographic that demonstrates the environmental impact of dietary choices.  It's a little American focused but the numbers still provide an indication of the comparative difference.

I saw this picture on Facebook.

Docos Galore!

I came across a fantastic website (filmsforaction.org) where you can view hundreds of documentaries for free.  There are more than 80 listed under Animal Rights, including one called Pig Business.  Haven't watched it yet but the content seems relevant.  Check it out here.

The things we do to satisfy our taste buds

Pig Wrestling

When visiting Kevin & Francis yesterday, we noticed some curious behaviour.  Are the boys wrestling, posing for the camera or starting to get a little frisky?  I am reading a book, The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery.  She has a pet pig (700 pounds worth) that loves belly rubs.  Apparently many pigs appreciate this and will roll onto their backs to accommodate it.  Sy has even achieved this with a rhinoceros!  I tried with Kevin and Francis but only managed a brief roll on the ground.

A New Tactic

Computer hacking didn't work for the Bacon Bros.  Perhaps this new ploy will prove more successful.

I did warn Kevin & Francis to be a little more sensitive when making jokes about religion but they were not deterred, "Anything goes when on death row".