Fall Pasture Update

By Richard de Wilde 

Muscovy Duck with ducklings.

While our focus is on growing vegetables, animals have always been an important part of our farm. At present we care for our small herd of goats and Angus cattle along with pigs, ducks, and chickens. Not only do they add ambiance to our farm, but they also help us better manage our land. Given our valley location, we have hillside areas that are too steep for vegetable production and are better managed as pastures. Without proper management, these hillside pasture areas can quickly be overtaken by undesirable “weed” trees and invasive species such as garlic mustard, honeysuckle and buckthorn which would choke out more desirable pasture grasses. Our animals also help us by fertilizing the land which keeps the pastures nutrient-rich and lush with vegetation to prevent hillside erosion. Pasture grass is also a great way to capture carbon and store it in the soil.

All of our animals, as well as the land they graze and live upon are certified organic.   Every year at our organic inspection, the inspector asks to see our animals, where they reside, records of feed purchases, etc. Our beef cattle are all grass-fed. We use managed or rotational grazing for our beef cattle, which means our pastures are divided into paddocks and the animals are rotated systematically through the different areas. They are only in a paddock until they have eaten the grass to 4-6 inches high and then we move them to the next paddock. After an area is grazed, the animals don’t return for at least 30 days which gives the grasses time to regenerate.  This system also provides a great habitat for grassland bird nesting!

Pigs hanging out in their pasture.

We choose to raise our animals in an environment that allows them to exhibit their natural behaviors and characteristics. We treat them gently and with respect so they do not live in fear of human touch or presence.  This creates a much more pleasant environment for them to live in and allows us to work amongst them more safely. Our pigs have a 20-acre pasture which they cover daily eating grass and clover as well as digging up roots with their amazingly strong snouts! We often only see glimpses of them moving through the woods throughout the day, but rest assured they return to their home base for dinner at night and they are front and center for breakfast in the morning! We feed them a modest ration of organic corn, barley, and flax seed, but they also enjoy a wide variety of vegetable trimmings that we take to them from the packing shed every day. In the fall they enjoy checking on the wild apple trees in their pasture where they gobble up the dropped fruit. They also fill up on hickory nuts, acorns, and hazelnuts. They have a pretty good life, eat well, and from time to time they appreciate a little scratch behind their ears.  

Cattle grazing in their pasture.

Our black Angus beef come to us each fall from John and Denise Hildegard who farm in Auburndale, Wisconsin. They are set up more appropriately than we are to raise calves. The young animals come to us when they are fully weaned and weigh about 500#.  Their farm and animals are also certified organic, but the thing we really appreciate about John and Denise is that they are excellent animal caretakers. The nature of their animals clearly demonstrates they have been raised with love, care, and gentleness. While they are very large animals, they are also very gentle and calm.  Our cattle are on pasture their entire lives. They eat only pasture grass and clover during the summer months and in the winter, we feed them hay that we bale from our hillsides. They also get a free choice mix of kelp meal and natural mineral salts mixed with garlic and diatomaceous earth (DE). This mix is kind of like their daily “multi-vitamin,” plus the DE acts as a natural wormer.  When they stick their head in the feeder their face gets wiped with a blend of organic sunflower oil mixed with citronella which helps to keep the flies away from them. They also meander down to the creek bottom each day to get water. They are large creatures to be respected, but we also appreciate how they contribute a serene vibe to our farm.

Healthy animals that are allowed to live in a natural environment seldom have health problems. However, sometimes in the cold of winter or during the changing of seasons they may get a little sniffle or a cough. During these vulnerable times, we feed them pellets containing aloe, garlic, and molasses. Sometimes we put them in a feeder, but some of the cows really like them and are tempted to take more than their fair share which leaves us feeding them by hand. 

