American Guinea Hog Pros & Cons - FHC Q & A

[@Barbarra63297]

My mom was born into a farming, livestock family in 1910. Her mother always rendered lard, it was needed for soap making and preserving the pork from their Poland China pigs so it hasn't been so long a time since farm folks were making and using lard. Glad to see a new video, really enjoy them.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

This is an awesome video !! Fantastic job explaining the different hog breeds and how they work for the farmer and feed the farmers in return. Keep up the great informational video's so people understand they are not raising pet's . Stay safe and keep up the great Farming Help Videos and keeping the work fun. Fred.

[@farmhandscompanion]

You're a treasure, Fred. Thanks for your encouragement!

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

@@farmhandscompanion you're doing an excellent job on your channel.

[@LittleCountryCabin]

Great video!! I’ve been making lard soap for YEARS. My favorite lard is our own home raised and rendered. Southern born and raised so yes, fried food is in my DNA. Fried food, biscuits, pie crusts, all are better with lard❤

[@TheSunnyTrails]

Hey man can you do a video on growing grain like wheat or barley? Maybe a family secret on how to get massive corn?

[@braydencarlgren1904]

Planning early is a big help you want long cool days for grain fill. There is different varieties depending on your location and uses for the grain.

[@trailwhite7897]

Hi Pa, love the information on farm hogs since our family will be starting some feeder pigs for the first time this coming spring. I have been an avid watcher of your videos since the very beginning, so going back 9 years for this question: how are your apple trees you planted in Arkansas fairing 9 years later?

[@farmhandscompanion]

After a setback or two or three, I'm startin' to get a few

[@theoldethymebarn7876]

The Guinea hogs have been a good friendly breed. Good meat. I haven’t been able to perfect the homage bacon from them. I’ve had a hard time selling off our piglets in southern Mississippi, so I will never do breeders again! I’ve hade 13 piglet litters!!

[@douglasvantassel8098]

Great episode! Thank you for making these!

[@farmhandscompanion]

You're welcome Douglas

[@jasonplant5432]

Thank you paw mack. I homestead in the kiamichi . My property has lotsa rocks. Been watching your channel for awhile now and I appreciate everything you have taught me. And I actually get out and do stuff just like you.

[@farmhandscompanion]

Thank you for watchin', Jason. Keep on gettin' out there and doin' stuff!

[@LolitasGarden]

I've been interested in making soap completely from the homestead. Using ash lye and lard. Ever tried this?

[@critter4662]

Could you do a talk on homestead Chicken breeds Mr. Mac?

[@conwy_water_gardens]

Do you have any recommendations for moving large pieces of timber without machinery, we have had a number of trees felled recently and it would be a shame to cut it all up into firewood, but I am finding it hard to move as all I have is a ride on mower.

[@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558]

I like lard best for frying but I don't think you can beat beef tallow for the quality of pies and other pastries.

[@unclejed2431]

Great information thanks! I've seen this breed in several videos and always wondered what they were and now I know lol. We have 50 acres and were debating on adding hogs to our livestock and if we can find them up here in Canada I'm pretty sure we will. Thanks again.

[@ciphercode2298]

Hogs are almost a must have animal for small farms and homesteads. Even if youre on small acreage you can keep a few,so long as neighbors and ordinances allow it. Anything that makes you more independent. You can also sell a few ti recover costs of buying feed and even seek out some arrangements with locals to buy feed and you do the raising. That wsy youre not incurring any costs,but reaping greatly with just sweat equity

[@KaseyKessler]

That is a great Idea including the neighbors in the mix I wouldn't have even thought about that. Thank you so much for the idea . You're a pretty smart person. In the country we're all one big family even if we're miles away. I love the tight knit community I live in even the small school is better for our children. I live in Oregon! In Douglas county area I just got my guinea hogs and she's such a doll. I would like to start breeding her and another pig and sell the piglets and just keep a few for feeders. This makes sense to me I was actually given my hog from a church friend so It would be a win win. I believe but I didn't even think about asking the neighbors so thank you for the Idea.

[@ciphercode2298]

@@KaseyKessler that's fantastic, I hope that works out for you. Right now I've only got chickens,rabbit and quail. I dont wanna feed em all through the winter so I'm gonna harvest about half of my 40 chickens and 10 of my 13 rabbits. The quail dont eat much,so I'll keep all of them. I'm only on 1/3 acre and need more land for hogs,but I'm lookin.

[@johnsonr9]

Great advice as always!

[@farmhandscompanion]

Thank you, Johnsonr9

[@richardbryant5773]

Another great video thanks

[@stevenolan7972]

Pa Mac do you or have you made a video on leaching lye from wood ash for making soap?

