Win a kit to knit Bubble Jersey by naming our new piglet!
By Alice
There is no day out that I love more than going to a rare breed sale at an auction mart. It is fortunate that there are no such sales less than 2 hours drive away as otherwise Whistlebare may have become more zoo than farm! Last Saturday, not only did we visit the rare breed sale in Lanark, but we went with the intention of buying sheep, pigs and chickens!
As I’m sure you know Whistlebare is a fibre farm where we grow and produce yarn. So what I hear you wondering were we buying pigs for? Well, pigs are wonderful animals, one of my favourite species in fact. So much so that my husband gave me two beautiful ‘Large Black’ (a pedigree breed) gilts as a present when we got married. Whilst those two girls were the beginning of several hundred pigs Whistlebare has been bereft of them for many years now. The reason that we are re-introducing pigs is all to do with managing our land and animal welfare in as environmentally sound manner that we can.
Large black piglets.
All animals are prone to intestinal parasites – worms! With particular species being prone to different groups of parasites. For example goats and sheep all suffer from the same worms which are different from those hosted by pigs. This is key because worms are contracted by an animal ingesting the worm eggs which are in the pasture having been excreted by another infected animal. There are several ways of controlling worms in livestock but the real key is to prevent / reduce infection in the first place. One of the ways of doing this is to turn livestock out onto ‘clean’ pasture, that is fields that are not infected with eggs. Pigs clean pastures for goats and sheep and vice versa simply by eating. The pigs that we bought are Kune Kunes, the smallest breed in the World, and crucially, they are largely grazers rather than diggers so will not destroy our herbal leys in the process of cleaning them.
new piglets on their way to Whistlebare!
One of our new pigs is a little girl who will be staying on the farm to be mama – she needs a name! So, this is our competition in which you could win 2 skeins of our Cheviot Blue 4ply, in the colour of your choice, and the pattern to knit ‘Bubble Jersey’.
name the piglet!
All you have to do is suggest a name for our new sow in the comments below. The winner will be announced on 7th September after the children are back to school and some semblance of normality has returned!
Bubble jersey and Cheviot Blue 4 ply. Bubble Jersey .
What lovely, healthy looking pigs! They are such amazing, helpful animals – so glad you have them on your farm. My suggestion for a name is Coraline, since I am also a Neil Gaiman/ Gothic fiction fan! Good luck to her as she grows into her place on your farm!
Oh that’s a lovely name, I love that book although the button eyes are a bit terrifying!
Flora, because she will keep your flora healthy and parasite-free so your fauna can flourish!
“Chacha” is a short form of muchacha which means girl in its happy sense!
that sounds like a fun name to call a pig x
’Aroha’ – Kune kune pigs are from New Zealand and Aroha means ’love’ in the Maori language.
Pearl , as in pearls before swine, because she is a very lovely swine and deserves a pretty name. ?
Very clever!
I was going to enter this but your Flora entry is so perfect I’m not sure I can come up with an alternative!
Flora is a lovely name isn’t it x
Flora, that’s a lovely name, if we don’t use it for this piggy we’ll name on the goat kids Flora as they all need a name beginning with F this year.
Treacle or BlackBerry ???
Treacle is good, she is definitely the colour of black treacle.
Petal ??
that’s a fun name
Luna. She just looks like Luna, don’t know why.
I love reading about such natural pest control! It’s so important that people, even/especially those of us who don’t live close to land, re-develop an understanding of the natural beneficial symbiotic relationships between land/flora and fauna.
I was thinking of Freya, as in the Old Norse goddess who was associated with fertility (both for piglets of her own but also soil fertility) but also fine material possessions (the delightful Whistlebare yarns).
so glad you enjoyed reading about the pigs and their helpfulness on the farm. Freya is a perfect name
Puddles, cause one thing that keeps a pig happy and healthy is a good roll around in a nice muddy puddle 🙂
muddy puddles sounds like a lot of fun for a pig.
Loved learning about this lovely breed of pigs and I think she should be called Kiri in honour of her New Zealand roots.
A name with heritage is a lovely idea x
She’s so cute!! It’s got to be Squeak to go with that lovely bubble jumper!
brilliant! she squeaks too!
