What's in your pig food?

We made a mistake when we went and got hog chow the other day. We were so overjoyed with our little oinkers that we rushed down to our local feedstore and asked for the "hog grower" appropriate for 50 pound porkers.

Little pig in the morning sun.

They threw two bags of it in the back of our truck, we raced home, ripped open a bag.... and.....Wait. This isn't the regular stuff.  So I ripped off the label so I could read it.... Oh no!

Medicated food.

Dang. Yep. Right there. Medicated, chock full of antibiotics just in the case them piglets get sick. Not that they ARE sick.. but you know... just in case. Everyone knows that most of the antibiotics used in this country are for livestock feed, right? The doctor will accuse you of drug seeking if you go in to get fixed up if you are sick....but then you can turn around and get tons of doctored up meat right in your grocery cold case. This doesn't make sense to me.

You'd think it doesn't make sense to anybody.

But then I took the unopened bag back to the feedstore the next day. Turns out they changed their hog feeds. So I told them we did not want medicated, we talked about it, reviewed the options... and I got their milled-on-location 18% hog feed.  All it has in it is corn, soy, and some lysine.

Sure they are used to my antics so the folks at the counter didn't say much when I said I didn't want the medicated chow but what struck me is how "obvious" it is that everyone else wants it. Folks just assume everyone wants the medicated feed.

In fact, when I went out to get loaded up with the new chow one of the loading boys couldn't believe that I didn't want the medicated chow.

"But it's good for them." He said in utter disbelief.

"It's not good for me, son" I said back... in utter disbelief.

Thusly the great divide..... traditional farming vs traditional farming. The difference is how back the tradition goes. We go a far piece further than most.... we go back before you didn't have to prop up your livestock with unneeded medicine to get them to grow.

And the fact is, I'm allergic so some of the antibiotics and - for reasons I'll explain at a later date - there's no guarantee that we can keep the poultry or the goats for that matter out of the wrong feed. So I'd never know if the medicated feed got into the milk or the eggs. Sure it's just a little bit - but every little bit makes it worse.

Plus, I'm not so interested in rushing headlong into the post-antibiotic world. If I wanted meat fed out with drugs then I'd just buy it from the store.

So there you have it, friends. Don't be so excited about your porklets that you rush in and buy the wrong hog chow.

That's all I have to say about that today. We've been out since early - someone put a rush order on summer and so me and the dogs are already over heated and it's not even noon. Bubby was so hot he just laid himself down and refused to move until I told him to go inside and lay on the air conditioning vent.

Happy Tuesday everyone. Be sure to check your feed labels.

Garden Update and Planning

Depending on who you ask we either are or we aren't really at the "last frost date." The weather guy said that it will be 86* tomorrow but there is a chance for patchy frost on Friday morning. Of course, I've already thrown caution to the wind and have been planting like mad.

I was lucky to find flats of veggies on sale for just $8 this weekend. This is one of the weird things about Ohio - they seem to want to rush the season and then all of the gardening seeds, plants, and supplies just .... disappear. It's kind of like no one wants to do mid-season or fall planting. I'm not sure why this is - but it's why I grab up all the seeds I can while they are available.  Last year there was not one Blue Lake green bean seed to be found when it was actually time to plant.

This year I'm much more wise to the limited seed availability game and I'm much more organized. In fact, I've turned to my favorite gardening book. It's by John Jeavonsand it's really helping me with planning.

One of the thing he offers in the book is a garden map of what to plant where (taking advantage of companion planting and crop rotations)... but even better it provides a week by week guide to what seeds to get started and when to plant the seedlings. He provides tasks and a seed starting schedule by weeks before the last frost... what to plant after the last frost... and then what to do before the first frost in the fall. It's really terrific.

Jeavons' planis really helping me get organized. He provides a worksheet in the book that was super easy to put into a spreadsheet so I know exactly what to do on which day.

