| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| CynthiaT. |
Posted - Mar 25 2010 : 12:48:18 PM
I am trying to research how to raise pigs and chicken as organically as possible. I think we have decided to start our farming venture with pigs and chickens. But I want to do it as organically as I can with what I have available to me. Does anyone raise either and is willing to share the ins and outs of doing so with me?
Also, does anyone know of a good software to keep track of the farming info and financial side of the business?
Thank you!
Cynthia
Farmgirl sister # 852 |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Melina |
Posted - Mar 28 2010 : 05:43:17 AM
I would suggest you research Joel Salatin and Polyface Farm. He's doing both.
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 3:17:05 PM
The only way to raise organicly , without costing you 2 arms and legs, is to grow the feed yourself, which takes alot of acrage, time and work. If you are just starting out, and your chickens are going to be cooped, ask your local feed store if they carry chicken feed that does not have drugs and chemicals in it, this does not mean its organic, but its aheck of alot better than standard feed. As for pigs, it depends on wether you are going to breed your own or buy weiners somewhere. I have 2 breeding sows ( they are blue butts), they are bred with A.I., i will not ever own a boar, too much risk. Mine are in standard pig pens, the fencing is what we call, hog panels, they are heavy duty steele welded fence panels, set with reinforced posts in cement. Their feeders are set on cement pads, and i use pigs spigots for their water. They have a shallow cement lined wallow, and the trees that shade them on the west side are on the outside of the pen, or they will girdle and kill them. The 2 sows are seperated during and for 4 weeks after the piglets are born, otherwise they are together. I do not pasture my hogs, I do not have the acrage that they would need, without taking away from my other livestock, and they would destroy the gound and all vegatation. Do lots of research and visit some farms that raise hogs, and make sure its something you want to take on. Good luck.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 2:42:03 PM
Cynthia, I was going to say if you have never had farm animals and this is your very first attempt with them, I would never start with pigs! I mean, unless you have several acres devoted just to pigs and good housing and pig proof fencing, I would not do it. I have raised pigs and they can be evil! They are the cutest sweetest little angels when they are little but them buggars grow way too fast for me. One day they're cute and small and the next day they are demon pigs. Always hungry too. Well, they do stop to take a siesta every now and then. But they wake up hungry! And they will go under fences and over fences and through fences. Oh I still have pig nightmares. I was never so glad to see an animal leave this farm as some pigs. I could tell you some stories but we'd be here all day.
It can be done with enough forage and the right kinds of grasses. But these newer pigs just weren't bred to be raised like that. You would need to find the older breeds to be able to raise them more naturally. There are a few people that have blogs about raising pastured pork but I'll have to look for them.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| cajungal |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 06:20:09 AM
I think it's possible but just difficult if there aren't resources and enough pasture land. I live in the Houston area and I would think that such a large market would have organic feeds available. Nope...zilch.
I've looked into having organic grains shipped in but the shipping cost is so high. I belong to a co-op and order organic grains for our family use and use them with the animals, too.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 26 2010 : 3:08:20 PM
Cynthia, when I lived in FL as a teenager one of the farmers half mile down had the giant blacks (pigs) on his farm and he would literally turn them out on pasture. The pigs turned up and foraged for all they wanted, at grass and acorns. Actually, pigs REALLY love large acorns--the guy said his father used to do the same on his farm in Kansas and they fed those pigs EXCLUSIVELY on acorns, non treated corn and oats, even dandelion and other things like that.
So I think it's possible, and the pasturing is natural for pigs because they really can get in their and root around with their snouts, which they love...just make sure to keep them in the shade and have the wallows available for them to cool off.
Good luck! 
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| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Mar 25 2010 : 4:53:51 PM
It is entirely possible to raise them organiclly but the availability of organic feed is sparce at best and it is often twice the price of regular feed. Even ifyou do all of this you can not claim to be organic unless you pay to be USDA certified which is currently 500$ a year. They have very strict standards and don't allow the use of pesticides ANYWHERE on the property. This also means any slop you plan to feed your pigs can only be from certified organic sources. No giving them leftovers that came from the grocery store or anything. If you aren't planningto sell any of your pigs and chickens you are fine and can just try to give them as much organic as possible. But if you do sell them and aren't certified you can not make ANY claims about being organic or you risk fines up to 20,000$ PER instance of makng the claim!!!!
Farmgirl Sister #17
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