Jose's Hog

[itsmecindi]

Jose\'s Hog

I seperated out a hundred and fifty pound barrow yesterday, and penned him up in a holding pen for pickup this morning. Somehow during the night, he escaped.

Seven a.m. the customers arrived. A hispanic man named Jose, and his two brothers. The pig was for a fiesta for his daughter's wedding. Their english was kinda shaky, so I tried to explain what happened as best I could, and the adventure began.

The hog was now running with thirty other hogs anywhere from twenty to six hundred pounds. He already knew he had a price on his head, so singling him out again was a chore at best. We tried chasing, baiting, and penning him in a corner and tackling him, which almost worked until he wiggled his way free. It was at this point that Jose rattled off a three minute snarling speech that was dotted generously with the word 'pistola'.

Despite all this, he had a wicked grin on his face and a measured determination in his eyes that was something to see. Finally the hog was caught. We were all out of breath. I had long ago stop cussing. Jose, however, was still at it. I picked up something that started with what sounded like 'chin-cow' and ended up with 'madre'. Whatever was in between was unrecognizable but sounded pretty bad.

I apologized for the inconvenience, while Jose and his brothers clapped each other on the back, laughing and smiling.

"We come back! We come back again! Another hog later! Okay?" Jose said enthusiastically amid more smiling and back slapping.

The agreed upon amount of money changed hands and I marveled that he didn't insist on a discount after what he'd just been through. We shook hands and it was when our eyes met for the last time that I understood.

Jose didn't just get a hog for his daughter's wedding. He and his brothers got an adventure from which I felt sure many tales would be spun. Over time I can almost guarantee that the size of the hog and the degree of difficulty will grow until it becomes an event of epic proportions, and years down the road that hundred and fifty pound hog will be five hundred pounds with six inch cutters, with the chase lasting for days and spanning three counties. Suddenly I didn't feel so bad anymore. Despite the aggravation and the sweat and the dust and the cussing, I was comfortable with the fact that Jose got his money's worth. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Docsknotinn]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Thats going to be one happy happy wedding. Noon and now I am seeing BBQ pig on MY plate /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Dave

 

[Bird]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( We shook hands and it was when our eyes met for the last time that I understood.
)</font>

Congratulations! I think you've got the situation pegged. He's more likely to return and/or send other customers your way than if that pig had been penned and/or docile. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

After it was all over I have to admit that it was a pretty good challenge. One that Fred was not up for. He walked around with a scowl looking for all the world like an old lady with a bad case of bursitis. Then had the nerve to say his back hurt. From WHAT!!? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif He's no dummy.

I had a guy come right after Jose, funny guy, I didn't get his name but he was also hispanic. He says.....

"I wanna that pig. I go catch."

Next thing I knew he had vaulted over the fence, legged the pig, and gestured to his two buddies to come and help him carry it out. The man didn't even get DIRTY! Hog tied him, threw him in the back of the truck, paid, gave me a saucy little salute and off he went. Too funny. If he'd given me a chance I would have offered him a job. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Slamfire]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

You should have got the second guy's name and number for Jose! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Oh, duh! Lol! I guess I should have mentioned the second guy's pig was only fifty pounds or so. Sorry about that. Jose's was about a hundred pounds heavier.

 

[bgott]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

"I picked up something that started with what sounded like 'chin-cow' and ended up with 'madre'."

I know what he said. I'd tell you but then the post would get deleted and I'd get a PM on the subject of improper language on a family website. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif It sounds like he might have added some of his own embellishments to the tried and true standard phrase. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now, back to serious business. If you are picking up a hispanic clientele you need to consider branching out into goats. Mexicans love 'em.

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Oh I have 'em. A lot of native Texans (that's us) love 'em too. I don't have any for sale right now, but I sold a little billy to a guy a few months ago. He just went on and on about how his son wanted it so badly for a pet. I ran into him later and asked how the goat was doing, he said....'ohh (blushing) we ate him already. I was afraid to tell you we wanted him to eat'.

Goat meat is eaten regularly in Cedar Park Texas where I come from. Referred to as ....Baa baa que

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Are you a CEDAR CHOPPER??? I've lurked in the shadows enjoying your posts. I had thought that you could have possibly been misplaced in Florida as you do have very "colorful" lifestories to tell. The type of stories you could expect from the average local Cedar Chopper. Anyway, yes, I too live here. If you've been away for long, you wouldn't recognize it. So many new businesses, Winkleys is still on the corner...Kyle

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Yes I am!

Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock, all old stomping grounds! I spent many a dollar in Winkleys and many a day in a cedar break helping cut fence posts. It's great to hear from someone from home!

