1,000 Words :: Not Enough

The old adage says that, "a picture is worth a thousand words". But, in the case of this picture I don't think the image does the real view justice and I'm not even sure that 1,000 words would be enough to describe the track of the sun's rays jetting through the tree limbs ... the snow shining on the tops of long branches ... the quiet surrounding ever step I take ... the crispness of the air that you feel with every breath ... the shine of the sun reflecting off of the snow crystals covering the ground ... the contrast of the trees and the blue sky beyond ...

Yep, I'm sure a thousand words are not enough! But, it was a beautiful sight as I was out cutting wood this afternoon.

Answering a Few Questions...

There have been a few questions in the comments section of some recent posts that I haven't had a chance to answer yet, so I decided I would just take a moment today to throw up some of my thoughts/answers.

Earlier this week Rich asked, "Now that you have raised purebred heritage pigs, cross-bred heritage pigs, and conventional pigs on pasture have you noticed that the heritage pigs actually do significantly better on pasture? (and) What about meat quality? How does the meat from purebred pigs compare in taste, etc. to convention crossbred pigs raised on pasture?"

Well, we have gone through a few cycles of pigs now but I wouldn't say that we have raised anything truly conventional out on pasture. By that I mean that all the pigs that we have raised here (even if they weren't heritage breeds) have come from at the very least an outdoor based situation. So, they have naturally been more adapted to the outside. I doubt that if we purchased some three-way crosses from a local confinement operation we would have the same results. That being said I do feel that they have all been fairly competent at foraging, although the Hampshire/Berkshire crosses were probably the least impressive.

You will find though that you get a faster growing pig and probably larger litter sizes with the added benefits of heterosis that the crossbreds have. That is just the nature of things and does make a difference.

As far as taste goes ... I'm not sure if I'm the best judge, but our customers have been very pleased. At a drop-off the other day though I was talking to a chef (who loves Berkshire pork the most I think) and I think he had something when he said that in his mind much of the taste can come from the way the animal was raised. Of course there are bred differences and you can look at blind taste tests to see heritage breeds often score at the top, but there is something to be said for the way an animal was raised.

In the comment section of my post regarding Michael Pollan's lecture in Iowa Rob asked what some of the things that I disagree with Michael Pollan were.

The most obvious depart I have from Mr. Pollan is how the animals became they way they are with their incredible ability to do just the things that they need to do for themselves and the environment around them. I believe they were created that way ... he doesn't. But, that doesn't discredit him in my book and hopefully it wouldn't discredit me in his.

As I said, I agree with most of what he says but I'm fearful that he comes across as a bit elitist. Some of that is not his fault and just the circumstances of being a journalist that has decided to go against conventional agriculture, but I also feel that some of it comes from the way that he attacks the problem. I'm not always sure what the best approach is (so saying that may be hypocritical), but I do say there is something for going about it the way the King Corn guys did it ... by bringing in both sides to the discussion.

Finally ... Rich, I'll try to get a picture of me next to some of my cows!

Looking Ahead

I'm on or around the internet for much of the day at work, but at the house we don't have a TV (due to lack of reception) and in my vehicle I no longer have AM radio. What that has meant this winter is that there have been quite a few times when the snow just up and surprised me. Generally I hear about the big storms because everyone is talking about them every where they go, but the little ones (3-5 inches) just seem to come out of nowhere. Likewise when it hits -6 in the middle of the week (like it has this week) it often hits me like a ton of bricks.

So, lately I've been doing something I rarely do and I've been looking at long range forecasts hoping to catch a little break and at least have some positive thoughts about the weather. When I say long range I'm talking 10 to 15 days ... which I think means they are highly inaccurate, but if they tell me what I want to hear I'm going to check it out at this point in the winter.

Example #1 :: The 10-day forecast from weather.com. As you can see the beginning of March is showing us temperatures slightly above freezing, but maybe not quite enough to do a lot of damage to our deep snow. The one nice thing about this forecast is the sun ... sun is nice, although it can be a bit deceiving on below zero days like today.

