No More Pasturing Pigs

I am moving away from a rotational grazing pastured-pig program and shifting to a deep litter system due to time constraints. I start to build a deep litter pen inspired by Justin Rhodes' pig port system.

[@coyoteloghomesinc.1381]

Hi Dan, I just watched the documentary video of your life's journey on Justin's channel. I haven't been watching too many homestead videos in the last couple years and kinda lost touch with your channel. I want you to know that you were the inspiration that gave me the confidence to raise sheep years ago. I trained my ewes to follow me from your video's! I am very glad I got reconnected with your channel. I am very happy to hear your life is back on track. All things work together for good to those who love God. God Bless brother.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

That's awesome! Welcome back. Are you still raising sheep?

[@coyoteloghomesinc.1381]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead yes, we have Icelandic sheep.

[@ericbryan3426]

I realize it's pretty off topic but do anyone know a good website to watch newly released movies online ?

[@kaiwillie1466]

@Eric Bryan meh I use Flixportal. just google after it :P -kai

[@ericbryan3426]

@Kai Willie thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :D Appreciate it !!

[@carolinebaines8735]

In case it happens again, you can link the cable ties together. I’ve done it multiple times. 😊

[@SunfireWoods]

I was going to say that.Just link two cable ties together to make a longer one.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

next time!

[@kdcema57]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead check out Advoko Makes channel. He's up cycling plastic bottles into shrink wrap strapping. For free. Very cool stuff. TC

[@andrewmorland11]

I used four berkshire pigs to CLEAR overgrown pasture for a season in a 16ft x 32 ft cattle panel enclosure that was moved weekly. They did a great job rooting up a really thick root mat. The grass has grown back but the bushes so far are very limited. I would NOT put pigs on cleared pasture. My plan is to use goats and sheep on the cleared pasture to IMPROVE it.

[@CelticRootsFarm]

We loved raising Idaho pasture pigs. Very little rooting and besides... they taste amazing. Good luck with your new set up. 👍

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thank you! My friend who raises IPPs is sold out otherwise I'd give them a shot

[@CelticRootsFarm]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead Their temperament is amazing as well. Super friendly. (Which made it more difficult to process them) We liked them so much, we are now waiting on two females to purchase so we can start breeding them. Yeah- if you can try them out the next time around, I highly recommend them. 👍

[@CelticRootsFarm]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead Our pleasure! 🙏

[@vnthomas16]

Nice T-post tie wire twisting tool! Haha! For your metal panels, you could put a board behind the metal, and screw through the metal, into the board with the cattle panel sandwiched between the board and metal. The board would also add some longitudinal strength to the panel.

[@SunfireWoods]

SOLD!! After watching this video last night, I went over to Justin's videos to see the deep litter method in action. I originally wanted to put pigs and goats into silvopasture in our woods, but I've got almost no time this year to babysit pigs and goats with just electric fencing. So with your place as inspiration, I think I've got a containment system solution for all animals with very little time input, and not too much money either. Thanks, Dan! 😀

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

That's exactly what this is for! I'm glad this helps!

[@Jnavolis]

We are having a good experience with berkshires. We have ten that we rotate on pastures approximately 2-3 times the space pictured in the video. This requires rotation 2-3 times per week depending on weather conditions. Giving them minerals also cuts back on rooting. Even with these steps we have to repair heavy rooting around their water barrel and in their shelter after each move.

[@KuzweKanfarms]

I am planning on doing deep litter method also. Nice to see your setup. Thank you

[@steveng.c.8524]

Great job, I want to live like you and Justin, you guys have inspired Me to live off the land, healthy life, God bless the organic farmers, I believe this is the new / old best way to live healthy, growing your own food, breathing fresh air, raising kids in today’s world.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thank you, Steven!

[@hildabailey2309]

I’m so glad I found your channel. You really inspired me. Keep up your good work. I live in South Carolina I do not know anybody doing this life style near me. I wish I did.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Hi Hilda! Are you on Facebook? If so, you can type in the name of your town and add homesteading after it and see if there is a homesteading group near you. Community is important.

