posted 11 years ago
I would like to raise a potbelly for meat....
Just enough for our family, just one.
We are on .8 acre.... So i have to make this work for me....
I would purchase some high quality hog food, but feed hardboiled eggs from our chickens, pasture, forage, bamboo shoots, blackberry brambles, jerusalem artichokes... Maybe waisted grains from a local brewery, old veg from supermarket etc.... We have tons of clearing to be done.
Since they are small i thought i could tether it to a central pole for pasturing and move around the area as needed on a harness.
At night it could sleep in a large dog house for cover with straw for warmth. Our predators are foxes. In extreme cold we could move it to the workshop or it could snuggle with the dog. Ha. But so far, its been super mild here... And last year we didnt get any major snowfall till march! Very mild winter...
We currently have a great pyrenees 8 mo old female, chickens, quail and chicks for next years flock. The pigs i saw are young, but weaned and from what i can tell around 30-40 lbs for $50 ... but i might grow it for a few months and then process.
Id love feedback. My biggest 'hole' in the plan is my husband.... Hahah.
Please tell me where my other holes are. I would like to skip the fencing in favor of the harness.... As fencing makes the whole plan no longer cost efficient...