“A property down the road asked if we wanted Marilyn – she was going to be killed. We were told she was 14 and had bad arthritis so probably didn’t have much longer.”

The King family adopted the black pig and set about learning about Kunekune. They soon learned the breed were grazers and once left to forage in the paddock, instead of being fed copious quantities of her favourite food  –  white bread – Marilyn quickly became a trim and spritely sow. In Pig terms at any rate. “She was really overweight but once she had lost it the arthritis went too. She still loves white bread – she’ll do anything for a slice of bread. Sit up. Beg. Roll over. ”

That was six years ago – and since then Greta has joined the clan. “Greta we bought as a little squealer. She’s been a real challenge.”

The challenge has been in keeping Greta enclosed where she is meant to be – the young pig is adept at getting through fences that for some time she had to be kept on a harness. “We finally have a piggy proofed paddock – or at least we thought we did. Greta has found she can cross the creek.”

Despite having to be vigilant when it comes to keeping her charges in their paddock, Philippa has grown very fond of the Kunekunes. “Greta ‘sings’ and she helps round up sheep. Marilyn isn’t much help there – the sheep are a bit scared of her so we just just feed her where we don’t want them to go.”