Even better than having a plan this book is teaching me that, now that I have my greenhouse, starting seeds in trays is really helping. Previously I've just tried to direct sow seeds but I'm really learning that starting them in trays is a better strategy especially with my bad soil.

The greenhouse keeps everything warmer and I can control the amount of moisture so even with the extra step of transplanting the seedlings... I think I'm further ahead.

We got a good soaking rain last nite and this morning so I won't be able to work in the garden. But today is a perfect opportunity to work in the green house. I'll be starting more trays of veggies including carrots, spinach, and more lettuce.

Thanks John Jeavons for such a terrific gardening book!

Happy Monday everyone! Are you starting seeds in trays? How is your garden growing?





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Pig Installation - 100% Complete!

Yesterday I promised to give the full scoop on how we got the oinkers home and into their new digs. Transporting livestock can be tricky - even if you have a truck. Sure you might be able to get them loaded... but the real fun begins when you get home.

Pigz love mud.

We got the pig fencing and most of the basics set up before we left on the Bacon Express the other morning. This was easy because we just used to lower goat yard - which is where most of our bacon seeds are initially planted. We use this yard because it's easy to see from the house, it has great perimeter fencing, it has electric hotwire already set up, and the Hog Hut 2010 still stands in all its slap-dashed-together, magnificent glory.

Pretty much the only real prep we needed to do was recheck the fence, add a small piece of field fence in one corner, move the empty bee hive (so sad), and go around and find the feeder and waters. Then we put some straw in the back of my husbands crappy little truck with a cap on the back...and away we went.

How did I find these pigz? I asked. They were not advertised and frankly I was starting to get worried. So when I saw a guy advertise a boar.... I sent an email and asked if he had feeders and was he willing to sell? He did and he was. So we exchanged particulars and headed right over with cash.

Truck full of hot pork.

After a short tour of his operation the guy pulled The Three Little Pigz out of his mob of smallish pigs, we put them in the back of the truck, secured the cap door so they wouldn't try to get out, and drove home as fast as we could.

Seeing as it was a hot day our biggest concern was getting them home before they croaked. Pigz are sensitive to heat and since they don't sweat they are hard to cool off. That's why they like the mud so much. But having hot pork in the back of a truck for a pretty good drive was tricky business. This is also why we were ready to get them installed as soon as we drove in.

The first thing I did when we got home and got out of the truck was.... I got the dog.

What?

Yep. I got the dog. The first very thing. Technically I got all of them but I really wanted my Dog#1. I asked him, "Where's the pigz?"

Titan could smell the pigz about 3 miles out so he purposefully trotted directly over to the truck and stood there looking at them, breathing in all their blissful, stinky aroma.

Why did I get the dog first? Because if the pig installation went bad that those squealers made a run for it I knew that I could have Dog#1 "Find the pigz."

Dogs on alert - check.

Next we got the trash can.

What?

Yep. The trash can. A big rolling trash can is a good way to transport over heated, freaked out meat.

Ham in a can

While I guarded the tail gate the Big Man reached in and grabbed one of the pigz by the back leg.

What?

Yep. That's how you carry them. No, it doesn't hurt them and their back legs are convenient handles. If you don't believe me just try to pick one up like a snugly kitten and let me know how that goes for you.

The first pig was deposited into the trash can and we trundled across the yard, thru the gate, down the goat yard, and then plopped that pig right out onto the ground. He laid there dazed for a while. We went to get the rest of them.

Goats in "udder" disbelief.

By this time the goats were stomping and snorting and doing that weird alarm-sneeze thing.  They were outraged. The dogs were lined up on the deck thinking this was the best show in town.

The other two pigz were trolleyed across the yard in similar fashion. There were no escape attempts.

Next we got a cool wallow going for them. We ran the hoses down the hill and filled a low spot near the still terrified pigz with water. They instantly flopped over to it and dramatically threw themselves down into the mud. They they figured out that mud was fun to root around in. They were in hog heaven.

