Peterborough Blogs
Watch: Bullet The Pig On PTBOCanada Show
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Bullet on PTBOCanada show. He loves his Cheerios!
On Episode 27 of PTBOCanada, our Neil Morton interviews Sarah Heydon, owner of the local celebrity pig Bullet the Pig, who appears at many events.
Sara discusses the amazing impact Bullet has had on her life… and the life of many others.
Sarah Heydon on PTBOCanada
Watch our interview with Sarah (and Bullet) below, and learn more about Bullet in this recent article we did about him…
Watch: A Peterborough Grandmother Of 5 On Why She's Become An Environmental Activist/Leader
/On Episode 26 of PTBOCanada, our Neil Morton sit downs with Peterborough's Kate Grierson, a grandmother of five (soon to be a sixth) who has become an environmental activist/leader after taking Al Gore’s Climate Reality training course in Pittsburgh in 2017.
On the heels of this New York Times article that details scientists’ findings that there is a strong risk of climate crisis as early as 2040 unless we take extreme measures now to combat it, Grierson outlines some of the ways we can all make a difference in our everyday lives. This is a political and moral issue, she says. Watch the interview below…
Norwood-Based Entomo Farms Expanding After Receiving Local Funding & Gaining National Attention For Innovative Product
/The Norwood-based, family-owned company Entomo Farms—which produces and sells edible insects—is seeing exponential growth after receiving funding through Community Futures Peterborough and Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII) in order to continue growing through automation, increasing scale and process improvements.
The expansion comes after Entomo Farms started to supply their cricket powder (the edible insects market is growing dramatically) to the Loblaw’s chain under the President’s Choice label, along with over 50 companies in eight countries. This is another sign that food suppliers recognize edible insects are becoming increasingly mainstream in the modern diet.
“Once again, we are incredibly fortunate to have the support of great Peterborough and Ontario organizations to help us grow our business,” says Darren Goldin, co-founder of Entomo Farms.
Darren Goldin from Entomo Farms
“Entomo Farms is an excellent example of the type of client the SOFII Program was designed for,” says Vince Killen, Executive Director, CF Eastern Ontario.
“A company who is in the process of dynamic growth, has developed innovative and/or disruptive technologies, created or expanded into export markets, impacts regional economies and create jobs. Partnerships like this with the Community Futures Peterborough team are the cornerstone of building our innovation ecosystem here in Eastern Ontario. We are proud to provide this funding to Entomo Farms and its team.”
Entomo Farms staff member
As an agriculture technology client with the Innovation Cluster, Entomo Farms have had support from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas community and networks from the start.
“Entomo Farms is a proven example of a modern agtech company that is setting the bar and thriving in the Peterborough area,” says Michael Skinner, President and CEO of the Innovation Cluster. “As North America’s largest supplier of edible insects, the Entomo Farms team have been able to utilize the local organizations available in the region to achieve the company’s highest potential.”
Roasted insects at entomo farms
Diane Therrien Elected New Mayor Of Peterborough
/Peterborough has a new Mayor. Diane Therrien defeated incumbent Daryl Bennett, with 19,254 votes—68.98 percent of the vote. Bennett finished with 8,659 votes, or 31.02 percent.*
Picture via @DianeNTherrien on Twitter
“Thank you #ptbo for believing in me and for expecting more. Tonight you spoke loudly and I am humbled to be your next mayor of Peterborough,” Therrien says in a tweet.
She also posted to Instagram to thank voters…
162 Likes, 43 Comments - Diane Therrien (@dianetherrienptbo) on Instagram: "Thank you #ptbo for believing in me and for expecting more. Tonight you spoke loudly and I am..."
*Unofficial results for the City of Peterborough 2018 Municipal Election as released by John Kennedy, Returning Officer on October 22, 2018.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.
Watch: John Witzing From The Whiteboard Project On Running In A Shipping Container For 24 Hours
/On Episode 25 of PTBOCanada, Peterborough’s John Witzing talks about how his Whiteboard Project lead to him running in a shipping container in Lake Tahoe, California for 24 Hours to raise money for Wounded Warriors Canada and other mental health initiatives.
John Witzing on PTBOCanada
In the wide-ranging interview, John talks about the resilience and mental fortitude it took him and another Peterborough guy, Josh Chessman, to be able to do this extreme 24-hour isolation and endurance challenge at the Spartan World Championships on September 28th…
New Buddy Bench Installed At Roger Neilson Public School
/The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha went back to school on Thursday (October 18th) for a special reason: They presented a Rotary “Buddy Bench” to Roger Neilson Public School Principal Denise Humphries and the staff and students there.