Example #2 :: Now on the left you will see the beginning of March forecast from accuweather.com. They actually do a 15-day forecast and the days after this look even better, but for comparisons sake I decided to just look at the same days from each site. For obvious reasons I'm a big fan of this forecast (as long as it comes true). I mean who can argue with highs in the forties! That would mean some melting snow (and mud), less bulky clothing during chores, and less wood for the fire. But, I'll admit that I'm just a little bit skeptical.

What does all this mean? I think it means that it's been a long winter! Although, I will admit that there have been times when it was nice not knowing what was coming and just being surprised the ebbs and flows of the weather. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for a pioneer family in Iowa in the 1850's when the were really starting to settle our area.

Snug as a Pig in a Rug ... err ... Hay Pile

Yesterday was a big day for the pigs on the farm and an even busier day for me (I really wish it was summer, not just because of the snow, but because I could use some more day light). I spent yesterday and this morning getting ready for some new pigs, and after some work at the church I headed out to Norway (the town, not the country) to pick up some Hereford feeder pigs and a Hereford boar (I think I will name him, but that will come later). I decided to add a few more feeder pigs because our Hereford pork is selling so well and I wanted to keep that going.

The trip there and back was fairly uneventful except for the wind and snow blowing across the road, but I was glad that I ended up at this particular farm to pick up pigs. This farmers grandfather was one of the men who helped establish the breed in the 1930's and the family has been raising Herefords ever since. It was pretty cool to see him still working in the family business and sticking with the breed that his family helped develop.

Once home though is when the real fun began. Job number one was to unload the six feeder pigs into their new home and then the boar into his pen. That was a relatively easy job, although I did have to take some time breaking the gates out of the snow and ice pack. Oh, and did I mention it was dark? But, once the trailer was unloaded the real fun began ...

I had to load a pig to take to the locker tomorrow ... in the dark ... from a rather large pig pen ... while said pig would rather be sleeping! Needless to say, the loading process took awhile because the little piggy didn't really want to go exploring in the dark. So, I was just patient and calm and once the pig was finally in the loading pen things went very smoothly and it jumped in the trailer.

The moral to the story ... umm ... try harder? I guess sometimes that's just the way things go and you really can't do anything about it ... that's the moral to the story!

Everyone Should Have Chickens ...

This evening, thanks to the Practical Farmers of Iowa e-mail list, we were able to add forty chickens to our simple flock (which prior to this had only six members). As you can imagine this is quite an addition! These chickens are all Red Star's and we were able to get them free because they were spent hens (using that word loosely because he was still getting about 28 eggs per day, just not enough for profit margins). The farmer needed room for his new flock coming in, so these needed to head off the farm quickly ... that's where I came into the equation!

Hopefully we'll get a few eggs, but that wasn't the main reason for getting them. We have been hoping to get some spent hens before this coming summer to follow our cattle out on the pasture. They do a good job cleaning up the bugs and larvae in the cow patties and help break parasite cycles. I think it was Joel Salatin who said that it would be worth it to have a flock of mean old roosters following the cows because of the job they do even if it meant replacing them every year. Now, we'll have some chickens to follow along and probably get some eggs.

These girls are set up in the shed next to the cows and are already exploring their new little kingdom. Between the cows mooing and the chickens clucking it really is starting to sound like a good old fashioned barn! Which got me to thinking ... everyone should have some chickens around if they can. They are beautifully simple and mesmerizing to watch ... their simple cluck can be very soothing ... the way the move and flap around at times is just hilarious ... and, they are even fun to hold and catch! That's just my little public service announcement encouraging everyone to get chickens. If your town allows (unlike ours) they even make great additions to the backyard, but if nothing else find a friend or family member in the country and see if you can't have a little flock out at their place.

