roughdraftfarmstead 8/31/18 roughdraftfarmstead 8/31/18

FARM TOUR: AUGUST EDITION.

Trying to take an honest and simple farm tour video every couple months so you can see how the farm is progressing (or sometimes regressing). Watch it HERE. Anyhow, hope you enjoy! Like Wendell..

-Farmer Jesse

roughdraftfarmstead 5/19/18 roughdraftfarmstead 5/19/18

SMALL SCALE ROTATIONAL GRAZING WITH SHEEP.

https://youtu.be/3eGVTkrnYVcOne of the first things we did when we got to our new property a year ago was to do what most farmers will tell you not to do: we got animals.Specifically, we got sheep.The reason a lot of vegetable farmers stay away from animals is the infrascture, the time required, the fact that you have a voracious vegetarian ruminant anywhere around your vegetable garden... lots of reasons!However, sheep are an animal we have found to be a perfect fit for our system. They require little work, are efficient in the pastures, and are also soon (relatively soon) going to be a part of our no till garden system... but not by grazing the garden.Watch the video to learn more and dont hesitate to post them if you have any questions or comments! -Jesse

roughdraftfarmstead 7/27/15 roughdraftfarmstead 7/27/15

PIGS IN THE WOODS.

We are having mixed feelings about the pigs lately.We love the pigs. We love raising pigs. It makes a lot of sense for our farm and our land. But somedays, it is really, REALLY frustrating.We raise our pigs in the woods, rotating them frequently in small paddocks using solar-electrified fencing. This means that every time we move them we end up getting the fence caught on every twig and briar and branch, every few seconds. Tripping over hidden rocks and logs, falling in the mud and poison ivy, cursing the heavens. It means that when a pig gets OUT, as it definitely will sometimes, we end up chasing that pig through the woods in the middle of the night. and that means more cursing. It is, as I said, frustrating.We dream of having pastured pigs. Or stationary pigs. Pigs that stay put and don't require a stumbling five minute walk through a dense cedar forest with two five gallon buckets every day. Plus, we have plans to do more faming in our woods - mushrooms, nut trees, nettles, and so on. Pigs don't exactly fit into that plan.But then we move them into a fresh paddock, and they are so happy. SO happy. They are romping around, chomping on nuts and making gleeful piggy sounds, and it is clear that this is how they should be raised, as maddening as it is at times.- Hannah.

roughdraftfarmstead 8/26/14 roughdraftfarmstead 8/26/14

A DAY IN PHOTOS: EVENING CHORES.

Moving the milking stanchion, letting the animals into their new paddock, tying up the calf and then milking Lily, collecting eggs without getting killed by the geese.