While we do enjoy living amongst our animals and they serve an important role in helping us manage our land, we do also raise our pigs and cows with the intention that they will be harvested for meat.  We realize the decision to include meat in your diet, or not, is a very personal one and may be based on a variety of reasons. We certainly respect each individual’s decision and do our best to be transparent about our practices, so our customers have the information they need to make a fully informed decision when purchasing meat.  Unfortunately, there is a wide array of practices amongst meat producers, so it is important to make sure you know what your purchases are supporting. Our fall meat delivery dates are quickly approaching. At present, we do still have beef & pork available for November and December. However, we are likely going to sell out pretty soon for November delivery.  If you’re interested in purchasing meat this fall, we encourage you to send your order in as soon as possible!

In closing, we just want to reiterate how important it is for consumers to be well-informed with their purchases. Not all meat is produced similarly and there are some practices in the industry that are, in our opinion, unacceptable. We value our animals, the value they add to our farm and our lives, and we will continue to do our best to treat them with the respect they deserve. If ever you have a question or would like to see them for yourself, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Summer Pasture Update

One of our pigs immersing itself
in a patch of chamomile!

By Richard de Wilde

While vegetables consume most of our energy, our farm would not be complete without our domesticated critters which enhance our lives in many ways.  Animals have always been part of our farm going all the way back to my early days here at Harmony Valley Farm when I farmed with horses, raised sheep and milked dairy cows.  Times have certainly changed and while I enjoyed working with horses, I’m also very thankful for tractors which offer a more predictable means of horsepower!  Animals are an integral part of our farm and offer many benefits to us and our land.  This week I thought I’d offer you a little insight into what’s been happening in our pastures.  So put your barn boots on and lets take a walk!

Our black Angus cattle grazing in their lush
summer pastures, July 2022

As CSA members, you may be most familiar with the fact that we raise grass-fed Angus beef and pastured pork which we offer for purchase through our CSA meat shares.  We recognize that some individuals choose to eat meat and others prefer to take a pass.  If you do choose to include meat in your diet, we encourage you to be informed about where your meat is coming from, how the animals were raised, etc.  On our farm, respect is a big deal.  We respect our animals and they in turn respect us.  Our cows and pigs are big, strong animals, but they are very gentle creatures as a result of receiving gentle, respectful treatment their entire lives.  As a result, we can safely work amongst  them without fear.  They don’t fear us and we don’t fear them.  Makes sense!

Young calves in January eating their
winter forage near the barn for shelter.

For the past few years we’ve been sourcing calves that come to us from John and Denise Hilgart’s farm.  We are very grateful to have the opportunity to partner with John and Denise as it is clear that they share the same value of respecting their animals.  They are very gentle animal handlers which is evident by the demeanor of the calves when they arrive on our farm.  They have what I call “angel eyes.”  When I look them in the eyes all you see is their sense of wonder, no fear.  In fact, they appreciate human touch and will easily eat an apple out of my hand.  Why is this?  They are used to interacting with humans because Denise spoils them by brushing them in her free time when they are babies!  While we do receive them as calves, they are gradually weaned from their mothers before they come to us.  Once they arrive they are eager to explore their new surroundings and acclimate very quickly.  It is not uncommon to see them playfully kicking up their heels in the pasture, which is super-fun to watch.  Most recently, they have been enjoying their new back rub apparatus that we put in their pasture this summer to help keep flies away.  We put organic sunflower oil and citronella on the rubber and the cattle can rub their backs on it which then helps deter the flies.  We also have a feeder that we put mineral in that works in a similar way to apply the sunflower oil-citronella blend to their faces to keep flies out of their eyes.  The end result is a herd of calm, peaceful animals enjoying quiet days grazing their hillside pastures.

The pigs know they can always get a 
little head scratch from me (Richard)!

