Old Man Farm - Berkshire boar getting the garden ready for planting

Permaculture: Using pigs.
We use pigs to turn soil in the garden to get it ready for planting some crops; and later in the season for land clearing to make new pasture, Gordon the boar joined by two young Duroc? sows, Quick and Fast. They're due to farrow in early July. They and the piglets will work on clearing "pocket pastures" in areas being cleared of over-mature, diseased and dying white spruce. The cleared areas will be grazed and cleared of undergrowth by Highland Cattle, goats,sheep and some poultry. They are moved on and the pigs and more poultry are introduced. Pigs will turn the soil and uproot many of the stumps. They are moved on and the area is seeded by hand with a pasture mix including white clover which helps to establish a stable and beneficial nitrogen cycle in the pasture system. Wood ash from our domestic heating wood and some brush burning is spread over the "pig dug" area before seeding in order to raise soil pH which is somewhat low due to being under a conifer canopy for about 50 to 70 years. These areas will be sufficient but rugged pasture in 3 to 4 years improving each year after that. Probably not suitable for horses though.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• permaculture
• pig
• pigs
• working
• digging
• rooting
• plowing
• Berkshire
• sustainable
• agriculture
• organic
• farming
• boar
• garden
• gardening
• roto
• till
• tilling
• tiller
• turning
• soil
• planting
• animal
• power
• old
• man
• farm
• wwoof
• wwoofer
• wwoofing
• farms

[dirtddoctor]

What happened to your boars hide? Seems to be missing alot of hair? 

[Seaboojeej]

@dirtddoctor He just rubbed it off in the barn itching against the wall. It was back a couple of months after as they spent more time in the fields.

[Seaboojeej]

They will also be moved to part of our woodlot to start land clearing so i can make new pasture for the sheep, goats and cattle. Pigs uproot the stumps and turn the soil. Goats keep the "weeds", tree seedlings and raspberry bushes from taking over. In some spots I'll spread wood ash to raise the soil pH. Then seed it all with a pasture mix. Beats using a bulldozer. No fossil fuel burned at all It does take longer though, but the pigs love it :-)

[spiritshy]

that's amazing what they can do for the land......i miss the red soil :)

[romanabout]

@Seaboojeej Hi seaboojeej, Great film and commentary. Would you please post at YourGardenShow? Lots of folks want to know this!

[romanabout]

Hi seaboojeej, Great film and commentary. Would you please post at YourGardenShow? Lots of folks want to know this!

[umapupedu]

this is great! never heard of pigs for this use but why not?

[caninecasbah]

that is some smart pig and saves you so much work - love it