PIGS
The pigs are rotated through the wooded areas of our farm, where they enjoy doing what they were made to do, forage and dig up roots and acorns, cleaning up the unwanted brush from our woods and tilling up the soil.
We have found that when we move them to a new paddock, they have little interest in their feed for a while because they are too busy enjoying the natural forage. And as long as we rotate them enough, we are always amazed to see the beautiful green grass coming up in the areas where they spent time just being hogs. This year, we plan on employing the pigs in tilling up our gardens and stirring the compost
CATTLE
Our herd of Dexter cattle, for
example, is rotated in paddocks
throughout the farm, thus
spreading manure and water
evenly, sustaining grasses, and
minimizing weeds. The cattle stay
healthier as they continuously
move away from their manure.
Cattle that are rotated in this
manner also tend to be more
efficient grazers, thus increasing
per-acre productivity for smaller farms.
FEED SOURCES
The major cost of raising pigs and chickens is FEED, FEED, FEED, and especially when using natural sources. SO we are exploring the possibility of harvesting sustainable and high-quality feed sources to supplement our feed. We're also growing fodder from wheat and barley seed to supplement our chickens' and pigs' diets with power packed greens that are available year round.