Our pigs are also quite friendly and very happy animals.  I think that is the innate quality of pigs, especially when they are in an environment where they are allowed to exhibit their natural tendencies.  Pigs love to use their snouts to root around, searching for roots and tubers underground.  Our pigs have been spending their days exploring their wild, hillside pasture where they check out the apple trees, look for hickory nuts and acorns in addition to the other roots and tubers they find.  While they stay busy during the day, they can also sometimes be found napping in the afternoon sun or wading in the creek.  They are very curious animals and are quick to come when they see people approaching their area. You may not know this, but pigs enjoy ear and back scratches and are not too shy to let you know!  It is fun to watch their antics and right now we are getting a kick out of watching them munch on melons, tomatoes, corn cobs and all the other summer vegetable waste we take them from the packing shed!

We do raise our cattle and pigs for meat, and that issue of respect carries through to the end of their lives.  For many years we’ve worked with Lawrence who transports our animals to the processor.  I think “animal whisperer” is the best way to describe Lawrence.  He is always calm, always patient and very gentle with our animals.  We also have a specially designed corral that provides a very low stress way for us to sort and load the animals.  After working with Ledebuhr Meats for many years, we had a challenge finding a new meat processor that fit our criteria.  Thankfully we’ve had the opportunity to work with Crescent Meats for the past few years.  Crescent Meats is a family-owned operation and every year we continue to be impressed by their professionalism and integrity.  Their facility is designed to be very low stress for the animals.  Andrea had the opportunity to visit several years ago and they very willingly allowed her to walk through their facility including the area where the animals are unloaded and held when they arrive.  She was impressed with how quiet and content all the animals were as well as the calm demeanor of the workers.  The two definitely go hand in hand.  

Goats hard at working grazing in the
woods behind the packing shed.

In addition to our beef cattle and pigs, we also have a small herd of meat goats.  While they provide comic relief at times, they also have a job to do!  They have been doing a great job this summer of clearing some of our wooded areas of invasive honeysuckle and other brush.  They love working an area and find the leaves of the plants to be quite delectable.  It’s really fun to watch the larger goats rear up on their hind legs so they can reach higher branches, pulling them down to allow the smaller goats to nibble on the leaves.  Just like human kids, they do have spats from time to time, but overall they work together well and it’s fun to see them moving together as a group through the pasture and woods.  

Ducks heading down to the water
for a dip in the creek!

We also have some Muscovy and Mallard ducks which are quite entertaining. In the morning when we let them out of their house they have this little duck dance they do where they flap their wings, shake their hind end and make a bunch of noise!  They are part of our pest control program as they eat bugs and insects including wood ticks and fly larvae.  They share pasture space with our goats, chickens and sometimes the pigs and cows.  Some of them like to spend time hanging out in the creek and they too are very happy creatures.

We can't forget about our small flock of chickens.  We rely on them for personal egg production.  If you’ve never experienced a true “farm-fresh” egg laid by a hen that is roaming out on pasture and has little stress, then I’m telling you that you are missing out!  We don’t plan to start raising chickens to produce and distribute eggs, but we encourage you to be informed about where your eggs are coming from as well.  Not all eggs are produced equally and it’s very evident in the eating quality! 

Believe it or not, I do still do 
animal chores!  Someone has to feed the 
animals after everyone goes to Mexico for the 
winter.  As you can see, I like hanging out with
the animals.

It truly is a joy to have animals on our farm, to work with them and provide space for them to live peacefully.  They are an integral part of our ability to manage the hillside areas that are not appropriate for vegetable production, so in the end it’s a win-win relationship.  Our fall meat deliveries will be coming before you know it.  At present we still have both beef and pork available for November and December delivery dates.  We fill orders on a first-come, first-served basis as meat is available, so if you’d like to place an order we encourage you to do so as soon as possible!  Of course, if you ever have questions about our animals, how we are raising them or any questions about our meat, please don’t hesitate to ask!  Having the opportunity to talk to your farmer is just one of the benefits of knowing where your meat is coming from!

