For The Millerton NewsThe pig behind Millerton’s downtown farm-to-table restaurant
“Willa has always been a very dominant, kind of cheeky pig,” Broesler said with a laugh. “She’s very vocal.”
MILLERTON — Alanna Broesler didn’t always know she wanted a pet pig. But between watching the movie Babe on repeat as a child and working on a pig farm, the co-owner of Millerton’s farm-to-table restaurant Willa, joked, “there were signs.”
Willa is the restaurant’s namesake — a 130-pound house pig who loves smoothies, snuggling and sassing her family. She is a potbellied and Juliana cross with big spots and a big personality to match.
“Willa has always been a very dominant, kind of cheeky pig,” Broesler said with a laugh. “She’s very vocal.” Willa walks around her Millerton house with confidence and lots of opinions, especially when smoothies are involved. The first rumble of ice, or even the mention of the word “smoothie,” will cause Willa to jolt up from her cozy bed of pillows to investigate the scene. Her favorite blend is oat milk, yogurt and banana.
Broesler brought the pig home in 2017 and named her after legendary country singer Willie Nelson. Broesler said she was young at the time, unsure where she would be living, and uneducated about keeping pigs in a house. But after meeting Willa she knew that she wanted to give her a home.