Pigs
The pig has served a very important purpose and there is a reason humans decided to domesticate the wild hog. Pigs can eat excess fruits, vegetables and grains and they store it in their bodies to be utilized over the Winter. When harvest is bountiful, the pig is the savings account. Also, the entire pig is edible. From the head to the pork chops to the bacon, feet, tail and skin - every part of the pig is fair game at the dinner table.
Our heritage breed pigs consist of Tamworth and Hampshire. They thrive outside year round with the exposure to the soil, pasture, and spring fed water. We move our pigs on a regular basis, giving them access to new bush and forests. We offer supplemental feed consisting of our own peas, oats and barley as well as mineral, kelp (seaweed), and pro-biotics. Our pigs are healthy and happy and will turn into a product high in vitamins and minerals. They also consist of a well balanced fatty acid profile and have a higher fat percentage which aids in the ease of cooking and flavour. Pig fat or Lard, is a superior frying oil for vegetables, breads and meats.
Cattle
Cows, or ruminant animals, are the corner stone of any regenerative farming system. These animals can digest perennial pastures and annual forage crops inedible by humans and turn it into nutrient dense food. In many ways, this is the super power of the cow, bison, sheep or goat. This is very important because farmers can use these animals as a tool to increase photosynthesis and in essence turn sunlight and Carbon Dioxide into rich soil. The cow eats the grass and turns the plant matter back into manure which nourishes the soil, bringing life and growth back to the land. Keeping our soils covered by perennial plants stabilizes the soil, inhibiting water and wind erosion and increasing water infiltration. Using cattle in rotation with annual food crops allows organic farmers to suppress weeds and decrease pests.
We have Heritage, English Breed Cattle, ranging from Hereford, Angus, Devon and Dexter. These British Breeds do very well on 100% forage diet, ie. no grain. All of our beef cattle have a lifespan of at least two years where they spend their time rotationally grazing through pasture, forest and annual cover crops. In the harsh winter season we house our beef herd in a naturally lit barn with outdoor access.
To keep our cattle healthy, we supplement with sea salt and seaweed to bring essential minerals into their diet that are not found on the land. We also give them free choice apple cider vinegar to support their digestive system during harsh changes in weather.
We calve within the months of May and June. This follows natural sequences and allows for the animals to be on pasture before they birth.
Don't forget- we are what we eat, eats! Our cattle are fed a diverse diet of grasses, legumes and forbes, in annual and perennial species. All of these different plants harvest different minerals and polyphenols from the soil which bioaccumulate in the animal and then create a meat that is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These can be found in the collagen, bone marrow, fat and muscle of the animal.
Laying Hens
Our laying hens have outdoor access year round. From May to September they live in a chicken tractor that we move every 3 days. They are given a large area to forage in the grass that is protected with electric fence to keep predators at bay. In the winter months they live in a weather protected area outside the barn with an outdoor run for foraging. This allows us to use heated waterers to prevent freezing and heat lamps to keep the ladies laying eggs! We collect their eggs daily from the nesting boxes in their coop. They eat soy free organic grain and whatever they forage in the grass. Our eggs have a dark yellow yolk and are very flavourful due to the rich foods the hens are consuming.