Michael Pollan ... in Iowa

Like it or not ... Michael Pollan is coming to Iowa to deliver a lecture with the same title as his latest book, "In Defense of Food". I had not heard about it until the other day when I happened to be driving around the minivan (while my truck was stuck in the snow) and the hosts were talking about his upcoming lecture (I have no AM in my truck, so they may have been talking about it for a few weeks). Anyways, after I heard about it on the radio I also noticed an editorial piece in my latest Farm Bureau Spokesman. I guess the word is out there and I'm just late to jump on the bandwagon!

Here are the details if you are up around the northeastern part of Iowa :: Monday, Feb. 22nd at 7:00 PM at the Decorah Public Library (book discussion) and then on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd at Luther College he will be giving his lecture also at 7:00 PM. (click on the links above for more details)

The Iowa Farm Bureau (IFB) and others concerned with the strength of agriculture are strongly encouraging farmers to attend the lecture and ask Michael Pollan the tough questions, because he can't answer them (that's the IFB's stance not mine ... link). I too agree that Iowa's farmers (as many different types as possible) should attend if there is a way, and that they should ask the tough questions.

But, it is important that everyone not only asks the tough questions of Michael Pollan, but also of themselves. The IFB states that Mr. Pollan has, "written many biased articles" (who hasn't) and also that he, "has a lot of good ideas, but he also has some very dangerous and misguided ones." Again ... who doesn't!" So, by all means go to the lecture or the book discussion (and report back here if you do), but go with an open mind.

As a member of the IFB and someone who has read and enjoyed Mr. Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" I think this has the possibility to be a very profitable lecture/question and answer time. I did not agree with all of Mr. Pollan's ideas and opinions, but at the same time I could see a lot of the beauty in creation (he does not however believe in creation) through the agricultural system he writes about and envisions. We just need to be willing to learn and work together ... remember, he does have, "a lot of good ideas" ... even if he is a bit opinionated (that's what the IFB tells me at least).

Not Exactly Spring

Last year for various reasons there were a couple cows (although one cow hasn't had a calf for a few years as far as I know and I'm still not convinced she is bred) that did not have a calf. Because of that (and the joys of setting up a farm on the fly) our calving has begun already. We were shooting for calves when the grass was green, but I guess now we are having them when we are dreaming of green grass! Nonetheless, cow and calf seem to be doing fine and I hope things continue down that direction.

The little bull calf was born early this afternoon inside the shed. As I was doing chores this morning I noticed some tell-tale signs that she would be calving soon and guessed that today was going to be the day (I had know she was getting close for a bit now). So, I decided to separate her from the rest of the herd inside and throw in plenty of bedding for the cow and the soon to be calf on the ground. It seems like it was just another carefree Dexter birth!

I am still amazed at how little these calves are when they come out ... and so very cute looking! As you can see this little guys is black and in the picture he was still getting his cleaning from momma. Also, while I was out there I was able to see him eating. I'm always glad to see that when we have a bull calf because for some reason the few bull calves we have had haven't been as smart about the whole eating thing! But, this guy has it figured out.

Hopefully we'll have a few more calves to come ... But, I'm perfectly okay for them to wait until it is a bit warmer out!

5:51 PM ...

... That is the time that the sun will set today. And, while I will readily admit that I could use some longer days right about now, I also won't complain because as it has already been mentioned ... the sun is gaining and we are on the downhill side of things right!?! In fact, by next week the sun will be setting around 6:00 PM. I think daylight until after 6:00 PM will add a little spring to my step (at least as much spring as coveralls and big boots allow). The early nighttime does make for some interesting nights on the farm.

As you can see from the picture above (it was a very clear night ... and cold ... and windy) I end up doing quite a few chores out in the dark. Of course this is nothing unique to our farm, it is just part of the deal. But, as a beginning farmer and a full-time town job guy I end up doing things when I can ... often that when is in the dark.

Before I leave in the morning I do chores that need to be taken care of first thing (feed and water). Then after work I check on the feed situation and get started on all the other stuff that may need to be done. This winter I've split plenty of wood with the help of my head lamp and warm clothes ... moved hay and other feed with my tractor (and the working headlights) ... and, I have even cut up sections of firewood with the chainsaw at night because it needed to be done.