Mostly they laid in a heap in abject terror for most of the afternoon. One by one we brought the dogs down to check out the fresh meat. One by one the goats came down to scare themselves and register their formal complaints. Debbie nervously leaned against me and I comforted her by saying things like, "Tough too bads, Goat, get over it." She got mad and stomped away.

We gleefully watched the meat for a while - making sure they weren't dead. When they got a little more active we got them some food then they really thought they hit the jack pot. We didn't bother trying to overwhelm them by introducing their luxurious accomodations.... as expected they just found a spot in the yard, lined up like hot dogs in a package, and went to sleep. They were still there when I checked on them the next morning.

My Dog Horde. Well trained for pork battle.

Every time we go outside I say to the dogs, "Where's the pigz?" and they all thunder down the hill and look for the oinkers. Dog#1 is all business, Dog#2 noodles around, and Kai and Zander get that prey-look in their eyes. It's glorious. If the pigz ever get out The Dog Horde will be upon them in seconds. Kai and Zander are already "Guarding Momma" while we are near the pigz so I'm as safe as kittens.

So now our Pig Installation is 100% complete and all we need to do is stand around, feed them out on the cheap, and dream of bacon.

Click here for a list of all of my posts on How to Raise Backyard Pigz for Meat instructions. This page shows everything from what to feed them pigz to how to part up a side of pork to feed yourself and everything in between.

We'll have more as we go along but now I need to get outside. As soon as we walk out I'll ask the dogs, "Where's the pigz?"

Happy Friday everyone! Do you have you pigz installed?

The Three Little Pigz

It has begun. They are here.

The incursion has begun. We plan for battle at the first snowfall.

Yesterday we drove several towns over and picked up a load of porkers. We raced home and threw the pigz in the lower goat yard, much to the horror of the goats. At first the three little pigz laid there in a heap. Then they began to mill around doing pig stuff.

The pigz loved the mud. 

The dogs were amazed.

Nibbles was not. 

The face of pure evil.

I believe these pigz are plotting my doom. But I shall have the last laugh. We are naming them "This one," "That one," and "Soon."  Two of them will live a delightful life in our back woods until early winter... but Soon will be coming to dinner...er... soon. He'll be lucky if he makes it to mid summer. All I can do is dream of chops.

That's all I can say about it for now. Today promises to be the hottest day for a while and I need to get right out there before it gets too hot to work.  More tomorrow including the complete details of Pig Installation 2014.

...Altho I will say that, in a fit of hilarious irony, we found a terrific BBQ joint on our way to get our pigz. SE Ohio folks, if you are not already a fan then you should run and now walk to 7 Miles Smokehouse. They have an absolutely abysmal online presence but I assure you their brisket cannot be beat. If you can find them, be sure to order up a big plate of meat. It's not a swanky place and I'm pretty sure they are a mostly catering operation. Looks like they are expanding tho. Grab a table if you can, get it to go if you can't.

Happy Thursday everyone! Have you installed your bacon?

MI - What Is the Matter With You?

Seriously, Michigan? What is the matter with you?

Has everyone seen this? I hate to sound like one of those crazy conspiracy people but seriously, Michigan, why can't you get this right? It's not like there isn't plenty of free space up there. Why the farm hatin'? 

You'd think with as much economic strife that state has had they would have better things to do then run backyard beekeepers and folks with a few hens out of production. Don't you think they'd want their folks to invest in food production? I got news for you Michigan, the only property value you should be concerned with is that big city of yours.

As for the folks who are just trying to farm - maybe what you need is better marketing. I guess old ideas about how farming is "dirty" just won't die. Maybe we can come up with some catchy slogans like, "Backyard farming - our sh!t don't stink!" or maybe "Come on now, everybody compost!" or "Chickens and bunnies -  cute and snugly until they come to dinner!"  Well. Maybe that last one needs some work...

But my point is - what are you so afraid of, Michigan? That your citizens use some of that abandon property to grow some food and help themselves? That you might tackle that problem of food deserts in your cities?

You would think that Michigan would want to encourage small farm-based businesses and self reliance so why they are so concerned about "nuisance" animals encroaching on their neighbors is beyond me.