‘Truffle’ because she’s a rare, beautiful small thing that’s going to enrich your lives and your farm ?
thats an excellent name x
Midnight Tonight
yes she’s the colour of Midnight x
Ruffles because the wrinkles in her nose in the posted picture of her sleeping/napping. She looks so cozy! I want to run my fingers over those wrinkles, just irresistible! If she was mine I would always want to be reminded of those adorable wrinkles aka. ruffles. So I would call her Ruffles. Ruffles Whistlebare!
It’s funny that animal wrinkles are so endearing and humans cringe at theirs.
Ruffles is a lovely name, although I think wrinkles would be too!
I think she looks like a Doris to me!
I love the name Doris, it’s a shame the old fashioned names have become so unpopular, perhaps all the pigs should have vintage names.
Mrs Overall after Julie Walters cleaner character from Acorn Antiques.
she is certainly going to be doing lots of cleaning for us.
rusty as she has hints of rust on her
She does have lovely highlights in her colouring doesn’t she x
Black beauty? Cos she really is!
lovely idea x
Black Beauty? Because she Is!
“Brownie”, because she looks so sweet ……. 😉
she is very sweet! that’s a cute name x
Puddles! Cause piggies are happiest when they can have a good roll around in some mud puddle ? and, after visiting your farm this May, I think the piggy will be very happy there.
I do think she will like playing in puddles! I’m glad you think she’ll be happy here x
Daphne
Daphne is a great name.
Black Beauty!
It BB (bibi) in short?
Bibi is a very cute short version of Black Beauty, I like that!
Dora? What adorable pigs!
Dora is another lovely vintage name!
Luna – because it just came into my head when I saw her picture. 7 year old suggests muggle because it rhymes with snuggle.
Luna and muggle, good names for Harry Potter pigs?
Hi Alice
Pamela Pig I think.
Hope she settles in well
Pamela Pig sounds very distinguished! She’s settling in well thank you, and enjoying lots of apples at the moment.
Aretha – after Aretha Franklin.
that would be a lovely tribute
“Brownie”, because she is so sweet 😉
call her Penelope
Penelope is a great pig name.
Vera! We think she looks like a Vera, plus the French for worm is ver.
Vera is an excellent name and I love that is from the French for worm, very clever.
your piglet is gorgeous I would name her Patience.
She is gorgeous isn’t she and I think Patience would suit her very much.
Laura is my suggestion, for no particular reason!
Laura is a good name, often there isn’t a good reason why some names work ?
Ann’s suggestion is great! I came up with “Bubbles” after the Bubble cardigan, or “Chevoit”.
Cheviot is a fun name x
Bluebubble…after the sweater and yarn.
Heather says Cinders for her name.
Cinders is a good name for a black pig!
That’s a lovely combination of colour and sweater!
Dolly ?
Dolly is a fun name for a pig!
Betsy as she looks so cute ?
She really is very cute!
She looks like a Belle to me…..
Belle, what a lovely idea x
How about Freya, as in the Norse goddess associated with fertility (in the piglet’s case both her and the soil) and delightful material goods (the lovely Whistlebare yarn that she is contributing to).
Freya is a lovely name and if we don’t use it for this little piglet then we shall call one of this years kids Freya as they all need a name beginning with F this year.
Ronja!
Ronja is a fine pig name!
Since she will be the mother of all the little piggies to come Eve is the name that comes to mind.
Please give her a stroke and a pat from me.
Eve is a great name with a very clever reason x strokes and pats have been given!
Maybe Yock-yock after the little black piglet from the pigling tale of Beatrix Potter….
She is so sweet?
Yock-yock is a very unusual pig name!
well surely she has to be bubbles? love the pattern btw, and the piglets. also very i nteresting reading about your plans to manage the land.
Thank you, it’s a very lovely jumper to wear, and a pretty pig name too x
Lovelace is the name for the little piggie. Just because she is lovely and the sleeves on the bubble jumper remind me of lace.
Lovelace is a very fine name for our piggy
Bubbles, since that’s the pattern you’re giving away
Bubbles would be a cute pig name!
