This is the first of two images taken at Bittersweet Farms. This picture is of a mother and her children. This pig gave birth about a two weeks before this photo was taken. Fortunately for the pigs in this liter, they were born closer to the end of the winter season. Another pig on the farm gave birth just a few weeks earlier in significantly colder weather and of nine piglets only one survived. Yet, of the newborns shown here not a single one of them died of cold or other complications. Natural History: Bittersweet Farms is an organic farm owned and operated by Anne and Brian Bennet. They raise chickens, eggs, heritage breed turkeys, Tamworth hogs, Scotch Highland cattle, St. Croix sheep, vegetables, herbs, and greenhouse transplants. They sell their products at the Canton Farmers’ Market. Bittersweet Farms has existed for fifteen plus years with Anne and Brian as the owners and operators. Additionally, Bittersweet Farms is located in rural New York and is surrounded by other farms and has lots of land for the animals to roam and live happily.
I wanted to include this image because it is a more hopeful and optimistic image of life on the farm. Normally, not nearly as many piglets would survive after being born. In fact, Brian had told us in most situation he just expects all of the piglets perish so that he won’t get his hopes up. Yet, for this mother all of her children were able to survive.