[@farmhandscompanion]

No, I haven't Steve; but I believe I will

[@steveww1507]

do you have any advice on milling corn ? i tried it last year but had one container go bad ( mold ) Thank you enjoy you video s .God bless

[@farmhandscompanion]

Sounds possibly like the kernels weren't cured or dried enough

[@MarkWYoung-ky4uc]

You can't beat chicken fried in lard. Years ago, Poland Chinas were popular here. Now, I don't know where you would find one.

[@georgepeters9381]

Great video! Where can I procure some of this breed?

[@thistledrawfarm]

The American Guinea Hog Association has a breeder directory searchable by state.

[@joshuahackwell9825]

The American Guinea hogs are the best me. I advertised it over show pigs. Or over theater pigs

[@SPUD3030]

I'd like to know where you get those shirts without a collar!

[@farmhandscompanion]

Do what I did: Get your wife to take a seam reaper and rip out the threads holding the collar in. Remove the collar, then have her sew it back together. (If you don't have a wife, you'll have to get one of those first.) Thank you for watchin', Russel!

[@happilyretiredmark2964]

Hey PaMac...how do you like the taste of a Guinea hog compared to other heritage breeds that you hear mentioned more? Say a Berkshire?

[@farmhandscompanion]

Kind of ashamed to admit this...but I eat it all so quick I don't even notice.

[@jimwilis9107]

How does the flavor of Guinea hogs compare with regular pork, or is it more wild tasting like Mangalitsa?

[@farmhandscompanion]

It doesn't taste gamey to me, Jim

[@thomaslthomas1506]

What I am not getting a good answer on these hogs. Is how cold tolerant are they???

[@Michael-me4pe]

If you want a cold-tolerant, heritage, lard hog, you want the mangalitsa. They love snow and thrive in the cold with their curly, long coat.

[@Michael-me4pe]

Go with mangalitsa if you want a cold tolerant lard hog

[@thistledrawfarm]

VERY TOLERANT. Even though they were developed in the southeastern USA, they are now scattered around the country, like the upper mid-west, and thriving. Where are you?

[@thomaslthomas1506]

@@thistledrawfarm I am in NE Vermont. It can get -40 here. Last winter we got -34. This winter I don't think we have gotten below -2. I am in need of additional fencing before I get anymore livestock though. And I'd also like to be better able to feed my breeding stock thru the winter off the property.

[@thistledrawfarm]

​@@thomaslthomas1506 I've had success with deep bedding in hay or straw. In the NC foothills it's not nearly as cold as Vermont, but today I probed their outdoor bedding and it was 100 degrees about 6 inches down. There are a couple of Vermont AGH breeders listed in the breeder directory, so there must be a way :)

[@abbyhenderson2851]

Can I raise guinea hog and dogs in the same fenced in yard ?

[@farmhandscompanion]

At some point the guinea hogs would eat all the grass and you'd have a dirt (or mud if it rains) yard. The smaller the yard is, the quicker it would get that way. It would probably be best to have a dedicated pen for the hog, then let him out in the yard with the dogs periodically.

[@husker16]

Where/ do go about purchasing a hog?

[@jeffshaffer9689]

If your trying to buy American Guinea Hogs, go to the American Guinea Hog Association website and look at the registry for breeders near you.

[@gundog4273]

Worked for a comercial hog grower for about s year and a half. The large white hybrids they grow reach butcher weight of 280-320lbs in a bout 7 months. Its honestly disturbing haha

[@georgepeters9381]

What about Poland China?

[@athenajorg738]

I make my own soap. I never used lard only tallow.

[@Cole1966]

Best doughnuts are fried in lard

[@farmhandscompanion]

Can't argue with that.

[@jeffreyjacobs6072]

👍🤠

[@briancrawford3973]

Guinea hogs and kunekune are both great for the homestead! Add pigs and get rid of the goats😂

[@mcmerriman]

I got rid of my goats and I got kunekune pigs they are a lot cheaper to raise

[@wilburnprice9886]

Sounds to me that a cross breed between Guinea Hogs and a more modern breed might be very good. Is that what you are trying to do?

[@farmhandscompanion]

You got me!

[@Peter-yk8tw]

I am not old enough to listen to him. I am only 73

[@s_wake9453]

Hey Pa! Thanks for the great video. Question, how heat/cold tolerant are Guinea hogs? We live in North Texas, weather can drop to teens, or single digits on rare occasions, and summers have been getting up to 115F the last few years, average is easily over 100F in general. Thank you!