Big Winter To Come? Thank Scrappie

Words by Erme Catino

Photos by Jesse Schloff 

Aside from a few powder days, from East to West, last winter left something to be desired. Call it what you will, global warming, a winter fluke, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Enter Stowe resident Rory Burke and his pig Scrappie…

Rory, a close friend of mine, and groomer at Stowe Mountain Resort knew that the situation was dire. Not only was the winter a bust, but he also missed the majority of it with a broken leg—an accident from his summer arborist job (Jesse the photographer for this story also had a bad accident last winter—both are well on their way).

With a love for the movie Scrapple, a film from 1998 based on Colorado ski bums, Rory decided he would re-enact the story. The movie Scrapple tells the tale of ski bums from Colorado and their story outlined by the life of Scrapple—the pig that takes up residence with the skiers to be fattened up and sacrificed for a roast in praise of the snow god Ullr.

Earlier this summer Rory picked up a piglet from a local farmer, and raised and cared for Scrappie as if it were his canine friend. I even had the chance to share a spring evening with the little guy as we worked on Rory’s farm mural. However, last week Scrappie had to go. 

With the summer sun waning and the arrival of the autumn equinox upon the group, Rory determined to give a proper praise to Ullr invited all of his friends for a party to celebrate the approaching winter. Below are a few images of the festivities. Here’s to a snowy and healthy season, and of course to Scrappie…