We have piglets! These pigs are a Red Wattle crossbreed, hence their red color. This litter is a couple of months old. They arrived on the farm on Sunday and are adapting to life here. They’re still a bit skittish and are quick to run away from you, but then just as quickly the fear turns to curiosity. At the moment, they are penned in their mobile shelter while they get acclimated to their new home on Hawkins Family Farm. In a couple weeks, we'll remove the hog panels and they’ll be free to roam the pasture.
One thing the piglets have been quick to figure out: when Jeff’s around, it's feeding time! We start them on a mixture of non-GMO corn, soybeans, oats, and minerals and then transition them to a mix of whole corn and whey. They whey is a byproduct from the cheesemaking process at Hufford Family Dairy. Feeding whey to pigs is a time-honored farming practice, which makes sense since whey is an excellent protein source that enhances the nutrition of the pigs and the flavor of the pork. Once they're grazing the pasture, the pigs will root around and find all sorts of tasty things to eat in the field to round out their diet. They also enjoy a steady buffet of vegetable scraps from the garden. In this way, they help complete the cycle of nutrients around the farm. They are another piece of the farm puzzle, so to say. Not to mention, they provide us with delicious things to eat like deli ham, pork chops, and more.
This upcoming Thursday is our first CSA pickup for the main season, so be sure to read the email Zach sent out earlier this week with all the important details. And pizza nights start up on June 10th! We would love to have you out on a Friday evening to enjoy a meal of local ingredients in the place they grow.