[@MissouriCrookedBarnHomestead]

This is why in the South we ring the pigs. They need nose rings, specific type that keeps them from rooting heavily. They're still able to root, but not to the extent they were. My family loved red Duroc pigs. Dressing weight was typically over 600 pounds, excellent mothers, large litters, healthy pigs, fantastic meat.

[@ChickensAndGardening]

Now that's interesting! I've always wondered what those rings were for.

[@vernonbowling5310]

Pasteurized pork has a much better flavor than penned pork.

[@ChickensAndGardening]

@@vernonbowling5310 "pastured"?

[@archielang7427]

That area looks so small (8ft), I hope you eventually make it a bit bigger for the piggies or use less pigs (2), the land is available. Can't wait to see finished product.

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

Thanks for the video. I think the deep litter concept was promoted and refined by Joel Salatin.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Yes, indeed!

[@brianphilbrook5262]

Good luck with your new system. I got my boar yesterday. We are going to be rotating ours between two garden plots.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

That's probably a good way to do it, too

[@tjeanvlogs9894]

If I rem correctly, you are in northern Idaho. If in the standpoint area in the valleys, you can do the cattle panel hoop covering but if you are in the higher elevations, go with the conduit style because of the snow and wind loads. The panel design will readily take the storm thrown limbs by flexing but if the trees actually come down, the conduit is more likely to survive enough for things just to be a hassle vs an absolute emergency. I'm in western WA, which doesn't get as cold but we get the winds and the snow loads every few years. The ICB tote frames make good bedding areas for critters up to adult sheep sized when the winds start throwing tree parts around. Tip them on their sides and wrap in a tarp with some sticks tied in for roosting bars and you have a coop for birds. Sorry Salatin, Rhodes, & Scacovich, your tractors cannot take Pac NW winter storms. Got the scrap pile from this winter as proof. Great from May to Oct gentleman, and may over winter, but you need to have something in mind when the weather does its thing.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

You are correct but I would be harvesting the pigs in the fall and taking down the tarp before winter. That has worked with other similar structures.

[@scuzzbecuzz]

Glad to see you working with your dance partner!! Don’t let that jewel get away..... what kind of work you doing full time.... just nosy...you needn’t answer....

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm doing video production full time. Mostly editing other people's videos

[@norybathan640]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead please always take vitamins. Sleep well. If possible, 10pm. Video editing can make you sleep deprived. Some of our best vloggers had leukemia so please take care. Much love from Philippines ❣️

[@kyrabarnes2249]

The tilling is what really makes pigs difficult to pasture, but with deep litter or forest, you don't have as many issues. Hope deep litter works out

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

yes, I forgot to mention how forest would be ideal

[@williambryan2804]

Hi Dan. We take some our eggs, lambs, and broilers to a butcher shop in San Antonio. They raise pigs for sale in their butcher shop. We talked about raising pigs in a pasture and they told me they raise a tamworth/big black cross. These are both heritage breeds that grow much slower than more commercially bred pigs. They did say even though these are much better suited to pasture than say Hampshire or Yorkshires, they will still root if not moved frequently. We had a Hampshire boar and sow and a Yorkshire sow. The boar looked like he had been stunted when it was young and he was never able to breed our sows. I eventually butchered the Yorkshire because she stopped going into heat. I tried artificially inseminating the Hampshire three times and was only able to do it once. Out of a litter of about 6 or 7 all were stillborn but one. I ended up selling her to a guy for $100.00. Someday, when we have our cattle, sheep, and chickens smoothed out we may try pigs again. If we do I plan on buying young pigs that need about 6 or 7 months finishing. We have a dry creek with a lot of oak trees growing in it. They would do well on the acorns.

[@apostlepaulvining5688]

Hey man, Justin asked me to check u out so let’s do this thing bro.....lol... Hello Sir, Reverend Paul M Vining Sr. Eustis, Florida we’ll be prayin for you & urs....

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thank you Paul!

[@kat_mcdermott]

You have too many pigs for a small of an area. That'll bring on most of all the rooting.