Two conclusions that I've come to. Number one ... I'm thankful for that headlamp that my mom gave me for Christmas! It makes things much easier than trying to hold/position a flashlight while I work. And, number two ... working late at night helps me sleep better because I'm tired when I'm done.

An Update on the Powerflex Fence

With all of the snow and ice we have had this winter I thought it would be a good idea if I gave an update on how our Powerflex fence has been holding up and performing this winter. This past summer we installed a six wire hi-tensile fence along the road (two sides of our property) and then a three wire fence along the woods. We used the Powerflex posts and plenty of wire. As I was going through the building process I had a few neighbors drive by and discuss problems that I would most likely face this winter ... our fence is one area were the problems have been small.

Right now we are running about 5.5 to 6 kV at the fencer and maybe a bit less at distant parts of the fence. In the summer we were running around or above 10 kV. I will take the blame for the lower readings right now, because I still have some temporary fence out there that is buried in the snow and probably not helping matters at all! But, even with the lower voltage we have not had anybody test the wire or cause any real problems. In fact I know that it still packs a bit of a punch ... personal experience.

We are not charging the lower wires right now, but there are spots were we have snow drifts three or four wires high. Again, I'm sure that is drawing it down a bit, but it hasn't been a problem. Another thing I've noticed is that the animals respect the wire ... even with the lower charge. Our pigs were contained on one side of their pen by a single polywire about six inches off the ground. That wire was long ago buried, but still they walk along the edge of where it used to be visible. They respect the shock I guess!

All in all this first winter with the Powerflex posts and hi-tensile wire has been great! No real problems to speak of and as long as I remember to plug the extension cord back in after taking the tractor out of the shed (good ol' temporary electricity) we are good to go. Of course I can't wait until spring when it's tall grass shorting out our fence ...

O Winter ...

It seems as if we should be on the downhill side of winter. But, after all the snow, cold, ice, rain, snow, cold, and yuck we have had this year (our local school has canceled classes 9 times) I'm just not sure. Just this past day or so we have added a few inches of light fluffy snow. At this point though I don't think it really matters. All it does is add to the pile ...

The winter has been difficult. I thought last winter was difficult and that the second one would be much better ... I was wrong. The winter has been difficult ... that is all I really feel like saying. But, what am I supposed to do about it? How is anything I do going to change the weather? So, I guess I just grin and bear it ... or at least bear it (not so sure about the grin).

Here are some of my thoughts on winter:

• Big snowflakes, even after 50 plus inches of snow for the season, are still beautiful on a Sunday morning. I may not like the fact that they are adding to the snow total, but I can't deny their beauty.
• Seeing your breath on a cool and crisp snow covered morning is invigorating ... even if it feels like the cool crisp mornings will never change over to warm summer mornings.
• A warm fire in the house keeping everything nice and comfortable is a good feeling ... almost a feeling of independence.
• I like cutting firewood ... in the snow ... in the silence ... alone.
• I cannot control the winter (or much else for that matter) ... and everything is probably much more beautiful because I can't control it.
• Frost covered trees and fence and all ... that is pretty incredible.
• Winter will end and then spring ... followed by summer ... followed by fall ... repeat all. That I can be sure of and then I can do the best in each of those.

It has been a difficult winter. More difficult than I would have imagined or expected, but that does not mean that is the end ... as long as I can keep my head up and keep sliding these feet through the snow.

Eat a Pig, Save a Breed ...

(It is true that this picture has nothing to do with pigs. But, as I was out doing chores this morning this was the beautiful image that I saw ... and all the hogs were still asleep in their huts. I didn't feel like I needed to wake them up from their slumber just for a photo op.)

As new producer members of the Iowa Food Coop this is only our second month with product listed. Last month we sold bundles of our Berkshire/Hereford pork, but this month we were able to list individual packages of our pure Hereford pork. So far it has been selling fairly well (probably better than I expected), and those sales made me think of the importance of eating the rare breeds in order to support the rare breeds.