Kizzy…….
Kizzy is a very lovely name for a little pig!
She’s beautiful! My suggestion is Otaota, which is Maori for ‘flora’, as she will be instrumental in helping to look after all the vegetation. Seeing as the breed of pig is from New Zealand, I thought a Maori name might work 🙂
Oh that’s lovely, we had Flora suggested but in Maori it’s a very pretty name x
The post about your farm is fascinating. I’m a crocheter but would love to get my hands on some of your Cheviot Blue yarn, it looks beautiful. The piglets also look beautiful. I am very envious of your outdoor life, it looks like a lot of hard work but also looks fulfilling and fun. I would name your new sow Windblown. It kinda suits Whistlebare as in ‘whistle in the wind’ and also gives a nod to her Maori roots. I don’t know, probably sounds awful and I’m rambling!
Windblown is a great name, it’s always incredibly windy here on the farm. It is hard work but you’re right it’s very fulfilling x
Well I think ‘Lara’ suits her quite nicely 🙂
Lara is a cute name, short and sweet x
‘Bubbles’! ‘Bubs’ for short – for the obvious reason !
I think Bubs is an excellent piggy name.
That’s an amazing aspect to the health of the animals – who knew!!
I agree with the previous writer who said that Flora is the perfect name. I’d also suggest Mama – possibly Mama Flora, allowing for generations of Flora juniors??
Does it also depend on what you feel like calling in the farm ? ?
Mama Flora is lovely!
Beautiful pigs. How about Leyla meaning dark beauty (and a fantastic song!)
Leyla is a great name, I’m not sure she’ll like my singing though ?
What about Ceres? The goddess of agriculture, fertility and motherly relationships
That’s a great idea, a very noble name for a pig.
My suggestion is Arabella. Love the cute little pigs. They have a beautiful colour and look so ‘at home’.
Arabella is a lovely name to sing ‘out loud’.
Arabella would be a great name to sing out to call her!
She looks as if she has attitude and can sort out any trouble for you.
It will have to be Circe – the beautiful goddess who drugged Odysseus’s men and turned them into pigs.
🙂
Circe is a great idea.
What a beautiful piggy! She reminds me of the little black pig in the Pigling Bland tale, therefore my suggestion is Pig-wig 🙂
Pig-Wig is an excellent name!
This was such a fun and interesting post! What about Twist because the pigs are a fun twist on what you would expect from a sheep farm and because of the twist in yarn!
that’s very clever and a cute name too!
Dixie.
I’m letting you have my next dog’s name, because my current dog is in fine health, and it’s a cute name for a very sweet pig.
Dixie is a cute name for a pig or a dog x
Jorj – just cos.
sometimes just because is reason enough ?
I thought Mabel would be a good name. For some reason makes me think of a happy contented mum of little piglets. I enjoy hearing all the tales of your animals.
Mabel is a fine name, Tess used to have a cat called Mabel and thinks it would be a fine piggy name.
Bubble – after the gorgeous jersey ?
Bubbles is a good pig name x
Bella – just because it’s the first name that I thought of when I saw her
Bella is a lovely piglet name ?
My daughter suggested Coallette because she’s the colour of coal.
She is coal coloured isn’t she!
Well the first name that sprung to mind is Betty as in Black Betty ? I think your Kune kune piggleys are cute, and I especially love your animal husbandry techniques. xXx?✨
Betty is a great name for a little pig!
Aw what a beautiful pig, and a stunning jumper. My daughter has picked the name Nora. X
thank you, and I love the name Nora x
My daughter would love you to call her Nora x
My parents used to keep kune kune pigs, they are adorable but they did turn out to be very good escape artists. As you are keeping her to ba a mama pig I suggest Janet as a name, it’s my mum’s name and as I am one of 8 children I think it’s a good name for a mama (and also because my children tell me Nanna Janet is the best mum in the world)
oh dear, I hope these ones aren’t good at escaping! Janet is a lovely name x
I’m suggesting Piglet. Not because I lack imagination but because of the new Christopher Robin film and the marketing opportunities it provides you.
