Spring hasn't quite "sprung" yet, but is certainly in the air when the babies start arriving every couple of weeks!!
Baby goats are so fun to watch! And there is nothing more amazing than seeing a little bitty, tiny, new born piglet standing next to its "huge" momma!! And how fast they grow! Wow! That first 2-3 weeks seems like you can practically stand there and watch them grow.
We will have weaned piglets available starting March 6th. They are $125 each.
For those curious about how we arrived at that price:
It costs $30 a month each to maintain the boar and sows. It averages about $500 a year for feeders, waterers, shelters, hog panels, electric fencing and posts, etc. Hogs are VERY hard on infrastructure.
Divide all the expenses up by the "projected" number of piglets raised per year and our cost, not one dime of profit or labor, comes out to $85 each. So we figure in a very modest amount for our labor and arrive at $125. This comes out to $400 for 6 months work per sow (IF she averages 10 per litter.). If all you look at is the income- it most definitely is NOT worth the time and effort involved.(Farm animals in the winter is the pits; even a mild winter. Busting ice out of water pans 3x a day, in freezing wind chills, etc. is "not" fun.)
Can you get cheaper pork. Certainly you can!! We are not in this to compete with the big confinement operations. You can get all of that you want at the store, really cheap, most of the time. We do this because it is a "Quality of Life" issue to us; both for the pigs and for ourselves.
We want quality, marbled meat from full-flavored, heritage meat breeds raised on pasture, without a lot of medications; not bland, dry "other white meat" that is like chewing on sawdust. That is why we chose the Berkshire x Large Black cross. Berkshires are the number one chefs choice for cooking; but on the farm side of things, can be a little on the "delicate " side when it comes to hardiness. The Large Black puts a little bit of hybrid vigor in there so they can withstand rough weather, etc. a bit better.
Raising weaned piglets through the spring and summer, to butcher in early fall is the way to go if you have a place to do it. It will cost you some labor and a little more money than the store bought "stuff"; but is SO worth the effort!! Call to reserve your Sei Bella Farm Premium Heritage piglets today. They will go fast.
Be blessed!
Ron and Brenda
417-217-6088