It almost sounds counter productive to eat a pig from a breed that has dwindled to less than 2,000 individuals nationwide (according to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy website), but if people aren't interested in eating them ... well, then there is no need to raise them. If you are interested in supporting and helping heritage breeds survive you have to eat them and support them through your purchases!

I chose the Hereford breed because it seemed like it was well suited to the small-scale farming that we are doing and so far that has proven to be true. As I have mentioned before the breed was developed here in Iowa and Nebraska from Duroc, Chester White, and Poland China lines. Being developed in the 1920's I believe they are uniquely breed for an outdoor farrowing and finishing system.

Another thing that I have found to be true is that they are a fairly easy tempered and docile breed. I realize that my pig experience isn't vast, but of all the swine that have graced the farm these pigs have been the easiest keepers and by far the easiest to load! In my book that is a big plus.

If you are in the area and interested in supporting a small, but important, breed we are going to be taking two more to the locker later this month. We will then have cuts and packages available through both the Iowa Food Coop and directly from the farm.

Muddy Hole Farm?

I love the farm name. I love the history of it, I love the sound of it, and I even love the looks of it. Unfortunately it is not a unique name in the food industry, so it is time that I seriously consider a name change. This is something that I have been putting off because I liked our original name so very much. But, as our farm business grows and we look to expanding this summer and beyond through various sales outlets it is important that we have a name that we are going to stick with and that we can get out in front of our customers and potential customers.

The picture above is a map showing a portion of George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. He had the land broken up into six (at least) farms and had a name for each of them. Mansion House Farm is out because of the obvious things (maybe Barn-esque House Farm). Union Farm is out because I just don't find it very appealing, Dogue (sounds like vogue) Run Farm is out because it is difficult to pronounce, River Farm doesn't work here, and Little Hunting Creek Farm just seems a bit long.

That leaves Muddy Hole Farm (I would like to know the story behind that name). With our pigs I would say that it fits perfectly! And, can you imagine all the neat little advertising images that we could come up with? But, maybe the name just doesn't scream "neat little family farm". Although ... it could grow on me ...

So, do you have any thoughts on a historically driven farm name? Daniel Webster's farm was called Elms Farm. Patrick Henry's first farm was Pine Slash Farm. Any other ideas?

Farming While Sick

For the past couple of weeks I have been trying to farm and fight off a cold/strep throat thing. I have found that those two things just don't work out very well! Regardless of how I feel though there are still plenty of things that need to get done and they all involve a bit of physical labor. So, I have just taken a bit more time to feed the livestock, water everyone, split wood, and take care of all the other little chores that pop up throughout the week.

Going slow has been a blessing the past couple of days though because of all the ice on the ground. I haven't broken out my ice creepers yet, but I've been thinking that it might be a good idea to fit some on the pigs because they seem to be having the most difficult time getting around on the ice. But, they sure are fun to watch as the slowly slip around!

It is supposed to warm up just a little bit over the next few days, so hopefully we will lose the ice. Plus, I went to the doctor this morning. I'm hoping that the melting snow/ice and me getting well coincide so that things can get popping on the farm again!

Ice Farm

Sometimes the weather just doesn't exactly cooperate with us. And, it seems that this winter is one of those times. I don't think I should be complaining because summer wasn't too awful on us, especially with the cool temperatures and all the fence building and shed building we had to do. So, I just think I won't complain ... as much as is possible!

All in all the farm survived this little storm fairly well. We still have electricity, the water hydrant wasn't frozen solid, all the animals are still able to get their feed (although the pigs may be wanting some ice creepers), and I was even able to get into the vehicles with just a little bit of work. On the down side though I was supposed to take a pig to the locker today (we were trying out a new locker), but with all the ice on the truck and on the roads I wasn't able to make it. I guess this pig will get to live with us a little longer!