Currently knitting with the beautiful green yarn I bought when we visited in June
Piglet is a good name, and I loved the new Christopher Robin Film. Glad you’re enjoying knitting with the yarn from your visit x
I think Prudence…its just fits. I’m my opinion. If I had a cute little piggy that’s what I’d name her.
I think Prudence…..it just fits, in my opinon. If I had a smooshy little piggy that’s what I’d call her.
Prudence Pig has a very fine ring to it doesn’t it x
Violet because she’s so pretty
Violet is a very pretty name.
Peggy! She is Peggy the piglet ?
Peggy Pig I love it!
Pixie because I had a beautiful guineapig with that name.
Another vote for Pixie the Pig x excellent choice.
Celeste, because she is so beautiful!
She is very beautiful isn’t she! Celeste would be a good name.
Dark, pointed ears and short of stature? She must be ‘Pixie’.
I hope all the new arrivals settle in well at the farm and the pigs do the job – a fascinating natural solution!
The pigs are settling in very well thanks! Pixie is a great name, Pixie Pig!
I would like to suggest Valerie. I am working with young people and one young lady bought a new guinea pig and named it Valerie.
Valerie is a great name for a guinea pig or a Kune Kune pig x
What a beauty! I think she should be called Anna after Anna McNeill Whistler, the subject in the painting Whistler’s Mother. Great name for a Whistlebare Muma xx
Anna would make a very distinguished name for a pig.
Winnifred. No idea why, it just popped into my head when I looked at her. She can then be Winnie (I always shorten my pets’ names), too.
Winnie is a great piggy name! Winnie the Pig!
I was going to suggest Bubbles (plural) but I think that has been suggested so I will go with with Bubble (no s on the end and named after the pattern). If you get any more Kune Kune pigs that need a name you can add Squeak and that makes it Bubble and Squeak!!! ??
Bubble and squeak is very clever!
Guinness – dark body and a beautiful head ? We loved our visit to the farm yesterday, a little piece of heaven in a crazy world – the yarns and designs are so gorgeous they must be seen in real life. Thankyou for all your help in choosing the right colours, can’t wait to knit and show off our finished items.
Oh that’s a lovely name! And so glad you enjoyed your visit to the farm, enjoy your knitting, we’d love to see them when you’ve finished x
As she is going to be the mother of your clan of pigs, I am tempted by Big Mama, even though she is wee at the moment. It’s a name a little piglet can grow into, and will last her a lifetime.
Big Mama is a great name, and she’s already grown quite a lot.
I suggest Esther x
Esther Pig has a nice ring to it ?
Better than Sow Esther… sorry 😉
Great names so far – tried Famous pigs in literature – didn’t see a great name – tried famous names from Northumberland – so how about Grace (Darling) since she is a wee darling! Love squeak as well – already suggested though!
Grace is a lovely name with a great Northumbrian connection.
How about Darcy – the Irish version that means dark-haired or dark one? She’s super cute. How fascinating to hear about how they clean the fields!
I didn’t know that was what Darcy meant, it’s a lovely name.
Squiggles, because it rhymes with Pig…gles!? Or Imogen…
Squiggles is fun name.
She’s so cute, I’d name her Ethel. I’ve no idea why, it’s the first name that came to mind and I always say trust your instinct ? x
We have a little goat called Ethel, it’s a very cute name x
I think she should be called Delilah.
Delilah is a fine name for a pig!
I see her as a Rosa! MamaRosa she will be ?
Very lovely idea x
She is very sweet, so how about Karitas, which means beloved, or Caritas which is charity?
those are very lovely suggestions x
My suggestion is to call her Pepper. Firstly, because she is black, secondly because pepper or peppers kill worms and parasites, and thirdly………. well, not the same spelling, but in reference to a certain popular child’s cartoon character?
Perfect!
I think you should name the little one kucheza. This means ‘playful’ in Swahili. The reason I say this is because sometimes if me and my boss swear at work we say ,, ‘oops, pardon my Swahili’
Beautiful yarn and beautiful piglet ❤️
that’s very funny!
My suggestion for the new piglet is
Noirette
My suggestion is Blackberry as she is the right colour and it is blackberry season and, like her, are very sweet!