2017 Autumn Meat Information

Our fall meat deliveries are coming up soon with the first delivery on November 9/10/11!  We do still have Beef & Pork packages available for our November delivery and quite a lot still available for purchase for delivery December 7/8/9. 

If you choose to include meat in your diet, we hope you’ll consider trying our meat products this fall.  We feel it’s important for anyone who eats meat to make informed decisions with their meat purchases, so in order to do that here are a few important facts about the meat we raise.

Certified Organic:  All of our animals, pastures and feed are certified organic by MOSA.  That means we do not use GMO alfalfa, herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones or antibiotics.

 
 Grass-Fed Red Angus Beef:  Our beef cattle are 100% grass-fed.  They graze our mineral-rich pastures during the spring, summer and fall.  During the winter we feed dry hay and haylege which were harvested from our pastures and fields this past summer and stored for use during the winter.

Pastured-Pork:  Our pigs spend their days roaming their pasture hillsides where they use their snouts to forage for roots and snack on wild apples, nuts, and other wild plants they find in the woods.  They also receive a certified organic grain blend twice daily as well as vegetable scraps from the packing shed.  They especially enjoy spinach, beets, tomatoes and squash.
 
Animal Welfare:  We place great importance on the humane treatment of our animals and offer them the utmost respect and care for their wellbeing.  We do our best to provide a natural, calm environment for them to live in where they do not experience stress or have limitations to their instinctual behaviors. 
 

Join Our Meat Club:  Enjoy the convenience of our meat club offering.  With one purchase you will sign up for 3 meat deliveries in November, December and May.  You can start at any time and in addition to the convenience of a one-time purchase, we’ve built in a 5% discount on your purchase!
 
Fresh, Frozen:  All of our meat is freshly frozen and delivered to your CSA site in a reusable, thick-walled Styrofoam cooler.  You can store your meat purchase in your freezer and enjoy it throughout the winter with peace of mind knowing who your farmer is and where your meat came from!
 
Ledebuhr Meat Processing:  Our animals are processed at Ledebuhr Meat Processing in Winona, MN.  They are a small-scale meat processing plant that is both certified organic and USDA inspected.  There is a USDA inspector in the facility who inspects every carcass individually.
 

Concerned about freezer storage space?  If you’re limited on freezer space, consider some of our smaller 15# & 25# packages.  This picture demonstrates the space a 25# package of meat would take up in a standard home refrigerator with a freezer on top. 
 
Additional questions?  If you have other questions we have not answered here, please feel free to call or email!

For more information about any of our packages, please see our order form website.

Early Spring Farm Update!

by Andrea Yoder

Spring is officially here and our first week of CSA deliveries is only 6 weeks away!  Here at the farm we are looking forward to the return of spinach, salad greens, spring onions, ramps, asparagus, chives, baby bok choi……we love seasonal eating!   We’ve had an exciting first week of spring and within just a few more weeks, the pace of the farm is going to quicken.  As we transition into a new season, we thought we’d share a little glimpse of farm happenings.

Onions looking forward to going in to the Cold Frame
Greenhouse to 'toughen up' before the journey to the fields!

Back in February we fired up our nursery greenhouse.  Despite a few snow days that slowed us down, our small winter crew worked diligently to get the house cleaned and set up before starting to plant.  Our onions are now 4 weeks old and were fertilized for the first time last week.  They enjoyed a few bright, sunny days earlier this week and were so happy they shot up a few inches over the past two days!  We also have some pretty little lettuce plants, the fennel poked through this week and the celeriac is finally coming up!  Celeriac takes almost two weeks to germinate, so it can be a real nail-biter waiting for it to come up!  This week Beatriz & Laurel seeded all of the first plantings of broccoli, cauliflower, spring cabbage and kohlrabi as well as our first planting of kale and collards.  Over half of the herbs for the herb packs are planted and we’ll be putting those together in just a few short weeks so they’ll be ready to deliver to your CSA sites in May!  