It was Kawartha Rotarian Donna Geary and her son Nate Loch that initiated the program and St. Catherine’s Catholic Elementary School was the first recipient last year.
Ribbon Cutting of Rotary Buddy Bench at Roger Neilson School: (Left to Right) Nate Loch, Rotarian Donna Geary, Kawartha Club President Brian Prentice & Principal Denise Humphries
Nate shared candidly with the group his past experiences of both inclusiveness and exclusiveness in both elementary and high school—of being both the victim and the perpetrator of bullying.
“The Buddy Bench is something that I really wish I had growing up, as it’s meant to celebrate friendship with those we may not know and is a good social tool for the kids of Roger Neilson to combat the problem of bullying,” Nate says.
“By understanding one another, we find similarities we might not have found, and unlikely friendships can form from even the smallest of encounters,” he adds. “I hope that the Buddy Bench helps create some of these unlikely friendships and helps keep as a reminder that we all could be on that bench at one point in our lives.”
“We hope that the Buddy Bench provides an opportunity for students to foster new friendships, build empathy and reinforce inclusiveness,” adds Principal Denise Humphries.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.
Peterborough Petes Are Now The No. 5 Ranked Team In Canadian Hockey League
/The Canadian Hockey League just released its Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for this week and your Peterborough Petes are ranked No. 5.
The Petes have a record of 8-2-0-0 so far this season, including three wins in three days last weekend in games against the Erie Otters, Oshawa Generals and Windsor Spitfires. The team is first overall in the East Division, Eastern Conference, and Ontario Hockey League with 16 points.
The weekly rankings—composed of teams from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League—are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.
Photo via @CHLHockey
The Petes are back in action Thursday, October 18th at 7:05 p.m. when they host the Oshawa Generals. Tickets are available through the PMC Collins Barrow Box Office in person, over the phone Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and 24 hours a day online.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.
Fall In Love With A Peterborough Piglet Named Bullet Having An Impact On So Many
/Most people choose dogs or cats as pets, or perhaps a hamster, ferret, fish or bird. Sarah Heydon grew up that traditional route as well with cats and dogs, but when she got a pet pig named Bullet about a year and a half ago, it changed her life.
She completely fell in love with Bullet—they actually even share a birthday, May 24th—as have all those that meet this outgoing, adorable piglet at events and on walking trails. Indeed, he’s becoming a bit of a celebrity—and even has his own Instagram page.
But before we continue with the now about the impact this mini-pig has had on her and others, let’s back up to the beginning, to the Once Upon A Time.
Sarah’s journey with Bullet began when she saw a post that someone had put into the Peterborough Buy and Sell Facebook group. The woman was trying to sell a litter of pigs, and specified "For pets only, not food."
This was when Sarah realized that perhaps having a pig in her home was in the realm of possibility. The only connection to pigs Sarah had up until this point in her life was limited to the fact that she had made a deliberate choice not to eat pig meat as a child, something she’s carried into adulthood now as a vegetarian.
Sarah with Bullet
“I began to research if owning a pig was a feasible option for me,” Sarah tells PTBOCanada. “I started reading online resources and made connections to knowledgeable breeders for several weeks before I decided to commit. When I checked Kijiji, I found there were plenty of pigs in the area being re-homed. I drove to Oshawa to meet Jackson (soon to be renamed Bullet), whose family had put him up for adoption. This tiny 12-week-old piglet immediately stole my heart, and the rest as they say, is history.”
Sarah brought the piglet home to her place in Peterborough that she shares with her partner Shane Curry, potty training him in her backyard in a matter of a day or so, and training him on the leash quickly as well.
She changed his name to Bullet, as she is an Armed Guard and shoots at a firearms club in Cobourg. Bullet spends some time in the backyard, but is a bit of a diva compared to the younger pigs Sarah has now, preferring to be warm and cuddled up inside. Just like many humans, he is not a big fan of the rain or the cold.
He’s also had a bit of a rough stretch lately, as he lost his best buddy Pearl the Pig (also adopted), who Sarah had to put down unexpectedly this summer due to a twisted intestine that she couldn’t recover from—even after surgery.
Best buddies: Pearl and Bullet
Bullet and Pearl loved to go with Sarah and Shane to the Harold Town Conservation Area trails and explore. Bullet got depressed when Pearl passed away, and at this point turns up his nose a bit to the seven month old pigs—Piper (the “P” a nod to the deceased Pearl) and Ivy—that Sarah has now.
