Category: Pork

We’ve Waited Three Years For This!

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Our First Complete Meal

Seems strange, I know, but we really have waited (actually worked) three years for this! Oh, we’ve had a variety of vegetables and meats over the past three years. Vegetables and meats we’ve grown and raised. Many good meals! 

However, this is the first time we’ve provided ourselves with a complete meal with Meat, Potatoes, Vegetables, and Salad. It’s as much of a timing thing and a growing thing! 

Yet, when it all comes together, especially for the first time, it’ll darn near bring tears to one’s eyes! Knowing it is really possible to grow our own food and put complete meals on the table! 

Salad with lettuce, radish, onion greens, Swiss chard, and more. Followed by Irish Cobbler Potatoes, Provider Green Beans, Gold Rush Yellow Beans, Stanhope Peas, and Woodland Pastured Berkshire Pork. 

I did an earlier post today about “Our First Harvest”. It was actually just half of our first Harvest at the Barn Property, as we divided it giving half away and keeping some for ourselves. Making two remarkable meals!

Lara’s Piglets Are Nearly Weaned

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Lara’s Piglets Nearly Weaned

We’ve gone with as natural approach to the whole process as possible. Lara farrowed, gave birth to, eight healthy piglets on April 5, 2023 and that meant she went from being a Gilt to being a Sow. We did not use crates or cages to prevent her rolling on the piglets. Rather, we Wintered two smaller pigs with her. They were about a quarter to a third her size. I think it made her more conscious of not rolling on them, and in turn her piglets. It also helps that Lara, part through training, and a bigger part by her personality, is very calm and gentle. She’s made a beautiful Mother. 

So, the piglets were born 25 days ago, and rather than pull them away from their Mom, we left them. We’ve noticed them eating hay at about a week old, and at day 17 we had them out on pasture with their Mom, Lara. Just an hour or so, increasing the length of time a little each day. Actually it was their Mom, Lara, that decided the length of time outside! She’d walk over and nudge the makeshift, pallet, gate when she wanted to go in! 

Then, tonight, this is what I saw…

Actually, just moments before this video was shot, all of the Piglets were eating!

It’s been such an interesting and rewarding experience to work with Lara, and her piglets, and see how smart they are and see what a good job she’s done with them! 

Japanese Made Egg Soup, Briden Farm Raised Pork Chops, Rice, and Pasta Salad

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Egg Soup, Pork Chops, and Sticky Rice

Another great meal! We may not have much money, but we always seem to eat well.. We have a visitor with us for a month, Daisuke from Japan, who come to us through the Wwoof program. He made the Egg Soup which was very good! The rice is pretty much a staple for us, and we’ve always ate a lot of it! A bit of left over macaroni salad, dressed with Watkins Potato Salad Mix. The Pork Chops were from our Woodland Pastured Pigs. All in all it was a beautiful meal.