We look forward to this moment every spring….
When we get to move the big herd of pigs out of their winter paddock located near the top of the farm and onto the grazing pastures toward the back of the farm.
It’s truly one of the most glorious sights to behold! But I tell you, like so many things on the farm, what sounds simplistic to the outside observer, really isn’t at all.
There’s a lot of careful planning and preparation that happens before we can even entertain the idea of getting started shuffling pigs around.
First, there’re decisions to be made about which fields we’re going to graze them on, and then there’s the physical labor of placing fence posts, running lots of electrified fencing, setting up water lines, and relocating summer shade shelters.
Then, and only then, we’re tasked with answering the big question…which is whether the pastures are ready for the impact of all those pigs.
We’ve made the mistake before and moved the herd out too early – the fields ended up being too wet, which resulted in the pigs compacting the soil more than we’d like, which inhibited the regrowth of the native grasses later that summer.
So, we’ve been watching and waiting. And at last, a few weeks back, the soil had dried out nicely, and the grass met our benchmark, measuring at least 6 inches tall.
And we made the call – it was go time!
Greg and Amanda took this on and got it done, with expert precision. The pigs moved well, one trailer full at a time, except for two stragglers who didn’t catch on as quickly as the others but eventually got the hint and jumped on board the “pig taxi” with gusto!
Now comes the task of getting the pigs into the routine of the twice-weekly pasture rotations – which you can see in action HERE. There’s nothing sweeter than that, right?
After all, this is how we maintain the health of our soils, regenerate the pastures, and keep the quality of the meat we share with you sky-high!
Your Farmers,
Jenney & Greg
PS – If you’re looking for a last minute Mother’s Day gift, we have 1 more Pork Chop Bundle and only a handful of Sausage Bundles available. These will disappear from our online store on Mother’s Day, so don’t wait to reserve yours.
PPS – Since we’re back to summer, that means you can visit piglets when you come to the Farm Store! Stormy is in one of our viewing paddocks near the front of the farm with her most recent litter.