When 13-year-old Colby Lord received a 24-pound piglet named Jimmy Bacon Buffet in April, he embarked on what he expected to be a typical 4-H livestock project—raising a market pig to be sold at auction. Over several months at Blissful Pastures, a farm in Woodsboro managed by 4-H co-leader Kellie Putman’s family, Colby developed a close bond with Jimmy, who quickly showed himself to be unusually clean and trainable, even earning the nickname “puppy pig” from Colby’s mother, Bethany Lord.
Colby, who has muscular dystrophy, devoted months to feeding, cleaning, and learning to walk the pig, gaining growing confidence in managing Jimmy, who grew to about 245 pounds by the time of the fair in late September. Despite their connection, the family acknowledged that Jimmy was a market animal intended to be sold at the Youth Livestock Auction held during The Great Frederick Fair.
That plan changed in an unexpected turn the day before the auction. Christianna Koebcke, attending the fair with her daughter, noticed Jimmy stood out from the other pigs due to his friendly demeanor. She was moved enough to start a GoFundMe campaign aimed at saving Jimmy and reached out to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, which agreed to provide a permanent home if Jimmy could be purchased.
As Koebcke’s fundraiser initially struggled to attract donors, Bryan Ray, vice president of Woodlawn Mechanical Contractors and a longtime family friend, learned of the sanctuary option through the Lord family. Ray attended the Youth Livestock Sale and ultimately bid $3,250 to purchase Jimmy, intending to return him to Colby so the pig could be retired to the sanctuary.
Colby’s mother described the moment as one of rare, profound joy for her son, who understood that the opportunity to keep Jimmy was not common for all young exhibitors. “He completely got that this was not the case for everyone,” she said.
Jimmy is expected to move from Blissful Pastures to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary within days. The sanctuary, which spans 400 acres and shelters about 250 rescued animals—including 25 pigs—anticipates welcoming Jimmy to a pasture featuring grass, a creek, and mud holes. According to sanctuary director Terry Cummings, Jimmy will be relatively small compared to some resident pigs that weigh up to 1,000 pounds but will find ample companionship among the other animals.
The Lord family expressed gratitude for Ray’s intervention, highlighting how his support made the difference in turning what could have been a farewell into a promise of ongoing visits. As for Colby, he has already expressed interest in raising another pig, joking that he hopes the next one behaves more like a typical pig and less like a dog.