We are a pretty normal family, a husband, wife and kids. We have normal jobs and do normal people things. We lived in a normal neighborhood with a decent sized backyard with a few pet pigs of our own. I got a message about the very first pig that needed rescued and so I went. I told my husband I was going to the store lol. That little pig instantly became part of our family and we named him Picasso. He is now a big handsome boy!!! Then another and another and yet another message about pigs needing homes.

There was one little girl that I will have to say touched my heart more than any other. She was a tiny 3 pounds at 6 months old from being starved to keep her small. You could see her bones and spine. She was so malnourished and pitiful but she was still so beautiful. I can't even remember what her name was when I picked her up but I named her Gracie. She had my whole heart from day one. I was determined to turn her health and life around. She was doing so good, gaining weight and doing normal piggy things as any pig should be allowed.

        One Sunday afternoon it was a very pretty day. I was cleaning house and my husband was in the backyard doing "man stuff". I took Gracie outside and put her in a little mobile puppy pen we had. She loved it and was enjoying it so much. I would check on her every time I walked past the back door. The last time I noticed she wasn't acting right. I yelled for my husband to get her and we brought her inside. I could quickly see that she was having seizures so I called the vet and left a message then headed that way. It was a 45 minute drive to the vet. A very long 45 minute drive that day. She seized here and there on the way and she died in my arms a few minutes from the vet.

           I couldn't believe it. "WHY?" is all I could say. She was doing so good. She was so happy. Why did this have to happen? My heart broke into a million pieces that day. I cried every single day for weeks. To this day I still don't know why. We had a necropsy done and had her cremated. I still have her ashes on my mantle and her little hoof prints on a clay heart that my husband did for me. The necropsy came back as unknown cause. That was the worst part for me was not knowing. Was it something I had done...or didn't do? I still wonder a year later.

          After that even more calls and messages about pigs needing homes. I knew we had to do something and that something was move. We couldn't have all of those pigs in a neighborhood backyard. So that is what we did. A few months later we moved an hour away from our families. The kids had to change schools and I had to find a new job etc...I had lived in my grandmother's house for over 10 years and knew I would miss it but knew I had to do this. I knew we would all adapt just fine and we have.

We moved to 7 acres and it is so quiet and peaceful (other than the occasional pig squealing fest at feeding time...I am sure the few neighbors we have love us haha!). That little frail pig that I loved so dearly and lost way to soon is what started all of this. This is all for Gracie.

        Gracie's Acres is located in Tennessee and is now home to 70 plus pigs. We have pigs of all ages, colors, shapes and sizes. They all have different personalities and are unique in their own way. They have come from various places for various reasons. We have pulled numerous from different animal controls and shelters in the last year. Most have come from personal homes that for different reasons they could no longer stay in. There was one last year that was just wandering for a month almost getting hit by cars etc... before we heard about him. We tried several times and finally after a week or so we were able to catch him and bring him to safety. We have had already pregnant females give birth here and one we picked up had broken hips from her previous treatment and she had 4 stillborn piglets here.

          We love and care for each pig from day one like they have always been here. Most have adapted very well and some are still skittish after a long time of being with us. Some are the sweetest pigs you will ever meet and a couple are down right mean. They are safe and loved here and that is what matters...even when they bite us. We also recently rescued 4 farm pigs which is totally out of our norm. We love them just the same as the "little pigs". 99% of our pigs are spayed and neutered and we are looking forward to the near future when they all can be so they don't have to be separated any more. The cost, time and work of having 70 plus pigs is overwhelming but I wouldn't change it for anything.