Podchef's Pastured Pork--Part One

[ivankinsman]

Yes, I think that industrial farming of animals is going to come back on us one day i.e. that there are consequences that are currently unknown but will affect our health. This is also reflected in agricultural-industrial use of pesticides. My wife saw a programme recently which said that farmers in the US spend 70% of their budgets on pesticides and that more and more of them are getting cancer as a result of too much daily contact with pesticides.

[nogerdsurg]

Very nice video. You're a good farmer, and you treat your pigs humanely, I applaud that. I wonder how factory farmers sleep at night, knowing the suffering they cause to the pigs. All I hear is screaming on factory farms, horrible screams. The way you run your farm is the right way, God's way. May God richly bless you.

[LilyISay]

I wish more people thought as you do- 'it's my responsibility to give them the best possible lives'. I don't object to eating meat, just tortured meat. I've had home farm raised beef and chicken who were treated with utmost care and consideration, it's so much better to the taste and the conscience.

[countrydrawn]

Do you strictly feed them veggy scraps? or do they get grain too? How long does it take to market size

[Madagasmask]

Phew, I was really worried when I saw the chickens with the pig food for a second -only pig pellets are really high in copper to help their development. It can really hurt other animals though, thank goodness it was scraps :D

[sirbananaman2]

have you experience TGE ( Transmissible Gastro Enteritis) virus w/ your pigs?

[Podchef]

Nope. Never.

[madbadger2742]

How did Porkshop 2009 go?

[SustainableFarmer]

Whats your wormer recipe? Garlic and DE I know, but how much for each pig? Ive got two pigs Im going to try it on, its the first time they have ever been wormed.

[Podchef]

I generally buy powdered garlic in 1 pound containers, I make it last 4 feedings for 8 pigs, so 4oz at a time sprinkled in with their food, or in with mush f I cook them something. I generally do this every 6 weeks or so. Alternately, three weeks after the garlic I give a few ounces of DE mixed in with food, repeat every 6 weeks. This keeps them covered. There is no toxic dose, so sometimes I use more. I have never noticed worms this way out on pasture which has mixed herbs.

[SustainableFarmer]

So the pigs dont destroy the roots of the grasses and ruin the pasture? How often do you move the pigs? how big is the pig pasture? Thanks

SF

[Podchef]

If the pigs don't have enough room, or are stocked too dense then yes, they do dig up the pasture. I move the pigs from sacrificial areas every two to three weeks after they have rooted up the area. I use one sheep fence per 8 pigs and keep it on the move. In a large grassland pasture the pigs can follow cattle and need more room and to be moved more often so they don't ruin the sward. In alfalfa or clover they tend to munch the greens and will leave the ground alone unless hungry or bored.

[thefather1961]

That is sad. How could you kill them? They are all so precious

[Podchef]

It is sad, but a reality. If you want to live than something else must die--a carrot, head of lettuce, soy beans, or animal raised for meat. The key is knowing the goal and raising the animals to have the best, most stress free lives and never letting them know the end has come.

[swisschoco]

I love eat your hogs at any price! Keep up the fantastic work!

[sallygardens]

Great to see your piggies in the flesh, greetings from over the pond.

[Podchef]

Thanks for stopping in! Hope you checked out part 2 and will be looking out for part 3!

[Sublimey123]

I love farms. And I love pigs eyes, they are too cute. How come you don't segregate the chickens?

[Podchef]

I did segregate the chickens once the piglets got older. . .lest they became dinner. However, having chicken in with other livestock is a great idea because they help keep parasites down and generally help keep pastures and barnyards clean and disease free.

[Sublimey123]

Did you know that this year is the year of the pig?