What in the World have We Been Doing Since October?!

Where have we been? What is happening at Heather's Family Farm? Are you bringing that delicious and healthy grass fed beef and pasture pork to the Farmers' Markets this summer? What about bacon? Do you have any bacon, yet? And eggs? 

Yes! How is it that just yesterday, and by yesterday, I mean October, we were wrapping up the first full Farmers' Market season for Heather's Family Farm and already here it is, May 31st and time to start a new season of Farmers' Markets? Magic. I'm sure it was magic...and taking Baker County's winter one day and one frozen water trough at a time. 

In October, Mama had a litter of eight strong, healthy piglets. We were lucky to be donated some pumpkins (which we would be thrilled to have next fall when you're ready to be rid of your fermenting, yukky Halloween pumpkins). We also picked up many bags of leaves which the pigs snacked on and used for bedding. Yes, we would love to help you recycle lawn clippings, branches (no rose or fruit tree branches), and excess garden produce or last year's clean-out-the-freezer leftovers). The pigs love the variety and it adds organic matter to the ground out here in the sagebrush, although we have more grass growing every year. Exciting! We don't mind weeds (especially dandelions) with your grass but we do ask, for the animals' sake (and ours) that it is fertilizer and pesticide/herbicide free.  

Piglets are weaned at six weeks old so they were castrated and weaned in November. A very relieved Mama moved to a pasture of her own where she made friends with the chickens. Friends might be a stretch but they certainly like sharing space with her. They clean up grain she spills and, this might be too much information, also scratch around in pig poop which breaks it into small pieces and allows it not to build up as fly habitat. Turns out chickens are good pig neighbors and if they happen to lay an egg where Mama finds it, she makes sure it doesn't go to waste. Mama loves eggs!

December brought cold weather and snow. The pigs were cozy with a giant straw bale to bury themselves in and a pig house if they felt like sleeping under a roof. They tore up one bale over the winter so we brought in a second one near the end of winter but then moved them to another pasture so the semi-destroyed second bale is now serving as a thick mulch layer for the garden! If you're wondering if the pigs get cold during winter, they don't seem to mind it if they stay dry and have snuggle buddies. With eight brothers and sisters, and giant straw piles, they're nice and warm. Sometimes, I stop and put my hands on them to warm up. Black pigs are warm in the sun any time of year! Those are pig trails in the picture below. You can see that they are busy pigs!

As soon as piglets are weaned, Mama comes back in heat so she spent the winter gestating her next litter. I use artificial insemination to breed my sows because I don't have enough (now I have Martha and Mama, still not enough) to pay to keep a boar. I bred Mama to a Berkshire boar for her March litter because her October litter turned out beautifully (also half Berkshire). Meanwhile, I allowed the October litter to eat as much as they wanted to see if they gained better and if they really ate more than when I limited them. I have heard that with their heritage pig breeding they will get too fat if free feeding but I hoped being on pasture, even in winter, that they wouldn't overeat.

As winter started to fade, the October pigs were moved to new and bigger pastures, given alfalfa from Dad (R/R Ranch), Mama's belly grew and grew and grew, egg production increased, and I started delivering eggs and meat in Baker City on Wednesdays. In March, our pastured pork chops began selling at the Baker Food Co-op (https://bakerfoodcoop.wordpress.com/). In April, our pasture pork and grass fed beef became available at Essentially Danika's in Baker City (https://essentially-danika.square.site/). In May, our pork chops became available at Bella in Baker City (http://bigmerlot.com/). During this time, Genuine Wallowa Provisions changed names to Good Groceries and delivers our pasture pork to Union and Wallowa counties (https://goodgroceries.shop/). 

Mama delivered six healthy piglets in March! Always fun to have babies again (for me anyway, Mama might disagree after six weeks). Mama's pasture was enlarged for more exercise and grazing as she taught her piglets the joys of rooting and chasing chickens. Some of this litter may appear at the Halfway Fair in September and, IF things go according to plan, next spring's litters will be ready for the Baker Fair in August and the Halfway Fair in September. Keep us in mind when looking for next summer's 4-H and FFA project. This March litter was all sold as weaners at about 6 weeks of age to be raised and finished by their new owners. If this is something you're interested in, more weaners will be available in October when Mama's next litter and Martha's are weaned.

Meanwhile, Martha of Mama's October litter was singled out as a nice second sow to live with Mama. She has very strong conformation with good bacon and ham potential for her offspring. She also has a friendly disposition and lays down for belly rubs and chin scratches. When it was time for the rest of Martha's litter to go, she moved next door to Mama and the piglets. Five of the October litter were sold as whole or half butcher hogs and processed at Baker County Custom Meats. Two were taken to Billy Bob's butcher shop in Elgin for USDA processing and will be available for sale by the package at Baker City and Halfway's Farmers' Markets, the above mentioned businesses, or by contacting me directly. 

Wow! Time flies when you're building fences and breaking ice, doesn't it?! Thank goodness we're past that time of the year and looking forward to fighting grasshoppers for garden produce, instead. As for the pigs, Mama and Martha were recently bred to a Berkshire boar named Papi and are due ten days apart in September. Fingers crossed that Martha is as good of a mother as hers. This is Martha in her water tub (for drinking but she says it's multipurpose, drinking and bathing) with Mama standing behind her.

The hens are in overdrive. We have lots of eggs for you. We have duck and a limited number of turkey eggs, as well. Try them out!

Wait a minute! What about the beef? They are happily enjoying tall green grass. Babies are frolicking and causing trouble as their moms try to keep an eye on them. Irrigation season started. Oats have been planted which the pigs will get to share. Grass fed beef is ready and waiting for your family barbecues. 

Speaking of barbecues, I better quit typing and start packing. I'll be at the Halfway Farmers' Market tomorrow, June 1st with duck and chicken eggs, pasture pork, and grass fed beef.  It'll be a beautiful day for a drive to Hell's Canyon. Hope to see you there. And yes, I'll bring the bacon.