Russ Herron

After a few years of thought and planning I’ve decided to add a pair of kunekune feeder pigs to my chore list for the next years as a grow out project for meat for my family. I’m going to rationally graze them here on the farmstead with electric netting and portable shelter. They will receive supplemental feed and free choice minerals.

I’m looking to pick up a couple feeders at a reasonable price . Most sites/breeders I’ve come across are interested  in selling registers stick for breeding or pets and the price in my opinion is entirely to high for a feeder. We are located just outside Elizabeth city in North Carolina Ana’s are looking to buy a pair of sows or borrows or a combination that we can grow out and process ourselves.

If anyone knows anyone that sells feeders with in a day trip of this location it would be greatly appreciated. You can dm and I can share my contact info to make this process simpler.

Thank you very much for any advice or help finding our future piglets .

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Nice pics, looks great! People around here appreciate how much work it took to get this far.

Thanks I appreciate that I often get discouraged and forget how far we have come.

This is a picture of how the property looked the day we decided we where going to take stewardship of it.

Hello everyone. It’s been a while sense I started this thread. Since we have committed to moving our family 600 miles to our property here and eastern NC . We have started a small flick of laying hens with one rousted that we rotational pasture . And have started a few vegetable gardens. As we continue to settle in I bring myself back to the question of how to improve the pasture for our current Hens as well as future inhabitants. Im thinking of buying a few kunekune feeders. To grow out to see if kunekunes are the pig bread we would like to breed in the future.

In my thoughts about improving our pasture I found myself coming back to my post here on permies to read this thread and regain the information everyone shared with me when I first began this adventure.

I figured while I was here I’d share some photos and give everyone a update on our progress.

If anyone has any additional information on pasture seed for livestock forage for pigs and chickens it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for all your advice when I first started this thread.

Despite being rained out a few days we managed to over seed some of the property ”I probably could take back twice to three times the seed I took on this trip“

We also managed to plant all of our blackberries. Hopefully they all survive.

We made it out to the OBX for a beach day we even had a rather unsuccessful day fishing on the Chesapeake bay.  We even took a little paddle down little river .

We are headed back to ga for a while.  Until next time NC.
                      RHFarmstead

This weather is not conducive of a productive work trip.

  Well yesterday we made the 630 mile trip to North Carolina from Georgia . We spent last night and today catching up with my Father and Step Mother.  

Bright and early tomorrow morning we will be headed to the farm for a bit of work and play. I’m very anxious as I have not seen our property since the first week of April.

A lot can change in one growing season. The last Work trip my wife and I “without the kids” tent camped on the property with no electricity or running water for six days putting in 10 hour work days the whole time.

Planning this trip with the kids we new it would be to hot for that type of endeavor.

I intend to weedeat heavily around all of my buildings and put down either fabric or plastic around them To avoid having hire someone to come out and weedeat While I’m away. My neighbor brush cuts the lot every few months. I also intend on planting as much if not all of this seed as I can as well as  these blackberries before I leave.

I only have three work days planned on this trip as we are taking the kids to the OBX for two days and out on the Chesapeake bay to do some fishing one day.

I guess I better put my game face on. Beacause the next week is about to be a busy one.

On that note I really should quit playing around on the internet and get some sleep.

       “Cheers” here’s to looking forward to putting my hands in my dirt tomorrow. I can’t wait to make this a full time thing.
            RHFarmstead

Nicole Alderman wrote:
Are there natural mortars that are weather-resistant?

Hope this helps

http://www.themudhome.com/mud-as-mortar.html

Roberto pokachinni wrote:

W. Rose RO50-5L 5-Inch x 2-1/2-Inch Pointing Trowel with Leather Handle, Steel Grey/Brown Leather https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O1XK1ZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fQ.rBbJ38QD52

 That Trowel is a work of art !!  I covet. :)

The little hammer I mentioned in my original response though not as beautiful it just works beautifully for what it was designed to do.  I will always be a big fan of the w.rose line of trowels. I’ve had some of there smallest and some of there biggest and a few in between. I’ve even converted a few into some beautiful spatulas. As my primary profession these days Is as a chef.

       Best of wishes:
               RHFarmstead

Also let us not forget the importantance of child size (PPE’s) shatter resistant safety glasses, and gloves that fit. Maybe even hearing protection depending on what there beating on or if running any equipment . Teaching our kids now the importance of safety only means they will be safer and that they will carry those lessons on to there friends, family, coworkers and so on in the future .

               Sincerely
                    RHFarmstead

I spent a good part of my life working stones with a hammer and trowel. If I was going to introduce A child into it . These are the first two tools I’d likely put in there hand other than a shovel .

Estwing  E3-12BL Rock Pick Chisel Edge No End Cap, 12-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DT0OZR2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.K.rBbX37XPZ0

W. Rose RO50-5L 5-Inch x 2-1/2-Inch Pointing Trowel with Leather Handle, Steel Grey/Brown Leather https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O1XK1ZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fQ.rBbJ38QD52

A good set if chisels and a hand maul would be next.

           Best of wishes
                  RHFarmtead