Anissa Ferringer

I am planning my 4,000sqft orchard right now. I have 3 semi-dwarfs in the ground now, but they are tiny. I think masuma, cortland, and one that was gnawed at an is regrowning from the root stock. We aren't huge apple eaters, so if I add more, they will be picked for storage quality. Thank you for the hints!

First--apologies if this is not the right area to post, please let me know and/or move it.

This past winter we kept our 3 heifers on one of our gardens, more or less as a sacrifice paddock. Now that they are moved to pasture, we will briefly follow them with hogs. This has left much manure and hay, as you could imagine. The soil is originally very heavy, acidic clay, so we wanted the organic matter. Our original plan was to till it in (as we did last year after hogs only), but we are wondering if that is necessary, or even desirable.

We've never had a very successful garden, and all the tilling is hard on my husband. However, using the same plot for wintering the critters and growing annuals seems to recommend itself to tilling, since the animals also cause soil compaction. I love the idea of permanent beds and walkways, and would LOVE to see less weeds. We're just not sure how to get there.

The only free mulch available in any great quantity is hardwood sawdust. Living much is appealing (it might be an opportunity to indulge my love of white Dutch clover). I refuse to buy soil or mulch in any significant amount. Although I have already decided that I will drive through town stealing people's bagged leaves this fall.

Around 3am last night see delivered 8 live and one half-size stillborn piglet. One was cold when I got there about 3:30 and subsequently died. She seems to be doing well.

Thanks for the resource--I will have to read it!

About a week ago my 8-9 month old gilt turned up with a very swollen, ripped, and ozing vagina. We seperated her and called the vet, who gave the phone advise it was fisrt mating and to put a topical anti-biotic on. He said it could also be an abortion. She acted fine until yesterday when I noticed she is having trouble getting up and down.
Which seems related to her CONTINUING PREGNANCY. I'm pretty sure she's preggo because I could feel the pglets moving. Here is a pick from last night before reapplying the blucoat. The swelling has gone down considerably. Any thoughts?

I've been using the forums for a few months as a source of information, but just joined in order to get some advice on my new pig herd.

We have decided to keep a boar and sows to breed piglets for our own use and to sell. We are looking to purchace herefords from a localish farm and the price of the piglets jumps $90 for thier papers. When selling piglets will we benefit from the registration? One outlet for extra piglets is the local livestcock auction, and I've noticed they don't tell you much (anything) about the animals. I would also and I'm not concerned with biulding/refining the breed, just having decent piglets for our situation.

I understand this can very from region to region, but I'm curious about your experiances with the price of registered/non papered piglets and market hogs.

Thanks!
Anissa