One of the nice things about an ice storm (if it doesn't cause too many problems) is the beautiful images that it leaves behind. The picture on the left here is of our perimeter fence. I'm not completely sure that it would be very shocking to the touch right now. The trees are also very beautiful, but I can never get a picture that does justice to the beauty of the ice covering the branches. I think the natural beauty of the land is one of the biggest benefits of life in the country ... it truly is a blessing to behold.

Persalized Plaque Giveaway!

Head on over to my wife's blog for a chance to win one of these 2 plaques to personalize with your family name, farm name, house numbers, or even a favorite phrase.










Be sure to check out my new post below too.

The Winter Shed

Sometime back (before the winter set in) I wrote about finishing the lean-to portion of our new shed and how it was going to be used for winter feeding and deep bedding. Like everything else this winter things have not gone exactly as planned in the new deep bedding lean-to, but I am learning at least. There were also a couple of questions about why I was using this shed for winter feeding and why I was putting the cattle in a "winter lot".

I was hoping to have a picture of the feeding/loafing area for you today, but per usual this winter things popped up ... today those things were starters going out ... in both of our vehicles!!! I can't tell you how that is possible, but I just know that it is true. So, for now I'll just throw out some of my thoughts and add a picture later.

First of all one of the main reasons for building the hay shed/deep bedding area/loafing shed is ease. With the hay in one side of shed and the cattle in the other side winter feeding is very simple. I just throw some bales into the feed bunk, pull off the twine, and I'm done. But, the deep bedding pack will also provide some warmth and a dry place for the cattle to go in Iowa's cold winters (it has be below zero a lot this year and it has even rained a lot).

As for the "winter lot", that is something that just works for the weather in our part of the country. From the time they get off of pasture until they get back on the pasture it can be muddy and yucky and if I left them out on the pastures I think they could do some damage in the mud and freezing temperatures. So, this winter lot is something of a sacrificial area so that our pastures can stay strong and not have a lot of hooves tearing it up when it is muddy.

That is the idea behind it all, but things aren't going exactly as planned this year. I am learning a lot and when spring and summer gets here there will be plenty that I will have to change. Our feeding bunk is a work in progress and I believe I need more feeding area for our cattle so they don't get too pushy. Also, finding bedding material this year has been beyond difficult and I haven't been able to create as much "deep bedding" as I would like.

Live and learn I guess ... live and learn ...

This is What it Looks Like...

Winter is supposed to be the season where farmers slow down a little, catch up on things in the house, and prepare for the coming year. Well ... last winter and this winter seem just as crazy as any other time of year, and it is always more difficult to do chores in the cold and snow (both of which we have had in excess this year). Let me just say it has been a tough winter and blogging unfortunately was the first thing to get cut when things got tough and busy ... let's just leave it at that.

It seems like the snow and cold just keep coming here and as I type this we are preparing for double-digits below zero. Farm life has become a cycle of digging out of a storm or cold temperatures and preparing for the next. But, thanks to friends and neighbors (along with a working saw) we have been able to keep the house warm and feed coming to the animals. Not everything has worked out very easily though and I have often wondered what in the world I was doing.

Through all of it I am trying to learn and keep my head up. I'm keeping track of the things that work (very few it seems like) and the things that don't work (there are quite a few of these). If I'm worth anything as a farmer I will be able to take these difficult lessons and build on them for the next winter and years to come. Some of the problems have stemmed from not being able to complete a project that I wanted to do before winter (because of money or time), and some of the problems have just come out of no where and taught me a lesson or ten!

I will try to spend some time over the next week catching up on what is going on and answering some of the questions that have come up in my "blogging absence". I hope and pray you are surviving and thriving this winter wherever you are ... make sure to throw on an extra warm comfy blanket on these cold nights!!!

Winter is Here ... Cows are in the Shed

It always seems like if I'm not prepared for something it comes and worse than expected. Then, if I am prepared it doesn't happen. But, this past few days it was a case of me being somewhat prepared and the winter storm showing up pretty much as they said it would. All told I think we had around 14 inches of snow between Tuesday night and Wednesday night and with that came high winds and then finally bitter cold temperatures. My preparation this time came in the form of working on the inside of the cattle shed.

