TL;DR

Most of the day was spent preparing the pen for the pigs that would arrive at the end of the day, but we also mulched and planted. There’s always something to do around the farm.

Preparing a Pig Pen

Pigs are messy, vociferous creatures. Their pen doesn’t have to be a work of art, so long as it is sturdy and keeps them from getting out. A loose pig (or many) is such a waste of farm time.

The process over the past few days has been as such:

• deconstruct prior pig pen area
• consolidate pallets, rebar, poles, and fencing to separate piles
• migrate heavy elements like shelters to new area
• lay out the new setup of pallets around the intented new shape
• stand pallets up one at a time, pound rebar/poles on each side
• tie pallets, rebar, and poles together with rope and/or twine
• double check the whole perimeter for any missing ties or loose areas
• put water and feed inside, also straw bedding down inside shelters

It’s really important to tie the pallets together tightly, one towards the bottom (6 inches from the ground) and another towards the top, because the pigs like to dig underneath them.

We will add electric fencing to the back half inside so as young pigs, they will be trained to avoid the fence one the pen is opened up to an electric fence area. Pigs aren’t stupid creatures…usually they’re very attentive…they are just full of instinct to flee. So one or two small shocks is all it takes for them to learn not to tempt the fence. They also like to stay together, so if one gets out they generally just want to get back to the rest of their group.

How to Get a Dozen Pigs Back Safely

Then Jamie and I put a big wooden crate up on the hill into the back of the white truck. Rather than the pigs be directly in the back on the bed of the truck with a cover, the wooden crate would keep them manageable and give them enough airflow for the ride home. It must have weighed about 300 pounds so we stood it up by tipping it on end, backing the truck up close, then letting it see-saw onto the flat bed and pushed the rest of it in. Since it didn’t quite fit length-wise without the tail gate closed, adjustable straps were used to lock it down into place for the ride. Then Jamie was off to go get them from the pig farm an hour and a half away.

Lunch

After a thorough washing and quick change in the barn, the other three of us headed to a local bakery for sandwiches. It was Marina’s last day before heading off on tour so it was nice to get a few more casual moments together.

I had a ham and butter sandwich which reminded me of the pork sandwich at Sticky Fingers in Brown’s mall Gloucester almost 10 years ago. It was run by a mom and her daughter as a tribute to all things intentionally made with love.

Waiting for Pigs to Arrive

After lunch, we all went to grab some salt marsh hay to use as mulch for the leeks. While one of us watered the greenhouse, Marina and I did the mulching which there wasn’t much left of the rows in the bottom main field to cover, so it didn’t take very long at all.

Then we got back together and planted the rest of the row of Elise onions that was started in yesterday’s pouring rain.

Once that was done, we started to collect things that would go to the monthly seed swap at True North Brewing Company later that day, such as various seedling trays from stuff we’ve already planted and the box of giveaway seeds.

We got to ride in the brand new Ford Electric van too, so fresh and clean, before years of service will make it look as well-worn as most other things on the farm. This was a net-new capital investment and will make farmer’s markets and deliveries a lot less logistically complicated moving forward.

The Pigs Arrived

Then Jamie got back from picking the pigs up in the flat bed truck. We loaded rubber/Tupperware buckets into the back of the John Deere gator, then Jamie hoisted the pigs into the buckets one at a time. A lid was placed on top so that the pig wouldn’t freak and try to jump out.

In batches of 3 pigs at a time, the crew took turns on the back of the gator holding down lids and riding them up the hill to deposit them into the pen. Each pig weighed about 30-40 pounds so it took multiple pairs of hands to manage the whole operation. A few trips later and all the pigs had found their new summer residence.

We washed up thoroughly and called it a day, since it was just about time for the seeds and suds event down the road.

Some Things AI Will Want to Leave to Humans

Like all bratty, over-privileged teenagers, modern LLMs have opinions about everything with very little earned experience. In the future, I think AI will likely want to leave pig farming to their biological overlords because it is a messy, lossy, highly variable business. But the pigs you raise are the pigs you deserve.

Same with my AI assistant…the LLM inputs that I currate result in the LLM outputs that I deserve, for better or worse. Here’s what mine are today:

Part 1

Main Themes:

1. Farm work and preparations for pig arrival
2. Construction and setup of pig pens
3. Maintenance and upkeep of farm infrastructure
4. Social interactions with farm staff and Marina’s departure
5. Planting and harvesting activities (leeks, Elsa onions)

Activities done by the intern:

1. Preparing a pig pen, including moving pallets, stakes, and poles
2. Laying out and standing up pallets in the pig pen
3. Pounding rebar and stakes into the ground
4. Tying mesh metal wire to reinforce concrete
5. Adding chicken wire and securing the structure with ropes and twine
6. Waiting for pigs to arrive and setting up a transport crate
7. Finishing mulching leeks in the lower main field with hay
8. Planting Elsa onions (9 trays) in the 98-cell trays

New things not yet encountered:

1. Using a pole pounder (empty metal cylinder with a weight on top)
2. Working with electric wire and fencing for pig pens
3. Handling large, heavy transport crates

Questions and future areas of research:

1. Why didn’t the fence get installed around the entire forest area? (mentioned as “later”)
2. How do pigs dig underneath fencing?
3. What is the purpose of adding chicken wire to the inside of the pig pen?

Suggested actions:

1. Research on optimal fencing designs for pigs, including electric wire and mesh metal wire.
2. Investigation into the effectiveness of pole pounders as a tool for securing rebar and stakes.
3. Discussion with farm staff about electric wire and fencing options for future pig pens.

Please note that these suggested actions are based on the information provided in the field notes and may require additional research or consultation to determine their feasibility and importance.

Part 2

Main Themes:

1. Animal care and husbandry (moving pigs from crate to pig pen)
2. Farming and agricultural practices (deliveries, farmer’s markets)
3. Equipment and technology adoption (new electric van for deliveries and farmer’s markets)

Activities:

1. Loaded trays of seedlings into the new electric van
2. Transported pigs from a crate in a car to their pig pen using a John Deere Gator
3. Loaded and unloaded pigs into rubber bins on the back of the gator
4. Cleaned up after the animal move
5. Attended a monthly seed swap event at True North Brewing Company

New Things Not Yet Encountered:

1. Electric van for deliveries and farmer’s markets (new technology)
2. Rubber bins for transporting pigs (novel solution)

Questions and Future Areas of Research:

1. How do the climate conditions affect the timing of planting seeds? (Note: this is already mentioned in the seed swap event, but it highlights a potential area of research on the impact of climate change on agriculture)
2. What are the benefits and challenges of using electric vans for deliveries and farmer’s markets?
3. How effective are rubber bins as a solution for transporting pigs, and what are their limitations?

Suggested Actions:

1. Investigate further the impact of climate change on seed planting and agricultural practices.
2. Consider implementing additional safety measures when moving animals to reduce stress and injury.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of using electric vans in terms of fuel efficiency, cost savings, and environmental impact.
4. Research alternative solutions for transporting pigs that may be more efficient or humane than rubber bins.