Pigs in the Pen
A new batch of 20 pigs arrived today.
Hogs are here!
We welcomed 20 new pigs to the ranch this afternoon. They range from 2-3 months old, 40-80 lbs. There’s a mixture of Yorkshire and Hampshire breeds, with some Berkshire sprinkled in.
The rainy weather has made for some soft ground in the forest and they’re making the most of the mud. As soon as the pasture greens up they’ll be out on grass, but in the meantime, they’re in hog heaven digging up acorns and roots as they get used to their new home.
After a short trip in the trailer, they took their first steps onto the forest ground where they belong:
Their new “training pen” is 1,500 sq ft, made from sturdy hog panels. Prior to their paddock being expanded into the forest and pasture, the pigs need to learn how to negotiate electric fence. The training regimen involves a single electric wire placed 6” inside the hog panels, 12” off the ground. When the pig inspects the wire, they feel the zap. It doesn’t take many tries before they understand that the white wire should be avoided, and they should stay within its bounds. Once this psychological barrier is imprinted, we can unfurl long stretches of flexible wire through the woods to establish temporary paddocks, restrung every 7-14 days on fresh ground.
Over the course of the season, the pigs will trek across 20 acres, never touching the same ground twice. This allows the ground to be gently disturbed, and given time to rest.
Current and new customers: secure your forest-raised pork for 2022 at our online store.
