Chapter 5 The Pig Farm

As f the plantation was not large enough for them to play Fabian and company ventured out towards the opposite plantation Cecisly Estate.They did not go into that plantation but went on its boundary where there were a couple of farmers.

The first farm was a Pig farm and they know those two boys in that farm,So they went without invitation but since they and the two brothers had met before,they were treated with fruit (Nangka).Very sweet and fresh nangka.

Then they went round and saw the pigs.Thee was a huge female pigs with many piglets.Fabian wanted to play with those piglets and requested Heng the elder of the two brothers whether he can catch and play with them.Heng said,"Okay.you can if you can catch them".

So Fabian went into the pig sty and make several attempts to catch them but failed with everyone laughing.The piglets were making a lot of noise so much so Heng's father came out and "Hey.don't play with the pigs".Fabian came out shyly.

"Go and washed your hands they are filthy and smelly",said Yap.As he was washing his hands he saw Heng's brother Keng chopping wild yam leaves."So every day you collect those yam leaves are for the pigs?"asked Fabian."Yeah.lah",replied Keng.

"Having collected them must chopped them into smaller pieces before cooking",said Keng."Serving them like that,so plain?",asked Fabian."No.sometimes we add in animals feed and some times left overs from restaurants".Fabian helped him to do some chopping,the others also joined in the fun.

"Wait and you will know your hands will itch,then you know",said Francis."No never",replied Keng."you surely not itchy because you used to it",exclaimed Francis.
"Yeah ,huh?I am feeling slightly itchy now,I better go and wash up a bit",said Fabian.

Then they help Keng to feed the pigs.The pigs apparently were hungry for all of them rushed up for their meal as soon as laid out for them in the trays."This way they will grow fat very fast",said Heng.

Soon it was lunch time and Heng invited all four of them for lunch."Nothing special only porridge.We teowchew like to eat porridge during lunch",said Heng.Hungry they all joined in.Each were given a bowl of porridge.For vegetables they had "kangkong" fried in Shrimps paste,sweet potatoes leaves,and fired fish.

"This fish I caught at the water gate further down stream",said Heng."Very big "haruan",I did not know you got so big fish there",replied elder Yap,"To-morrow we go fishing,right?".All agreed.

The Pig farm was not big at all and there were at least three pig stys.Heng's family also bred chickens and ducks which can be seen running all over as well as in their house.It sure was messy but that was the way small farmers lived.At the back of the house they planted a lot of sweet potatoes and other vegetables.

They do not have piped water as Fabian and Yap brothers does,they used water from their own well which was at the back of their house.From the back of their house they can see their neighbors at work producing bean curbs and "Foo Choek".

"Oh,I see that was how "Foo Cheok"was being produced",said Fabian."On boiling the grind beans the layer forming on the top were constantly removed and hanged out to dry,and that was how "Foo Cheok"was being made.The way they made them seem a bit unhygienic".

"No,no it is clean",said Heng,"only thing they like us used well water".