10/01/2026
I’ve cried more than once this morning, and I’m not even going to pretend otherwise!
Not to be outdone by sweet Heidi Lou, our Old Spot/Duroc gilt Darla had six healthy piglets last night — completely on her own and out on pasture.
When we found her last night, she had built the most incredible nest tucked back into the pasture and was quietly doing exactly what she was made to do. We stayed long enough to see that all six babies were alive and nursing, and I even got to see her pass the placenta…which she promptly ate, because apparently that’s farm life. 😂
Leaving them out there overnight was HARD. After everything we had just experienced with Heidi and her babies, every part of me wanted to hover, intervene and make sure nothing went wrong. But Darla was calm. Her babies were warm and nursing. She had chosen that spot and built that nest for them, so we decided to trust her.
And then we got to see this today. ❤️ Six dry, active, healthy little piglets. Nursing, climbing around their nest and sticking right beside their mama. And Darla is being incredible. She is calm, attentive, careful with them and seems to have taken to motherhood as naturally as anything I’ve ever seen.
I honestly can’t explain what it feels like to look at this.
A little over a year ago, we brought home our first three feeder pigs without any idea where this little adventure would take us. We’ve learned so much since then—sometimes the easy way and plenty of times the hard way. And now I’m looking at six piglets born right here on our farm, from a gilt we raised, lying in a nest she built herself on our pasture.
They just look like they belong there. And I am completely in awe of that.
Our second Gibson Farm & Ranch litter is officially here. Six beautiful babies and one very, very good mama. Way to go, Darla Jean. You did good, girl. ❤️
