The Swine Teaching Farm is home to more than pigs — it is a second home to Al Christian, agricultural specialist in the animal science department.

Christian has been the supervisor of the swine farm, 3726 State Ave., since 1959. Since then, both Christian and the swine farm have made an impact on Iowa swine and the ISU Animal Science Department.

Although the farm has gone through many changes, Christian has remained constant in pursuing quality care for the swine for which he provides a home.

Each year, farm workers raise around 200 litters of pigs and sell around 1,500 market hogs and 25 breeding stock pigs. The farm is used mostly for teaching and management techniques.

“Over the years, the facilities have been used a lot more than in the past,” Christian said. “As student enrollment has increased, more classes have been added.”

There are 12 classes that use the swine farm, he said.

One of the classes that uses the farm is swine management, taught by Mark Honeyman, professor of Iowa State Research Farms.

Honeyman, who graduated from Iowa State, has known Christian and his family for years.

“Al is an institution,” Honeyman said. “He has mentored and developed students for decades. He has touched countless lives.”

Christian said the budget is a constant concern, as cuts continue to take place throughout the university.

“We are constantly trying to cut corners,” he said.

Christian said the students are what have kept him on the farm so long.

“I guess I’ve stayed here as long as I have because I enjoy being around them and working with them. They keep me young,” he said.

Christian hires seven to nine students every year to work on the farm.

“He’s a good guy to work for. He makes the job fun and he cares about the animals,” said Justin Clark, senior in agricultural studies. Clark has worked on the farm since last spring.

The farm’s appearance and the quality of the farm’s animal care are Christian’s top two priorities.

“I always have the students plant flowers in the spring and keep up with the weeds and mowing,” Christian said. “I want people to drive in and say how nice the place looks, not how much it smells.”

Christian has made the farm hospitable to both pigs and people.

“He really understands pigs and he really understands people,” Honeyman said. “You can ask countless faculty members and they will tell you the same thing.”