Pastured pigs are the thing for a homesteader for so many reasons. Pigs and pasture/outside land just go together.
It’s an unconventional idea, though. We hadn’t thought so until we talked about it with a wider audience. Like so many things, as we’re a couple generations into modern agriculture we’ve forgotten, or never knew, how to raise pigs in a sustainable, regenerative way.
In truth, we’ve even bred our pigs to not do well on pasture. We’ve found there’s a big difference when you raise a heritage breed, like the Mangalitsa, on pasture vs. a breed adapted to today’s standards like a Yorkshire, Berkshire, or Landrace pigs. And that raises A LOT of questions.
“What forages can pastured pigs eat?”
“How much land do I need per pig for this kind of farming?”
“I wonder if there’s something other breeds of pig, like Yorkshire, would eat that could be easily grown.”
“How do I know if my pastured pigs are getting enough and getting the right nutrition?”
These are questions you’ve asked. Here are the answers.
All About Pastured Pigs: live Q&A with Mark from Baker’s Green Acres.
Want to learn more about Mangalitsa pigs?
Check out this playlist on our The Anyone Can Farm Youtube channel: How to raise Pastured Pigs
Come to a class! While you learn field to freezer, nose to tail hog butchering skills, you’ll also get to spend a weekend with Mark on Baker’s Green Acres seeing exactly how we raise these Mangalitsas and getting all your questions answered: Homestead Hog Harvest
Not ready to dive that deep but want to check it all out? Come to Tribe Day to learn homesteading skills and hang out with like minded folks. You can see and experience it all in the summer and make connections that’ll enrich your life whether you’re doing the thing or part of the support system. Join us for Tribe Day in July with early bird pricing through April, 2023.