On Monday my in-laws showed up and my father-in-law helped me line the inside walls of the shed with oak boards to protect the steel. We also built a hay feeder along the inside wall for winter feeding. I was quite surprised with how quickly everything came together and by the end of the night we had the inside of the shed mostly done and even had the fencing up for the winter paddock. With all of that accomplished I decided that I might as well have a little cattle drive and move everyone the one hundred yards or so to their new home.

The cattle drive was a piece of cake. I just called the cows over and led them across the yard with a bale of hay. I can now look out the front windows and not see any cows ... it is a nice sense of accomplishment to see an empty pasture. Also, feeding in the shed is much easier and less wasteful because everything is contained in the feeder and the feeder is right next to the hay storage. (I hope to have pictures up soon)

But, none of this would have been possible without the help of my father-in-law. He is a woodworker and has made much of the furniture in our house, but he has also lent his skills to us building the house and finishing up the shed (the inside and the steel siding). The picture on the left is of a roll top desk he made for my wife. You can check out some of the other pieces he has made and see what is available on his website (he is taking orders and has a few things in the shop ready to go) ... I think the shed is pretty nice, but as you can see he can do quite a bit more!

Stoneyfield Farm Thanksgiving Update

Happy Thanksgiving from Stoneyfield Farm!

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving and that you were able to reflect on the blessings from the year. We have been blessed so much on the farm this past year through friends and family. We were glad to be able to spend the holiday with our families and happy to share a Stoneyfield ham on Thanksgiving Day with so many who have helped us.

With more holiday parties coming up and people looking for a gift for that person who has everything, I thought I would take a minute to share with you what we will have available this winter for meat. Right now we have 3 different options with our pork: sampler packages, individual pork cuts / sampler add ons, and orders for wholes and halves.

As always, our hogs are raised according to the same standards as Niman Ranch. They are kept outside free of confinement houses and have been allowed to live the way pigs were designed to live - rooting up the ground, wallowing in the mud, and relaxing in the sun. They have not been given or fed any antibiotics or hormones, and their custom rations contain no animal proteins.

~+~ Wholes and Halves ~+~
We are now taking orders for our winter pork that will be sold as halves and wholes. Our processing date is scheduled for January 14 with the pork being ready around the last week of January. The price per pound hanging weight to Stoneyfield Farm is $1.85. There will also be a locker fee of around $0.60 - $0.65, depending on the types of cuts chosen. We have attached a locker worksheet showing the various cut options.

~+~ Mix and Match Pork Sampler Packages ~+~
Our Mix and Match Pork Sampler Packages are still available while supplies last. Although we currently have a variety of choices, we do only have one package left for a couple of our sampler package options. A comparison chart of our sampler packages is attached and prices for packages are as follows:

Sampler 1 $25 (~6 – 6.5 lbs)
Loin End Roast, Sandwich Ham, Bacon, Cottage Bacon, Breakfast Sausage

Sampler 2 $25 (~5.5 – 6 lbs)
Butterfly Chops (2), Ham Steak, Bacon, Breakfast Sausage, Ham Hock

Sampler 3 $30 (~7.5 – 8 lbs)
Loin End Roast, Ham Roast, Cottage Bacon, Italian Sausage, Soup Bone

Sampler 4 $30 (~7.5 – 8 lbs)
Iowa Chops (2), Ribs, Ham Steak, Bacon, Italian Sausage

Sampler 5 $35 (~7 – 7.5 lbs)
Tenderloin (2 unbreaded), Sandwich Ham, Shoulder Roast, Bacon, Ground Pork, Soup Bone

Sampler 6 $40 (~9 – 9.5 lbs) SOLD OUT
Butterfly Chops (2), Ham Steak, Shoulder Roast, Bacon, Italian Sausage, Ground Pork, Ham Hock

