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Our Pigs
We purchase piglets in the spring from a friend that raises mixed breed pigs. We are not particularly picky about the piglets
being one breed or another. What is most important to us is that they are healthy and
happy. Another important factor before bringing them home is for the barn to be available
so the pigs can make it their home. The sheep are not happy
sharing the barn with pigs so we make sure the sheep are
grazing in the fields before we bring home the piglets. The
pigs love to make the thick bedding in the barn their new home.
If the Spring is cold, we put a heat lamp in the barn. Pigs love
to be warm and comfortable. They love to eat, sleep, play and
be warm.
We give our pigs access to a small field where they can graze
and dig and hang out in the sun if they want to. Pigs love
to graze. Sometimes we have pigs grazing on one side of
the fence and sheep on the other. They also love to play
and chase each other. We often see them running around in
the cool of the morning because in the afternoon heat they
prefer to have a mud bath or rest in the shade of the barn.
One of
the reasons for raising pigs was to have them dig out the barn.
I drill dried corn on the cob into the thick bedding and over
the few months the pigs are with us they dig out the whole
thing. This leaves nice and fluffy bedding to be removed
and composted and then spread on the fields the next fall.
Pigs are real workhorse of a creature.
The
pigs share an area with our meat chickens. Pigs are pigs
when they eat and there is a lot of wasted food and there is
nothing nicer for a chicken then to pick food off the ground.
We feed them both organic grain from In Season Farm so we have
no problem letting the chickens eat the spilled pig grain.
The
pigs are slaughtered here on the farm. A local slaughter
business comes to the farm. They have been in this
business for over 30 years and are very professional and quick.
We make sure the setting is quiet and calm and the whole
unpleasant business is over in just a few moments. It is
unpleasant to have animals slaughtered. But we eat meat
and there is not any other way of getting meat. Selma is
always present during the slaughtering. She wants to make
sure the creatures she has been taking care of are treated with
the respect they deserve and that no needless suffering occurs.
Our
customers pick the pork up at a local butcher shop were it has
been cut and wrapped to the customers specification. We
use a butcher shop that does not use Nitrates in
their smoking process.
Our Customers
Our customer base is
mostly in Rochester and Olympia although we are getting a lot of
interest from Seattle.
Testimonials
Neta: So happy
to have access to local pork without Nitrates. Your pork
is wonderful.
Annie: Can I
put in an order for 1/2 pig for as many years as I am around?
I love your pork and I love the way you raise them.
Hollis: It is very important to me that the animals we eat
are humanely raised and slaughtered. I don't ever again want to
eat slaughter-house/factory-farmed meat, so I am fine with
whenever your/our pigs have their Valhalla date. Honestly. I
really
appreciate your ethics!!!
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