[@TinaShay]

Before my Husband moved us to this farm, I used to say "Diamonds are a girls best friend!" but with a Husband who works no less than 80 hours a "WEEK" at his day job, my moto quickly changed to "BAILING WIRE IS A GIRLS BEST FRIEND!" I think the little zip ties would have become brittle and broken off in a very short time anyway and only if the sharp metal hadn't rubbed through the ties first. Get ya some bailing wire and a good pair of blue handled "Klines" and take them with you everywhere you go... You will never be without a gate latch, a tie down strap, a hood or trunk latch, a cotter pin, a muffler bracket, a hose clamp, a hot dog roaster and even a button! Hahaha! I have used it as a zipper pull, a paint mixing blade with my power drill (ya gotta bend it this way and that) a curtain rod, a vice grip, a cabinet lock, a clothes line extension and recently I used it along with a huge magnet to hold the license plate onto my 16 yr. old daughter's jeep wrangler when I broke the spring that held the plate in place over her gas cap. I was fueling it up for her as a thank you for never complaining about all the stinky, muddy, never ending, physically demanding and just plain old "hard" chores she does without any compensation whatsoever in the bitter cold months on our homestead here in Colorado. She still makes fun of me over doing it, but hey, I could have left the magnet off and listened to it rattle the whole way to the NAPA, but I didn't want people to stare at me as I drove by because of the noise of the plate flapping in the wind... lol Back to my original point. Get ya some bailing wire dude! I used zip ties when I was a bail bondsman. I thought that was all they were good for...lol (just kidding) 🤣

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

bail bondsman to farmer... nice!

[@TinaShay]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead I'm not actually that high up on the totem pole. I'm just the wife of the late farmers' Grand-Son... My Daughter perhaps is the one to be called the "Farmer - she drives the tractor.😁 Soon she will be moving to her own farm, or at least I hope she does. I'm working on remodeling a very old 2 story farmhouse on 160 acres for her, with the hope she won't move far away next year when she is old enough to leave home. I found your channel in my search for instructional videos on the whole homestead start up and farmhouse remodeling subjects. I am curious to see more of your videos. You do a great job at making them!

[@tashialund332]

We put our AGH on 2 strand electric in our tree lines to clear that and use them to till the garden spot. We had areas where we couldn't see through and the AGH did an amazing job clearing it. But I had the same lesson as you when it comes to the pastures - no pigs.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

indeed!

[@bettyjeanpetrinovich7373]

So, I haven't watched yet, and I'm going to guess. Pigs and goats ... they get into Everything! Too much trouble. OK, now I'll watch the video...

[@carrotspaghetti236]

Cable ties... me too! They eventually disintegrate but there are so worth it for getting a project going!

[@dariusdiamante317]

If you ever do decide to raise pigs on pasture again, I would go with Idaho Pastured Pigs and Kune Kune Pigs. These two breeds are less harsh with the rooting thing. But also take note.....All pigs root to varying degrees. And if they are lacking certain minerals and other dietary necessities in what you're feeding them, they will supplement these deficiencies by rooting.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

very true

[@joanneganon7157]

This is a great idea as you saw , Justin's came out great! JO JO IN VT 💕😄

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Yes indeed!

[@brianhaines6165]

Keep it up. I'm a single dad also. Looking to get into a homestead. But I still have to work full time. Hard place to be. Keep it up. Looks like you have some good things going!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thanks, Brian! This year is going to be showing how folks with full-time jobs can still raise food in just a few hours a week.

[@user-io3hy4zb4s]

I got to thinking that a good way to attach the roofing would be to place some 1x or 2x lumber behind it , on the other side of the cattle panel, and screw the panel to the wood. A weak point of this might be the low lateral strength of most screws. You could counter this I'd think with more screws to lower the stress on each screw or also back up the initial screws with nails. Shouldn't be much of an issue if the panel isn't being pushed sideways very often. Anyway, great idea. I'd been thinking about using deep litter more too. Thanks for the video.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I already finished it with cable ties but good idea!

[@terrywereb7639]

In 2006, I purchased a roll of electric fencing wire. I swear, it is one of the most useful items I have, And I doubt I will run out....