~+~ Individual Pork Cuts / Sampler Add Ons ~+~
Our Individual Pork Cuts / Sampler Add Ons are new and will be available as supplies last. If you found a sampler package you like but want just a bit more, you can buy individual cuts of pork by the pound. These cuts are also available without purchasing a sampler package if you just want to give our pork a try. Prices for individual cuts are as follows*:

~ Ham Cuts ~
Sandwich Ham - $5.00/lb
Ham Steaks - $5.00/lb
Ham Roasts - $5.00/lb

~ Bacon Cuts ~
Cottage Bacon - $5.75/lb
Traditional Bacon - $5.50/lb

~ Loin Cuts ~
Iowa Chops - $4.25/lb
Butterfly Chops - $4.50/lb
Tenderloin (unbreaded) - $5.00/ lb

~ Roasts ~
Shoulder Roast - $3.75/lb
Sirloin Roasts - $4.25/lb

~ Ground ~
Ground Pork - $3.00/lb
Breakfast Sausage - $3.25/lb
Italian Sausage - $3.50/lb

~ Ribs ~
Ribs - $3.75/lb

~ Soup Bones ~
Soup Bones - $1.80/lb
Ham Hocks - $1.80/lb

~+~ Pork Delivery ~+~
The Mix and Match Pork Sampler Packages and Pork Sampler Add Ons / Individual Cuts can both be purchased from our farm. We are also able to deliver into Knoxville most days and can deliver to drop off locations in Pella, Des Moines, and Cedar Falls when we gather enough orders for a trip. We will consider other delivery locations if there is enough interest.

~+~ Grass Fed Dexter Beef ~+~
We have been getting quite a few inquiries about our Grass Fed Dexter Beef. Since we are building up our herd right now, we are not yet selling by the whole and half. We are hoping to have sampler packages available on a limited basis this winter. All we are waiting on now is making some additional room in our freezer (by selling a few more pork sampler packages) or by acquiring another freezer. We are currently taking names to be put on our waiting list for our beef. Our waiting list is getting quite long, but we will work our way down the list as soon as we have beef available.


If you have any questions about our grass fed beef or naturally raised pork sampler packages, individual cuts, or wholes and halves, please feel free to contact us. May your blessings continue to be evident as we move into the advent season!

*Some prices have been adjusted since our newsletter.

If you have any questions about our grass fed beef or naturally raised pork sampler packages, individual cuts, or wholes and halves, please feel free to e-mail us . May your blessings continue to be evident as we move into the advent season!

Small-Scale Pig Farming...

As with any beginning operation I knew there would be a fairly steep learning curve associated to adding pigs to our farm. But, I also knew that pig farming was something that everyone in my family (dad and uncles) had experience with so there would be help when it was needed. I have relied on them greatly many times and I thinking I'm beginning to learn along the way in little bits and with baby steps. But, one difficulty that I didn't anticipate was how hard it would be to get feed!

I will readily admit that I'm not one of the biggest feed purchasers in the county and I'm actually probably in the minority when I purchase pig feed, but it has been trying at times to get the attention of the mills and get the feed I wanted. One thing that most people probably don't think about with the loss of diversified farms is the loss of feed mills. There was a time that practically every local co-op or feed store had a mill. That is no longer the case now.

In our area one cooperative has purchased many of the local co-ops and then consolidated their services. Where at one time there was a working feed mill in town the closest one is now over 20 miles away. And, at that feed mill I have had a problem getting them to work with me on a ration that I like (basically a vegetarian Niman Ranch style feed). There is another locally owned mill about 30 miles away and they have been helpful, but distance is a factor.

Both feed mills deliver to our town on a fairly regular basis, so I have been taking advantage of that. But, with the increase of our swine herd and the addition of the bulk bin I was hoping to get feed delivered to the farm in bulk. That would cut down on the handling (I filled the feeder this weekend with 80 bags of feed and that took awhile). But, since the mills are so far away they would rather not deliver.

Maybe it's time I begin to think outside of the normal box. We will begin running pigs in the woods next year and that will cut down on their feed intake a little bit, but I think I also need to be looking at different feed sources so I can make sure we are getting the rations we need.