Self-taught farmers confidently raising chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs. Our focus is on practices that are environmentally harmonious and respectful to our livestock. We appreciate the beauty around us, clean eating, fermenting, and responsibly utilizing the bounty of the land. If you like thinking for yourself, continuous learning, and connecting with the homesteader lifestyle, check us out.
Castor likes to conserve his energy until he needs to expend it, like when it’s mealtime…or there’s a strong possibility of belly rubs. Until then, he’s content to snuggle into his bedding and watch the goings-on from there.
Heard pigs are smart? Here’s some food for thought about the complexity of pig cognition.
It’s been rainy lately, which means the ground is muddy…which is how pigs prefer it. And they don’t want stinky, feces-filled mud – they like “clean” dirt (oxymoron?) that’s been carefully mixed with water into a perfectly-pastelike consistency. The mud also helps keep them cool, and protects their skin from the ample biting insects out here. All hail mud!
This is not what you want to see: a pig proned out, seemingly dead. Castor gave me a start the other day when I happened upon him like this. After the initial shock, I realized that he was really just taking a long siesta in the sun.
This reminds me of the first time I saw a chick sunbathing – she was all awkwardly sprawled out, and I thought she was dead (!). Was I ever relieved to see her finally wiggle around a bit into a more comfortable position!
The pigs are happy in their mud wallows, but when the sun’s out, sunbathing is apparently in order. The next time I see one of them stretched out, limp, on a sunny day, I won’t feel my heart clutch in my chest because I’ll know they’re just relaxing.
Thanks for the coronary! 🙄
It’s rained a lot lately. And it even snowed. With all that precipitation, the piglets’ paddock turned into what looked like a mud pit. And they had a grand time!
You probably figured that pastured pigs need to be moved periodically onto new grass, right? Theoretically, it seems fairly simple, but the reality can be a bit different. Ever tried to catch a running pig?
Continue reading “Porcine Adventures: Moving The Pigs To New Pasture”
Earlier, I posted about our new pigs – they’ve been in a roomy pen while we figured out what kind of fencing setup would work to get them out in the pasture. We knew from earlier encounters (like when we first tried to move Mama from the car to the barn and she ran out of her crate a few feet onto grass, which she immediately began grazing) that secure fencing is imperative. With some research, planning, and equipment purchases, they’re now all set to do rotational grazing on pasture.
Continue reading “Farm Projects: Setting Up Rotational Grazing”