Beatriz, Gerardo and Laurel
in the Nursery Greenhouse.

Our second greenhouse is quickly filling up, so we’ve been working on preparing the third and final house.  This is our cold frame greenhouse which has rollup sides to give the plants a bit of a controlled dose of reality before they are transplanted in the field.  They get tickled by the wind blowing in the sides and their nights are chillier than they are in the other houses.  The plants will spend a few weeks in this house to toughen them up before they are transplanted into the field.  

John, Scott and Simon finishing up the
Cold Frame Greenhouse plastic project!

This year we had to replace the plastic on the cold frame greenhouse.  Imagine giant sheets of plastic billowing in the air….a magical image, right?  Not in our world!  On our first attempt, there were reports of large men (Scott and Richard) being lifted right off their feet by the force of the gentle wind coming up under the plastic.  We’re thankful that Beatriz held on tight and she landed on two feet!  After having to abort the effort on Tuesday, we regrouped and tried again on Wednesday morning.  Everyone on the farm came in at 7 am and we were able to successfully get the plastic anchored onto the frame before those seemingly gentle gusts of wind came up.  Simon and Scott will finish putting the house back together today and the onions will move into that house on Monday!

Early Wednesday morning
greenhouse re-plasticing project!

Our winter crew members have been doing a great job keeping up with our greenhouse schedule, getting the willow trimmed and bunched, etc, but when we look at our to-do lists for the next few weeks, we acknowledge we’re going to need more hands to get everything done before the first week of CSA deliveries!  This week we were thankful to get our final approval and be able to move forward with the process to obtain H2A visas for our field crew members in Mexico.  Yes, we’ve been a bit nervous and won’t fully rest until our guys have safely returned.  We expect the first group to return the second week of April.  Keep your fingers crossed that the rest of the process and their travels will go smoothly and safely!  

Out in the pasture, the ducks and chickens are anxiously awaiting the return to their summer pasture by the creek.  The ducks are looking forward to playing in the creek again….the puddles just aren’t as satisfying.  Our goat herd has expanded by two kids this month and there are 5 more expectant mothers.  The cows are healthy and have had a good winter.  They’ve enjoyed their “chocolate” hay on cold, wet, snowy days when they eat inside the barn, but prefer to eat outside in the sunshine where we feed them their special haylage bales.  Within the next month we hope to add pigs to our pastures and then our “Old MacDonald” farm animal collection will be complete.

One of our roosters saying 'Hello'!

Ducks waddling in a puddle waiting
 to go back to their creek across the road! 

Farmers Richard & Andrea
holding one of the new baby goats!

In the office, Kelly and Lisa have been busy processing CSA orders and working on the 2017-2018 CSA Calendar.  Richard has been working on his crop plan, ordering field supplies and sneaking in some time to work on a few wood projects.  Over the winter John has been working on finishing the inside of the new solar kiln for drying lumber.  Laurel and I enjoyed attending the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse, Wisconsin at the end of February.  One of the highlights of the conference included a keynote presentation by Mas Masumoto, one of our fruit growers from California!  I had the opportunity to have dinner with him at the conference and will share more about his story and our conversations in our fruit newsletters this summer.  

Farmer Richard working on a
walnut coffee table

And finally….Farmer Richard has a field report for us.  The overwintered spinach is alive! We had large row covers on it for the winter and perimeter fence to keep the deer out. Several weeks ago we had high winds that lifted some of the corners got tangled up in the fence and made a real mess!   Scott and Richard replaced the fence before the deer realized it was down and turned the field into an all-you-can eat salad bar.  The garlic sprouts are pushing through the straw mulch and our rye cover crops are a bright, dark green.

Dreaming of Summer Strawberries!

