Warning: pig farms are hazardous to the health of your hands.

There's a very good chance this guy is responsible for one of the damaged bits on my arms...

Owie.

Indulge me for a moment while I review:

A big open graze on my inside wrist (thumb side) from where a fleeing piglet managed to trip me and knock me into the wall of the pen.

A sizeable bruise on inside forearm, same source.

Multiple scratches from holding piglets while the farmer gives them pneumonia injections.

Two small gashes on the sides of my little and ring finger, from trying to get a wheelbarrow through the only available passage, which was too small and brought me into conflict with the wall.

Many little patches of missing skin on knuckles of fist and fingers, from getting them knocked off things (usually by piglets that don't want to be picked up; occasionally from tools which require more space than is available thus making me hit the wall again).


Okay - now the other arm!

...I wish that was a joke.


Missing patches of skin on knuckles of fingers (see above).

Generally damaged-looking thumb from having a piglet slam it against the doorway of the piglet creep (= "special piglet kennel within the main pen") on its way to hide from me, because we all know how horrible it is to not get pneumonia it's for your own bloody good stop running away and making hurtyness in my hands you little buggers!

Gouged bit by knuckle of fist - a less-severe gash came from using a pitchfork in an enclosed space without quite enough space to turn, causing the hand holding the handle to punch the brieze-block wall, the texture of which is much like that of a cheesegrater. The current gouge came from doing the same thing again before the first one had healed up. :(

Scratches across forearm from holding piglets for ear-tattooing; similar in outcome to holding them for injections.

And of course, the general muscle ache from having to use my (rubbish) grip to its full strength for teeth-clipping, plus the callouses and it's-cutting-a-hole-in-my-hand feeling of lugging bales of straw about by holding on to the string tying them. Think of how palms feel after carrying heavy plastic bags, and you get a vague idea.


So, yeah. I'm having a great time here!

And honestly, that one isn't a joke either. :)