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This time of year, you your imagination can go hog-wild. Beware the wild spirits roaming in Old Man Jim's hog woods Date published: 11/1/2003
AFRIEND WAS DOWN working on my tractor several weeks ago and, when the repair work was done, we sat around chewing the fat for half an hour or so. He told me that until a few months ago, he had been unaware there had been a hog farm on the road leading to his house. "They say there were some wild hogs in there," he said. More often than not "they" don't know what they're talking about, but in this case "they" were right. Old Man Jim Hawkins did have a hog farm down that particular road, and there were some mighty mean hogs in that pen. Upon further consideration, calling the operation a hog "farm" is not quite accurate. This was just a big hog lot on a much larger horse and dairy farm. The lot was about 30 acres in size and a--what else--hog-wire fence encircled the area, which was mostly woods. These days, there are four or five neat little houses tucked back in those woods. But 40 years ago, any person who ventured into that stand of big oak trees took his life in his hands. I know I never went in there. I knew better. Bernie Fincham, who tended the hogs for Old Man Jim, warned me time and again about the old boars in there that could kill a grown man if they took a mind to. Some, he claimed, weighed 1,000 pounds and would go after any person or thing that invaded their territory. These were not hollow words, for other friends had seen the male hogs in question. One fellow told of being chased by one and barely escaping with his life. Some of these hogs were so wild that they were never caught, never sent to market when they got old, never fooled with in any manner. They stayed in Old Man Jim's hog woods until they died of old age--or were killed by younger boars. Over the course of 25 years, sows were bred, pigs were born and as many as could be caught were segregated, raised and sold for butchering. Some, however, were never apprehended and remained wild their entire life. The story of Old Man Jim Hawkins' hogs is an interesting one, but how and what they were fed is just as intriguing.
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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