Campers enjoy ‘pig mania’ in Isle of Wight
Published 5:49 pm Friday, August 2, 2024
Braylen Daughtrey smiles as he holds up his finished work.
Brantley Beale added some additional features to the face and top of his pig.
Knox Arp presents his completed pig during an afternoon session of Summer Blast Camp at Windsor Town Center on July 24.
From front to back, Alaina Snead, Olive Piner and Chad Jordan showcase the pigs they made at Summer Blast Camp in Windsor on July 24.
Christopher Henry added a name to his pig — Bob.
Isle of Wight County Museum intern Emily Farmer, left, helps Kaylynn Barnes as Barnes devises the next step of her project to build a pig.
Chad Jordan executes his construction plan as Isle of Wight County Museum Assistant Nancy Farrell provides him with tape.
Romyn Harris applies some tape as he constructs his pig.
Walker Beale, left, receives some assistance from Summer Blast Camp Counselor Javontae McNeil as he builds his pig.
Alexis Salvitti designs her pig during Summer Blast Camp at Windsor Town Center on July 24.
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Campers ranging from first to fifth grade had fun learning about pigs and ham on July 24 while spending an afternoon at Windsor Town Center with the Isle of Wight County Museum during the county Parks and Recreation Department’s Summer Blast Camp.
“Participants learned about the phrase ‘everything but the squeal,’ discussed lard as a fuel source and made a pig,” Isle of Wight County Museum Director Jennifer England said.
In a Friday, July 26, interview, she explained what prompted the focus on pigs and ham during the museum’s two-hour camp session.
“We like to highlight topics important to our county’s history because local history matters,” she said. “As Smithfield is the Ham Capital of the World, the porcine history of our county has been, and continues to be, vital for our economy. Pigs themselves lend themselves to a variety of topics for engagement, including our county’s ham history, where pigs originated from, how pigs were the perfect colonists in the New World, how hams are made, the science of salt in food preservation, the many uses of lard, famous pigs and more.”
She said museum staff had a great time working with the 30 campers in attendance at the session.
“They are always fun and attentive. And creative,” she said of campers. “One camper added tusks to his pig. We had discussed how pigs grow tusks for protection, and he wanted to make sure that his pig had protection.”
She noted that the materials campers were given to make a pig included a block of wood, pink tape, googly eyes, buttons, bows, pipe cleaners, glue and paper.
England also shared what the campers learned about the phrase “everything but the squeal.”
“Pork processors since the 1800s have used this phrase to illustrate that they waste no part of the pig,” she said. “Everything from the meat to the skin, bones, hair and fat of the pig are used in some fashion in so many products. For example, gelatin comes from the processing of bones, cartilage and skin and can be found in or used in the processing of items such as yogurt, marshmallows, fruit juice and candy.
“I like to tell everyone that no one is a vegetarian,” she added.
The museum has an online exhibit focused around the “everything but the squeal” phrase: www.historicisleofwight.com/everything-but-the-squeal.html/.
