A couple weeks ago, we bought a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig and named her Olive. Olive is 8 weeks old, weighs about 4 pounds, and is smaller than our Chihuahua mix. For the moment, she stays inside the house until we can make her a secure pigpen, which should only be another week.
There are many benefits to having a pig, especially if you garden. I read once that pigs are one of the best animals to have if you are committed to sustainability — properly managed, pigs can be a huge benefit to your garden and your life.
- Zero waste. Pigs eat nearly any type of kitchen scraps imaginable, from potato and carrot peelings to slightly overripe fruit, cucumber ends, and greens. Avoid giving your pig anything moldy, though, and aim for more veggies than fruit.
- Great fertilizer. As long as their manure is thoroughly composted, it’s perfect to use as a fertilizer or soil amendment. Avoid using raw manure especially in edible gardens, though, as pathogens haven’t had the chance to break down.
- Living rototiller. Pigs love to use their snouts to dig in the soil, turning it over to look for roots and bugs. We plan to let our goats eat down the end-of-season veggie garden, then put Olive in the garden and let her naturally turn the soil over before we add compost.
- Amusement. There’s no denying that pigs are sociable, funny, and smart. Whatever you can teach a dog to do, pigs can learn. They are also a bit stubborn, so be sure to let them know what the rules are from the beginning or they’ll run circles around you.
A note on pig size: Only buy a pig from a trusted source or breeder. There is no such thing as a miniature pig, but many “breeders” will try to sell you a tiny piglet with the promise that it will stay small and cute. Most pot-bellied pigs will grow from 75 – 200 pounds, with some variation on either end. Compared to full-grown hogs that weigh in at 1500 pounds, these pigs are small but they will not remain tiny like ours is now. Please understand the mature size and weight of any animal before you commit to raising it.
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This is a fantastic article!
It seems like everyone has chickens. Chickens, chickens, chickens! But these cute little guys are a great idea to reduce waste and utilize them to aid our gardens!
I think more utilitarian, and I’m loving this idea!
Thanks for the article!
Love my pot bellied pig Peppa. I do compost but was told not to add my pigs waste. She eats grain and a good salad each day. Treats are grapes and apples. Grandkids and little visitors who have never even seen a pig gets to feed her Cheerios so she loves little visitors!! She knows what’s next!
So glad to read that her waste is acceptable for garden.!!!! Thanks
Peppa sounds adorable! Thank you for sharing her story. If you are on Instagram or Facebook connect with us, we would love to see a picture of Peppa.
My wife would love a small pot bellied pig but I have always shied away from the idea, dont get me wrong we have had numerous dogs, cats etc and an allotment with chickens but always thought pot bellied pigs were hard work and a more specialised animal to care for. We live in an inner-city area with 120×30 foot garden and wondered it this would be ok? I might surprise her one day.
Hi Andrew, pigs make great pets and additions to your garden or allotment, but it’s important to understand how much work comes along with caring for and raising a pig. Potbellied pigs can grow up to 75-200 pounds, need lots of attention and socialization, their own living space in your yard, and will require lots of food. To learn more about raising potbellied pigs we recommend looking into books on raising farm animals as well as homesteading with farm animals. They will provide you with lots of great information and insights.