Archive for category: Farm Update

Making Our Own Feed

We are excited to announce that our farm in Fairview is now able to make our own animal feed for our pigs and chickens! We are buying whole grains and using a tractor powered hammer mill to grind and mix non-GMO feed. The rations will consist of corn, small grains (such as wheat or barley), expeller pressed soybean meal, and vitamins and minerals to ensure the animals have all the nutrition they need. This allows us to purchase local grains to help our regional agricultural economy thrive!

 

Pictured on the left, is the un-ground corn (right) and our feed mix (left), full of different grains, corn, and vitamins! The photo on the left shows the teeth of the hammer mill that grind the corn and grains up into our fine feed!

 

Reusing Old Grain Bins

To keep our grain fresh, we store it in grain bins – and we just got new, shiny bins for the farm! So, what do we do with our old bins? We recycle and reuse them, of course! Sustainable farming is not just about ensuring the healthiest grassfed beef and pasture-raised pork, but it’s also about producing less waste in the process. Our old grain bins are currently being cut down to create new huts for our pigs to sleep in and enjoy some shade.

 

 

Why grain?

All this talk of grain… but why do we need it? We only feed grain to our pigs and chickens (also known as monogastric animals) and we NEVER feed grain to our cows! The thing is, pigs and chickens can’t live on grass and forage alone, so they must get energy from other sources, like grain! Our homemade grain is fed to the pigs and chickens while they’re also eating forage, which allows them to receive the energy they need while also getting the added benefits from the grass.