One of the many piglets from the Boyd Family Pig Farm in Evart
/ upnorthlive.com
EVART -- One northern Michigan family's hobby of raising pigs has grown into a huge project that's giving a big boost to our state's pork industry.
12-year-old Jacob and 10-year-old Wyatt presented their parents with an idea to breed and raise their own show pigs for the fair. The brothers have been showing pigs at the county fair since they were just 5-years-old, and decided it was time to take their hobby to the next level.
Today, the Boyd family now has a climate controlled barn that will host nearly 200 piglets by mid March.
"They're raising that animal to provide nourishment for people," said father, Scot Boyd. "There is a time at sale where yeah, it's sad to see your project come to an end, but you're also very proud of what you've done."
The boys are very proud of their that contributes to a part of the $600 million pork industry in Michigan, which also provides more than 5 thousand jobs.
"I think it's a good thing for people to do," said Jacob. "It's really fun, and it helps you talk to people."
"Some weeks you get no pigs being born, but other weeks you have them everyday," said Wyatt.
According to the Michigan Pork Producers Association, Michigan is ranked number 13 in pork production in the United States.
In April, their storage barn will host more than 200 customers, mainly 4H participants eager to purchase their prize winning pig, for the 2013 Boyd Family Pig Show.