My in laws live back there by New Hope Babtist Church. Do you know any Mousers or Maynards? My sister is married to a Maynard, who are related to the Mousers so we are sisters and also cousins by marriage. (grin) Your bound to know at least one Maynard or one Mouser. They're thick as thieves out there.

It's been.....oh, six or eight years since I was there last and even then it was hard to recognize it. I miss it so much. Fred and I used to go dancing at the SPJST hall in Round Rock.

We've been here seventeen years now. I'm due for another visit. I'm not quite as homesick now though as I used to be. it helps that we finally got a Sonic and Bluebelle Ice Cream!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Sorry, I don't know any of your family. I've only lived here for 10 years (but I've been coming through here since 1978 on a regular basis). My friends had a lakefront home in Point Venture. You absolutely would not recognize the place. If it weren't for Hwy 183 and 1431, I would swear I was in the middle of some big city. We have a big 2 story mall, 2 Super Walmarts, Super Target, Lowes, Home Depot, the list goes on and on. Even Jonestown and Lago Vista are growing.
By the way, How much are Hogs in Florida??? All the Hogs around here go for $10,000 on up to $50,000. I spent all my Hog money on a John Deere....Kyle

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

That surprises me, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Mouser or a Maynard out there. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I lived in Jonestown for awhile. The closest I ever came to hitting a deer was on the Jonestown highway between the
7-11 and 183. I rented a house there from old man Jones. I doubt he's still alive, but he was the man Jonestown was named after. My dad worked in Lago Vista for quite awhile.

I'm not sure I get your question about the hog, unless your referring to a Harley. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If that's the case, a friend of mine saved up and bought one cash. Ten thousand dollars and change. He was killed on it three weeks later. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Yes, I was trying a bit of humor about Harleys. Seems everything these days is Harley this, Hog that...Sorry I didn't mean to touch on a sad subject for you. I too have known many to die on bikes. Most were stupid riding maneuvers that could be blamed on the pilots or could have been prevented.

 

[Slamfire]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

When experience riders get killed, chances are they are on a new bike. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[farmhouse]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

itsmecindi, we have a guy down the road from us that raises Barbados sheep and habitually lets his herd get too large. It sounds like your Hispanic customer might have tried to buy one of his. Apparently he checks people out and if they want the sheep for anything other than a pet, he won't sell them one. That's the reason he has too many sheep! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Oh it was several years ago, and he ran a red light and refused to wear a helmet. While I miss him and feel badly about it, he made his choices and suffered the consequences. he looked really 'cool' for those three weeks though. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Farmhouse. Some folks just can't part with their animals, and I have had feelings like that, and as long as the person is willing to make sure they eat well and can afford to take care of them, then I say more power to them. But it seems like they are being set up for a fall. What happens when the day comes and they can't afford it anymore. I had to get used to the fact that some people are going to eat the animals they buy from me. I know for a fact that the piglets we sell won't live past six months. Neither will our 'food' animals. I just try to make it as nice for them as possible in the meantime.

 

[Junkman]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Is your neighbor a vegetarian also????? Some animals are raised for food purposes, just like other crops. It has always been that way and unless we find a suitable substitute for meat, it always will be, that is unless all the world becomes vegetarians.....

 

[RichZ]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Yeah, Cindi, that's the one thing I can't handle about farming. I just can't bare to raise an animal to be slaughtered. I'm not a vegetarian, but I just can't deal with an animal I raised being butchered. Luckily, living in dairy country, one of my dairy farmer friends turned me on to an alternative. We're going to raise bred heifers. You raise heifer calves until breeding age, have them bred, and sell them when the pregnancy is confirmed. The heifer becomes a dairy cow. Around here, dairy cows live a very nice life. Of course, if the unborn calf is a bull calf, there's a good chance he might become veal, but we're going to be dealing only with registered Holsteins, and even most of the bull calves end up being breeders.

So between raising bred heifers, dairy goats and chickens for our egg business, we don't have to deal with our critters being sold for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We even have a market for the bucklings from our goats in the pet trade. So we finally are set up in our farm. We'll get our first heifers this January. and we'll be getting at least six more Nubian does this spring. It's gonna be a very busy year!!!!

 

[itsmecindi]

Re: Jose\'s Hog

Rich, I know what you're saying, I really do honey, but what do you guys do for meat? I mean, can you raise a cow and a pig for your freezer and take it somewhere and have the slaughter done for you? The meat is so much better, and cheaper! But mainly, better. Fresher, no hormones etc.