You know how they say that a farmer’s job is never done? Well, we’ve come to learn that this is most-definitely true. While most sane humans went into hibernation mode last week during those sub-zero temps, the farm managed to throw us a few curve balls that required our immediate attention.
On one of those record-breaking days last week, our favorite pig Wanda went into labor. We had hoped she would wait for the cold weather to break, but around 5pm when the full moon started to rise (this is true, it was really a full moon!) her maternal instincts kicked in and she started farrowing.
I’ve always been so inspired and fascinated by the process of helping bring life into the world that I thought I had a near-endless amount of patience with the birth process. We’ve been so lucky with our sows though, as they’ve always managed to deliver their piglets in a few hours.
On this particular night, our dear old Wanda took over 8 hrs to give birth. Greg and I took turns braving the cold so we could keep a watchful eye on things. We had to be sure that each piglet dried off and found warmth and colostrum quickly. We set up a heat lamp for the piglets, which we’ve never needed to do before, but it helped keep them cozy and content when they weren’t nursing. We are happy to report that a week later, neither Greg nor I have frost-bite (yay!) and Wanda and her 7 piglets are doing great!
The cold brought a few other challenges as well. Egg production has taken a major hit in the last few weeks and progress on the barn has slowed significantly. We frequently remind each other that the challenges of live-stock farming in the dead of winter in central NY will make those sweet summer days when our farm is in peak production all the more glorious.
In the meantime… we are excited to announce that we are continuing to bring fresh pork to market on a regular basis! The next fresh pork day is this Sunday Jan 14th so don’t forget to stop by the Brighton Farmers Market (Sunday 1-4pm) to pick up all your Stonecrop favorites like shoulder roasts, chops, spare ribs or sausage.
Why buy it fresh, you might ask? The flavor and texture of our pasture-raised meat is all the more spectacular and it’s much easier to cook with when you don’t have to fuss with thawing. If you don’t see yourself using the meat during the following week, don’t fret as you can always put it in the freezer and use it later this winter. Our pork is vacuum sealed so all our products will last at least a year in the freezer.
Don’t forget the Brighton Market is indoors at the Brookside Center on Sundays from 1-4. Our stand is directly beneath the basketball hoop. We might look tired after this past week but we are always happy to talk about our farm and our meats so come by and say Hi!
All the best,
Greg & Jenney