We are looking forward to the start of a new CSA Season and hope you are too!  Our supply of canned tomatoes, frozen mini-sweet peppers and berries is dwindling.  The stored onions are starting to sprout and the last portion of our winter supply of potatoes are starting to look more like seed potatoes!  I have a stack of seasonal recipes I’ve been collecting and am looking forward to trying them as the vegetables come into season.  Before we know it, we’ll be enjoying thick over-wintered spinach salads, fresh oven-roasted beets, juicy ripe strawberries, fragrant basil pesto and sweet sungold tomatoes bursting in our mouths!

Animal Welfare

by Sarah Janes Ugoretz

Our food choices look a lot different today than they did 70 years ago. Just one or two generations ago—prior to the industrialization and explosion of Big Ag—people living in the United States could feel comfortable assuming that any meat they consumed was raised the old fashioned way—on pasture, and as one member of a relatively small group of animals. But go to a grocery store or a restaurant today, and there are any number of stories that can tell the tale of how your meat made its way onto your plate. In this article, we’re hoping to start a conversation that is driven by one simple query: How do we want our meat to be raised? As we contemplate this question, we’ll consider not only our national production practices, but we’ll also draw in a few examples from around the globe.

For many of us, when the conversation turns to the meat industry and animal welfare issues, certain images may come quickly to mind—birds in cramped cages and “downed” cows, too weak to walk. Documentaries like Food, Inc. and books such as The Chain: Farm, Factory, and the Fate of Our Food have shed light on the myriad costs—to animals, to the environment, and to our fellow humans—that often accompany the U.S.’ industrial model of meat production. Meanwhile, when we think of responsible eating, we often tend to think of anything but large, feedlot-style production systems.

However, rather than viewing meat production as a binary, composed of either “good” or “bad” systems, we at Harmony Valley Farm look at these practices as falling along a spectrum. At one end, we have a production method primarily guided by a cheap, cram-them-in mentality. Farmers are largely operating within the parameters the U.S. market has set up for them. As we move towards the opposite end of the spectrum, however, we find that animals are afforded more entitlements, albeit to varying degrees. Their cages and pens may be larger, and their diets may consist less of grains and more of grasses and bugs. They may even be so fortunate as to be recognized as sentient beings—capable of feeling emotion and pain—that are deserving of a pleasant life. On this end of the spectrum, animals are typically able to exhibit their natural behaviors. Chickens can flap their wings, roam and scratch. Pigs can socialize, flop onto their sides and forage. Cows, as ruminants, can graze on pasture, interact with their fellow herd members and experience fresh air.

If we zoom out and look at meat production from a mainstream, market-based perspective, however, choosing to treat animals as sentient beings is not yet highly rewarded in this country. Should a farmer choose to operate from an animals-as-sentient-beings standpoint, the burden of this choice primarily falls upon their shoulders and it is not always the cheapest road to travel. As Farmer Richard mentioned to me earlier this week, Harmony Valley Farm’s 15 pigs are all raised on 20 acres of pasture, which gives them the opportunity to freely roam, socialize, graze and root. The vegetable scraps and organic barley and flax they’re given are delivered daily by hand. Although these practices are all in line with pigs’ natural behaviors, this is not the way all pigs are raised.  We prefer to reside on the end of the spectrum where animals are treated with respect for their innate characteristics.  Did you know that cows and pigs like to have their heads scratched behind their ears?  If they trust you and are accustomed to your presence, you can move easily among these large animals!  We recognize the animals we raise for meat are not our pets, nonetheless we treat them gently and with respect so they do not live in fear of human touch or presence.  This creates a much more pleasant environment for them to live in and allows us as animal handlers and feeders to work amongst them more safely.  When an animal is fearful, they will react to that feeling and can do serious damage in an effort to defend themselves.

