I was 12 years old (wrestling at 95lbs) standing alone in the mud of my friends Pig Farm. In the other pen were two dozen Sows with their pigglets. One by one my friend's dad opened the gate and let one Sow and her babies into where I was standing. My job was to seperate the angry, 500 pound Sow from her babies by running toward them. My only defense was a handfull of corn cobs that I was to throw at the raging Sow if she charged.

Iowa wrestlers learn to stand our ground and be aggressive at an early age and hey, are we really supposed to be scared of scrawny little human wrestlers? Please...

So...Iowans learn how to date AND wrestle on a pig farm? Turn on the red heat lamps for some ambiance?

I grew up on a small farm in PA as well. You guys will appreciate this story...

My Grandfather and I went to the sale and picked up a 6-8 month old calf. I was about 8 or 9 years old. We backed up to the field and he handed me the chain and said "I'm going to open the doors and you need to take the calf out to the stake and chain 'em up.

That's when all hell broke loose. The calf took off, I dug in...and he drug my ass all over the field. I looked like a waterskiier without a ski. My Grandfather chased us down, bull dogged the calf to the ground and yelled at me "I give you one thing to do on this trip and you turn it in to a sport"

God I miss that man.

Originally Posted by Badcat

So...Iowans learn how to date AND wrestle on a pig farm? Turn on the red heat lamps for some ambiance?

I grew up on a small farm in PA as well. You guys will appreciate this story...

My Grandfather and I went to the sale and picked up a 6-8 month old calf. I was about 8 or 9 years old. We backed up to the field and he handed me the chain and said "I'm going to open the doors and you need to take the calf out to the stake and chain 'em up.


That's when all hell broke loose. The calf took off, I dug in...and he drug my ass all over the field. I looked like a waterskiier without a ski. My Grandfather chased us down, bull dogged the calf to the ground and yelled at me "I give you one thing to do on this trip and you turn it in to a sport"

God I miss that man.

Great story, thanks!!!

Originally Posted by goferphan

LMAO, I can vouch for that though I've done the same thing in Minnesota in subzero temps with a 4x8 sheet of plywood. I doubt you were in with 500 lb sows however, that's a little bigger than the norm. Then we threw a couple hundred bales of 80 lb alfalfa just to get our blood warmed before we really went to work at the Loeffler farm.

If you think I'm kidding, Google Brian and Brad Loeffler from St. Clair, MN. Now THERE were some tough brothers. 6 X AA's in Division II very much in the style of Kevin Steinhaus.

Two things, mabe three, first I don't know what LMAO means (I'm an old guy). Secondly, the world knows that Iowa sows are bigger than those in a less favorable climate. (Well, let's face it their the biggest in the world). Last, I like your story a lot.

Originally Posted by goferphan

Where were cell phones THEN?

Cellphones, we didn't need cellphones, we had those good shared crank dial phones. No viruses...

Badcat I can relate to that story. My uncle told me don't mess with the calves. I was about 8 yrs old also, anyway I got a rope and decided to play cowboy, roped hind leg,before I could let go calf pulled me down drug me thru cow shit and I felt like I had a hold of an out of control machine gun. Also had similar incident with sow and piglets ended up climbing up the side of barn rapidly. Love all the stories, I am an old guy also but great memories.