http://i.imgur.com/7P1cXQU.jpg

## <center>Just see the power of STEEM in action!</center>

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Whether it is @karenmckersie [paying her rent](https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@karenmckersie/i-paid-my-rent-usd-1-100-00-with-my-very-first-steem-withdrawl-yippee) or @winstonwolfe [paying his mortgage](https://steemit.com/steemit/@winstonwolfe/for-the-first-time-since-last-august-i-paid-my-mortgage-payment-thanks-to-earnings-on-steemit), all over steemit there are steemians putting some of their hard earned STEEM & SBD to use. Recently, I began cashing out some of my SBD to take care of a few projects that had been waiting for funds.

https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg

With the recent SBD payouts and the great value of SBD right now, I figured no time like the present to get some work done. 

http://i.imgur.com/9quHG03.jpg

I picked up 20 Cattle Panels and 50 6 1/2 foot T-Posts to fence in some of the land we are purchasing to use as a hog pen. I wanted to finally get my hogs out in the open with constant access to the sun and green vegetation. Plus, I want to slowly recreate the land into a permaculture food forest, and I thought that it would be best to let the animals do the work for me. The hogs will eat a lot of the plants and root up a lot of the other dirt and other vegetation. If I slowly rotate them through portions of the land that I am buying, then I'll be able to follow them and begin to work and plant in the areas that they already cleared and tilled.

http://i.imgur.com/Ar1Abix.jpg

Soon I had my supplies back at home and was hard at work putting up the fence. I prefer Cattle Panels over Hog Panels for many reasons, and I am glad that they are so versatile. This fence will only be in this location temporarily, so all of the pieces can be moved later to help in the rotation process. Besides the panels and posts, I also used large rocks to help make a (hopefully) escape-proof pen for them

https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bZTAdu4.jpg

Once I had the pen secured I borrowed a horse trailer from a neighbor and took it up to the barn where I have been keeping my hogs. The barn has served me well, but it is not where I wanted to have my pigs long term. There are concrete pens that they can stay in and a small outside pen to access during the day, but I don't want my animals only living on concrete and dirt. The people that we picked up these pigs from both raised their out in the pasture, and we want ours to be able to spend more time outside in the field and woods, rather than in a tiny cage.

http://i.imgur.com/vCcb5Sd.jpg

With the help of some @little-peppers I lined up the trailer with the barn so that the doors would align. The hogs do a great job coming when they are called, mostly because we often call them with *food*, so getting them to jump in the trailer was no problem.

http://gifmaker.me/files/download/home/20170515/02/DT3VfWha9CfJktJwGjpX9T/output_dDHlcO.gif



Once Pinkie-Pepper let them out of their little outdoor pen, they marched right into the trailer. We had no issues whatsoever with getting them into the trailer. Pinkie-Pepper just walked behind them and then I closed the door once they were all in.

https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oxqyrnZ.jpg

Down on the land I lined up the trailer with the opening that I had left and got ready to release them. We had been waiting for this day for a long time, and steemit provided the funding through *your* support and upvotes. Thank you so much everyone!

http://gifmaker.me/files/download/home/20170515/02/9UTuZt283vyzzypPiMMFOe/output_6G7NND.gif

From up on top of the trailer I could get some shots to show you how large this pen is. I wanted it to be large enough that they could roam a bit and that the waste would not become to pathogenic and concentrated, but also small enough that they could work through everything that is in it. You may also be able to tell that it is partially wooded and partially cleared. The cleared part was brush hogged not too long ago. I wanted the hogs to be able to enjoy the shade of the trees in the woods too, while working through the underbrush.

https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg

## <center>RELEASE THE HOGS!</center>

http://gifmaker.me/files/download/home/20170515/02/WMMceqJwDZZfxN4XBvpsM1/output_IUyF0Z.gif

Finally, the moment had come. These hogs would be so happy to be outside in such a nice open space. They did not hesitate to get out there!

http://gifmaker.me/files/download/home/20170515/02/7DybiaEAbA8zj1gJ26kvRf/output_DtOJwC.gif

Immediately they began to check out the entire pen. It has been very interesting to watch these hogs grow too. I first picked three of them up when I was trying to show people how STEEM and SBD could be converted into "real money" in order to purchase things, like pigs. 

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://s21.postimg.org/hcq0l73w7/PPEG.jpg

I called that post [IS STEEMIT STARTING TO BUY THE FARM?](https://steemit.com/steemit/@papa-pepper/breaking-news-is-steemit-starting-to-buy-the-farm-papa-pepper-investigates) and used some *tongue-in-cheeck* humor to illustrate my point. Many were having some un-optimistic, doomsday attitudes back then and I wanted to encourage others instead.

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/9BABlky.jpg

After I had made that post, @smailer, who spends most of his time over at Golos these days, offered to pick us up another hog. In total, he actually bought us a pig, a turken rooster, and a doe rabbit. Yes, [steemit had continued to buy the farm!](https://steemit.com/steemit/@papa-pepper/update-steemit-continues-to-buy-the-farm-due-to-an-incredibly-unexpected-event-the-trend-continues) @felixxx and @dresden even pitched in to buy us some more chickens too. Later, @smailer and @exploretraveler donated money to get us a female goat. The plan was to pick up the goat in the spring or early summer, so we will be doing that soon!

https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0Ujyllu.jpg

The hogs settled into their new home rather nicely. After some rooting around and munching in the open, they all lied down for a little bit, enjoying some time in the shade of the trees. I think that they will be much more happy in this environment and enjoy themselves more as well.

http://i.imgur.com/DYCO9Ib.jpg

They have even began to start working the area, in just a few moments of being there. I cannot wait to see how they continue to work the land. It'll save me a lot of time with a weed-whacker, shovel, and hoe.

https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg
# <center>HERE IS THE VIDEO OF THE HOGS IN THE PEN</center>


https://youtu.be/94tMVQ3M0TY

https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg

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I am still amazed that the funds needed to purchase these animals and their fencing wad provided through steemit. This platform is amazing and so is this community. On a side note, (and not that anyone wants to), we will also be planning on picking up some Guinea Fowl in the near future to help reduce the tick population. Anyone who wanted to sponsor a bird or two certainly could, but, of course, no one has to. 

http://gifmaker.me/files/download/home/20170515/02/AtxE6uVNOlX4TLO36o68NB/output_fWDHQQ.gif

## How cool is it that steemit is making dreams come true?


https://img1.steemit.com/0x0/http://i.imgur.com/uVNBbyL.jpg

## As always, I'm @papa-pepper and *here's the proof:*
http://i.imgur.com/LdARYdp.jpg
proof-of-happy-steem-powered-pigs-in-their-steem-powered-pen

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#### <center>Until next time…</center>
## <center>Don’t waste your time online, *invest* it with steemit.com</center>


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https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmWJLBUEQKrsCFYNSpzTSiRPbR8AT45ZpwbjgCX5ucQaDN/image.png
### <center>[TO TRANSLATE POSTS VIA OPERATION TRANSLATION CLICK HERE](https://steemit.com/translation/@papa-pepper/operation-translation-now-under-construction-what-it-is-and-how-you-can-help)</center>