”Pigs tend to do better with a friend, as they are social animals,” Sarah explains. “Pearl and Bullet were the ultimate pig duo, and Bullet was largely responsible for training her, as she followed him everywhere! Their bond has yet to be duplicated. Losing her was so devastating to Bullet and me. In the days after having to put her down, I realized how deeply these animals have affected my life. Pigs are wonderful.”
Shane with Bullet
Bullet gets recognized a lot by other pet owners and hikers on the Harold Town trails, many of which know him by name. “I did not want to miss out on my favourite past time of hiking just because I have a pig rather than a dog,” Sarah tells PTBOCanada. “Harold Town is his 'happy place’.” Indeed, pigs—like dogs—love going for walks.
People regard Bullet in amazement when they spot him on the trails. He is a wonder to watch as he sprints through the forest—pigs can run a 7 minute mile—stopping to eat grass, rolling in mud, all the while never leaving Sarah’s sight. ”Bullet will explore off the trails in the trees while we walk, but he’ll come when he is called if he falls behind,” she says.
On the trails, dogs are typically more interested in Bullet than he is them. “Pigs don’t typically ‘play’ in the sense that dogs do,” Sarah explains. “They do a bit as piglets, but so far I have seen them all grow out of it for the most part. They do have random bursts of energy though, as they will sprint, run around like crazy, spin in circles, etc. Pigs will also bark like a dog when they are happy.”
Sarah and Shane with Bullet
Sarah gets asked a lot of questions about Bullet—”You have a pig? Why?”—and loves educating people on how these pot belly pigs actually make great pets.
“I believe pigs are one of the most misunderstood of domesticated animals,” Sarah says. “Since pigs are mainly associated with food, there is little or no education on what these beautiful animals are truly like. I will tell you first hand, they are so much more than breakfast! With hundreds of vocalizations to translate, an intellect compared to that of a three-year-old, and a tendency to explore with their mouths, they are more comparable to a toddler rather than a dog.”
Some people Sarah meets on the trails and events and beyond have told her that meeting Bullet has made them second guess what they eat, or stop eating pig products completely. “I can't help but declare Bullet as Peterborough's official ambassador for pig education, and I am merely the Liaison,” Sarah says.
The adorable Bullet
Sarah gets asked a laundry list of questions by curious observers—including us—about having a pig as a pet. Some of the oft-repeated facts she gives:
-> Pigs can live up to 20 years
-> Mini pigs will grow to between 50 to 300 pounds, at an interval speed until approximately five years of age.
-> Sarah feeds him human food (of course, not bacon) rather than pellets, such as grain, veggies, fruit, seeds, nuts and Cheerios.
-> There is no such as “micro pigs” that stay small. “Micro pigs do not exist—it is a marketing scheme developed by breeders to sell their litters at higher price,” Sarah says.
-> They do “bark” when happy
Speaking of happy, now on to that celebrity factor that Bullet is developing. His friendly, outgoing nature—not to mention his cuteness quotient—means that his cool factor goes beyond Instagram.
He has met so many fantastic people, and become so socialized, that Sarah has started carting him around to many local events. This includes several with the Peterborough Humane Society, Peterborough Vegfest and the Keene Pumpkin Festival, to name a few. People love getting their pictures taken with Bullet, who brings joy to adults and children alike.
Chill time at home involves Bullet, Piper and Ivy sleeping on the couch while Sarah and Shane are at work. “They get gated into the living room since Bullet is known to help himself to snacks in the fridge,” Sarah says, adding that the pigs (like other animals) like to be right up in bed with the couple—Shane hates this, Sarah not so much.
Sarah’s affection for and perspective on pigs has changed her life. So much so that the couple have begun looking for a home in which they can have the space to rescue and foster other pigs—a passion project inspired by Bullet and a tribute to Pearl.
“Shane and I will look for a home with upwards of three acres,” she says. She knows full well that fostering and rescuing pigs is a bit of a battle financially, but Sarah is dreaming big and one can’t doubt that she will find a way to make it work. Pigs are her passion.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.
Developer Paul Bennett On His Vision For Taking Back The Waterfront (Including A 100 Unit Condo Building He's Proposing)
/As part of his vision to “take the waterfront back and make it part of the public realm”, Peterborough developer Paul Bennett has a dream to build a 100-unit high-end condo development for Crescent Street on Little Lake near the Art Gallery of Peterborough. He’ll soon be submitting his plans (the building is designed by Lett Architects) to the city for approval.
In this guest post below for PTBOCanada, Bennett—President of Ashburnham Realty, one of the Co-Founders of VentureNorth and interim chairman of the DBIA—writes about his vision for the waterfront and this proposed waterfront property (for years, he’s been buying up enough properties along there to make this happen)…
Lett Architect rendering of condo unit proposed for Little Lake