If we expand our scope and take a look at this conversation in a more global context, sadly we see that the U.S. is fairly far behind when it comes to the welfare of our animals. For instance, a growing number of countries—including the entire European Union and, most recently, New Zealand—have extended legal recognition to animals as sentient beings (McIntyre, 2015). In publicly acknowledging that animals experience both positive and negative emotions, these countries have not only made it easier to prosecute animal cruelty, they have also demonstrated to the world that they are willing to place their morals and the wellbeing of animals above the bottom dollar. In turn, with the support of the government, the market is more favorable to discerning farmers and consumers alike.

Meanwhile, innovative approaches to raising animals can be found worldwide—including here in the U.S. Imagine a piggery (though this set-up works with cows and chickens, as well) that produces no runoff or odor and attracts zero flies. In Mountain View, Hawaii, you’d find such a system. Operating in accordance with Korean Natural Farming (KRN) animal husbandry methods, this system incorporates a layering schema, whereby four feet of bedding—primarily consisting of twigs, logs, and green waste—serves as host to an active microbial, aerobic environment, kept dry by a vented, overhanging roof and an open-sided building plan. The lactic acid added to this system digests the pigs’ waste, thereby neutralizing the smell and maintaining a healthy environment. Once this system is up and running, bedding doesn’t need to be changed, only added to every few months (Prell, 2015). Farmer Richard encountered such a system when he was visiting Germany several years ago. Imagine his delight when he discovered that his hosts had established this set-up directly off of their kitchen! Contrasting this with what we are most familiar with in the U.S.—CAFOs, or concentrated animal feeding operations—is a powerful exercise that demonstrates very succinctly the range that exists along the animal-rearing spectrum we spoke of earlier.

When it comes to animal welfare standards at play in the U.S., broad, sweeping change is possible. However, at this point in time, I would argue that farmers and consumers are primarily on the hook when it comes to working towards this change. Farmers who decide to raise animals humanely, in a system where they can exhibit their natural behaviors, will continue to depend on consumers who choose to opt out of the mainstream, cheap meat mentality—and are able and willing to pay a premium for this. As the world—along with a selection of our own farmers—continues to provide us with examples of what is possible, we can stay strong in our convictions and strive to tip the scales to favor a higher and more just standard for the animals that some of us choose to consume.

References

McIntyre, S. (2015, May 17). Animals are now legally recognized as ‘sentient’ beings in New Zealand. Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/animals-are-now-legally-recognised-as-sentient-beings-in-new-zealand-10256006.html

Prell, J. (2015). Better pig farming: Zero-runoff, no-smell, no-fly piggeries. Acres, U.S.A.

A Day in the Life of a Pig on Pasture

We have always enjoyed having animals on our farm, both for the ambiance they add to the farm as well as the multiple purposes they serve.  But then there is just the sheer enjoyment of watching their behaviors.  If you were to take a moment to observe our pigs, you would quickly learn that their days are not so rough, they are very happy and content creatures and quite entertaining as well.  So just what exactly do our pigs do all day?  More than you would think!  They are very busy creatures, or at least they appear so!!!

Pigs in a wallow

Their day starts out once the sun is up.  They don’t rise and shine quite like the chickens that share their pastures, there’s a little more grunting involved.  Once they’re up and moving, they wait for breakfast, which is their modest morning ration of organic barley, corn and flax meal.  They get just enough to take the edge off and give them some energy to go exploring.  Seldom do you see them at “home” during the day.  There is far too much excitement up on the hillsides.  They busy themselves rooting around their 20 acre wooded hillside and pasture, exploring every nook and cranny to see what treat they can find.  Eating a bite here, a dug up root there.  They look like they enjoy it and they are just doing what pigs are naturally inclined to do—root around and use their snout to dig up underground treasures!   These days they make a special effort to check the hundreds of wild apple trees and berry bushes every day to find fallen fruit.  They also like to check their favorite nut trees for acorns or hickory nuts, but once they’ve had their fill of roaming around, it’s time to work in a nap.  Depending on the weather, they nap in their straw-lined huts or in the shade of trees when the sun is shining.  They like to make dirt “wallows” to lay in and cool off when it is really hot.  If you look at their pasture, you might think it looks a bit like a “pig sty.”  Don’t hold this against them, it all goes along with their natural behaviors!  Muddy patches and some uneven, dug up ground is just the way they like it!