But who knows. As weird as it is for folks like us to try and understand why someone would be mad at a front yard garden.... that's how weird the complainers think we are. The difference, I guess, is in priorities.

When I lived in my West Coast in-city home one of my neighbors had a breakdown over my compost pile. To be clear - I didn't compost food or any kind of manure - just some leaves. Seriously they had a break down over it and built a fence to block out that small pile of leaves in the back corner of my property... then promptly set up an above ground pool directly outside my living room window, trolleyed their TV outside, and I spent the entire stinkin' summer listening to them watch Jeopardy while they were splashing around in the water. I ask you - who was more annoying? Silent leaves composting or the cocktail hour wading pool?

I dunno. I asked this over on the facebook, am I really just getting to be an old fuddy duddy or are things getting worse? Some of us think it's getting worse. As for Michigan -  good luck, suckers. You are only making your problems worse.

What about you - are you an old fuddy duddy? Or do you have a slogan that Michigan farmers could use to improve their situation?

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Potatoes Popping and More Blooms

We've got rain moving in so I'm typing fast - I'm going to try and get somethings done outside before it gets here. So between the sun just about to come up and the rain not too far away I've got to get this garden party started.

Two perfect apple blossoms.

The good news is that we've got some blooms coming on. A friend reported that another orchard told him that peaches will definitely be off the menu for our area. I haven't seen one bloom on our trees - the cold was just too much for them.

But the apple trees are starting to pop. And the pears are about to set fruit so they will be plentiful.

Come on, potatoes! I have plans for you.

The best news is that the pre-sprouted potatoes that I planted are already starting to grow! We are officially out of canned and frozen potatoes so I'm really looking forward to getting some fresh ones. In fact, I can't wait for some fresh produce of any kind. I don't know about you but I just can't get myself to buy store produce.

Alfalfa is coming up. Free food for goats.

Around here the store produce is horrible - the quality is very low and it's very expensive. When I lived on the West Coast we got fresh and lovely produce from California. But the stuff in the stores here looks like it's been on the truck for a long long time. This always surprises me because we have such good growing conditions - but there is not a lot of food grown here. It's very odd.

These little guys will soon be fulfilling my Mortgage Lifter tomato dreams.

That's one of the reasons I'm so excited about my greenhouse. I'm hoping to extend the growing seasons. For now it's packed.

I'm not sure if the neighbors will be happy about my rototilling at 6:30 in the AM so I'll have to wait before I can do that... but I am going to sneak out and see if I can get a few things planted.

Happy Monday everyone! Are you gardening by flashlight?

Sorting out my strawberries...

Nothing but work work work here. We haven't had the best weather but yesterday was great "working" day - not too hot and a few passing showers. We are still drying out from all the rain but I managed to get a little work done.

We already have strawberry blossoms!

The other day I started sorting out my strawberries. The patch was a mess - last year was bad enough and it's worse now. Last spring when the berries were ripe I had to crawl around in tick infested tall grass to find all that red gold.. That's not going to happen this year. Plus I wanted to capitalize on the "daughter" plants and really expand the strawberry field.

Tick infested weed field.

The rows will allow me to more effectively weed the bed and also help me to continue my efforts to improve the soil. So having nice neat rows will help me stack up the compost and straw between the rows.

I've also heard that beans are a great companion plant for strawberries. So later in the fall when I mow down the strawberry plants I can put in a few rows of green beans.

Much better. Mulch is on the way.

The bed was such a mess that some of the local rabbits took up residence..... but with The Dog Horde helping me... well. It's rabbit free now. Ewwwee..  However Zander and Kai both agree that helping me move around strawberry plants is extremely boring.

As the soil continues to dry out today I'll have putting more and more plants into the garden and out of the stuffed and stacked greenhouse. This greenhouse project has really been terrific. Now I just need either a bigger green house... or another one.

Happy Sunday everyone! How is your strawberry concern going?