So what does moving a mob of pastured pigs look like, and how does it work? Our friend Derek has just finished up interning at Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm, and he sent us some photos of a recent ‘pig move’.
As you can see, this method of pastured/forested pig production is many worlds away from the process of raising industrial pork. It’s a great life for the pig, and their rootling nature means that, when well managed, they can regenerate ground as they go…
Before the move, intern Heather says hello to the pigs
Everyone’s ready to go
And into the next paddock…
Happy pastured pigs, off to do their piggy thing, rooting in the ground for tasty treats and stimulating the seedbank as they do it
We’re very much looking forward to welcoming Joel Salatin back to NSW in February to present a series of masterclasses on Polyface Farm’s production systems.
One of these masterclasses will be the Pastured Beef & Pork Masterclass, and will comprise a full day of Joel going over in detail the practical, structural and financial ‘how to’ of setting up pastured pig and beef operations based on the Polyface model, for regenerative small farms in Australia.
We’re excited to be working with Joel to present these in-depth masterclasses – we’ve been following his work and working with him for 3 years now, but this will be the first time in Australia we’ll be getting him to go in-depth on Polyface’s systems, one by one, in a focused context that will allow everyone there to go away with solid knowledge of how to create such systems.
Derek Ewer, Milkwood PDC alumni and Polyface Farm intern. Don’t know if the cat and frog were interning also… probably not.
Joel Salatin with some of the Polyface pigs, up in the forest
Many thanks to Derek Ewer for his great photos of the pig move. All the best with your future Aussie farming adventures Derek!
>> More posts about Joel and Polyface Farm, including our 2011 Joel Salatin workshop resources…
Love seeing happy piggies!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I know Polyface Farm hasn’t always been this productive (or green) but it’s hard to find material that deals specifically with cruddy pieces of land and how to transform them. It seems to take a lot of resources, even if you’re using animals to increase fertility, when there’s not much for them to eat, you still have to buy feed initially.
Farming is expensive, even when doing it on the cheap! That’s not me complaining, just a frank, reality check.
Nothing cuter than a mob of fisheye lens pigs! Seriously though, these photos show pig production as it should be…small and free ranged with these magnificent creatures being allowed to snuffle to their hearts content. Cheers for a great post 🙂
That’s Cool. Reading “Folks this aint Norma” and inspired to build a root cellar under my house!
Do you have dates for the pastured beef and pork master class?
Thanks Shawn