Running to the their culled vegetables!

While we seldom hear our cows “moo,” you can often hear a myriad of sounds coming from the pigs.  Squeals, grunts, snoring, snorting…these are all very common sounds for pigs to make.  The time of day when you’ll hear them squeal the loudest is when they hear the skidsteer making its way to their pasture with culled vegetables from the packing shed.  They aren’t shy either, they’ll throw themselves right into the pile…literally!   They are very good vegetable eaters, eating most any green or root crop, but it is clear that they do have favorites, like melons, tomatoes and carrots.  (Check out the pictures!)  They don’t seem to mind if the vegetables aren’t perfect, as long as they are organic.  They are just a plain “riot” to watch, especially when they have pink lips after eating beets!  

Just as with other animals and food crops, the way in which an animal is raised is directly related to how the meat tastes when it gets to your plate.  Our pigs are very active and eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and roots in addition to their organic grain.  As a result, the meat they produce is often darker in color with a rosy hue and is very flavorful.   If you are accustomed to eating conventionally raised pork, you will notice a difference in not only the appearance and flavors of certified organic pastured pork, but also in the way it cooks.  Here are a few things to consider when cooking Certified Organic Pastured Pork.

Tip number one...Don’t overcook the meat!

Pastured pork is very flavorful and juicy, but you can easily overcook it by using too high of heat or cooking it for too long.  Don’t forget that meat continues to cook with the residual heat held within it even after you remove it from the heat source.  If you think your pork is not quite done, remove it from the heat right then.  By the time it finishes cooking it will likely be perfect.  Checking the internal temperature of the meat is a good way to gauge the degree of doneness so you know when to take it off the heat.  The USDA recommends cooking pork to an internal temperature of 170°F, but that will likely result in a very dry piece of meat.  A range of 145-165°F will give you a juicier, more tender piece of meat. 

Tip Number Two…Choose an appropriate cooking method!

The second important thing to keep in mind is to make sure you are using the right cooking method for the cut of meat you are preparing.  There are two main cooking methods, moist heat cooking and dry heat cooking.  

MOIST HEAT COOKING

Cuts of meat that come from a part of the animal that is used and exercised more will be tougher and may have more intramuscular connective tissue and gelatin.  To tenderize these cuts, you should use a moist heat cooking method which will use a longer cooking time and lower temperature with added moisture or liquid to help tenderize the meat.   As the meat cooks, the connective tissue and gelatin in the meat will melt down making the meat tender, moist and very delicious. 

• Moist heat cooking methods include: braising, stewing, boiling or cooking in a crock-pot. 

• Cuts of pork that are most appropriate to use with this cooking method include: Pork Shoulder (Roast or Steak), Country Style Short Ribs, Spare Ribs, Ham and Pork Hocks.

DRY HEAT COOKING

Cuts of meat that come from muscles of the animal that are not as active will be more tender.  These cuts of meat can be cooked for shorter periods of time at higher temperatures. 

• Dry heat cooking methods include: grilling, sautéeing, roasting, broiling, stir-frying, pan-frying and deep-frying. 

• Cuts of pork that are most appropriate to use with this cooking method include: pork chops, pork tenderloin, bacon and ham.

Tip Number Three….Let the meat speak for itself

Don’t forget that pastured pork is very flavorful, so let that flavor work in your favor.  Use simple seasonings, herb and spice rubs or just a little salt and pepper to season the meat.  Simple marinades and sauces are nice accompaniments to pastured pork as well.  Whenever possible, make the sauce in the pan that the pork was cooked in, or cook the pork in the sauce or braising liquid.  The flavors of the pork will seep into the sauce adding a fuller pork flavor to the sauce.