[@Veemack21]

We purchased 100 ft of 3ft of fencing an a hot wire set up for the inside. To keep them from rooting the fence. An they love it an we have two pasture areas with all the fencing set up minus the electric wire an we just move them over an sprinkle lol down an grass seed. They stay in there for 2 or 3 months.

[@hgils]

Boy ya scared me when ya had the no pig kinda start. Seriously MY brain went rite into "OMG ...No Bacon... No pork chops" ha ha ha 😂. But now all is well. The deep wood chip seems to work execlent. Yorkshir Durrock (spelling) are all im familiar with and from Minnesota a b52 a long low hog. Pork chops galore bacon also.

[@thedeeplyrootedfarm2647]

I am currently running my pigs on pasture but have also considered doing the deep bedding method, especially during the winter months in Western Michigan where I live. I've also looked into a Swedish Style Farrowing system. Both methods should result in great compost that I can then apply to my soil to improve its fertility. We shall see...

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm not familiar with Swedish Farrowing. What is that?

[@lauradavis1633]

Looking forward to the finished pen.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I need to get on that! The pigs are coming soon!

[@daltonkahler644]

Love your videos!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thank you!

[@brendamontanye9877]

We use wire for our electric fences so that is our "go-to" way to connect things. I'm not a big fan of zip ties because they are plastic and not reusable. I have used them when I'm on my own connecting chicken wire to cattle panels and that is still holding up some years later. I did purchase a little wire bender thingie like you're using (I think I asked you about it once) and used it as a stocking stuffer (ha) for my husband. Maybe that would help in this situation. My hands get tired when I am bending wire. A spool of wire is heavy and awkward to have for just small projects but if you had some small amounts available it might be handy.

[@margaretbedwell58]

Maybe you could cut some 6" or 8" lengths (or what your usual needs are), then stand them up in a coffee can or something similar ready for you to use when needed.

[@CashJohnston]

You can hook two (3, 4,...) zip ties together to make 1 big one.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I know. I totally didn't think of that when I was filming.

[@CashJohnston]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead ; )

[@joeydalia2572]

Put a board on the backside of the cattle panel and screw through the metal into the board and it will hold it in place.

[@FreeAmerican]

My dear friend Joel Salatin moves his pigs every 12 days. Paddock size should be designed for the number of pigs with a 12 day move in mind.

[@sparooniee]

Miss my pigsss good vids!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thank you!

[@laurasimpson7211]

I’m watching!😊

[@sandraleishman878]

Just thinking that you should check out Living Traditions homestead. They have pigs that don't do deep digging.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

ok! I'll check them out

[@chelemichele1524]

Pigs for everyone 😄 Have a good day ❄❄❄

[@KaleidoscopeJunkie]

I would like to urge you to watch Chris at Homesteading the Hard Way. He and his video "Beginner's guide to hog pens" are a wealth of information. He's 4th or 5th generation doing this and his old school ways are gaining quite the following. -KJ

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'll check it out!

[@leslienichols5268]

Sow the Land also seems to have used a variation of this successfully .

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Yes!

[@felixtorres8194]

i you found you chanel i like it hi from Apopka F L

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Hello, Felix!

[@justaghost1014]

Honestly I have the same problem. I work 13hours a day but planing to build something similar around December. Only for cattle and pigs. With the pigs and cattle switching one's a month. Cattle out in the day in the "barn" at night.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

yeah, we have to do what makes sense for our situations

[@blackranch7883]

i know how many days between rotation you did but how big of a paddock and how many pigs did you have w/ the GOS ?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

2 pigs in a 25' x 25' area

[@FrogginHawgs]

You could also just put a bolt with a washer through the roofing panel and into a block of wood or a piece of flat metal on the opposite side of the cattle panels. Cinch it down and the roof panel and brace will tighten together and sandwich the cattle panel. Should be longer term than zip ties

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

and look better, too! Thanks!

[@FAILkipedia]

After watching the documentary about your life history. I am curious as how your life changed now, and in this video you are talking about a "full-time job", what is your full time job now?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I do video production full-time

[@gkseeton]

I am unsure if I want pigs or not. Joel Salatin certainly uses them to good effect. Justin Rhodes seems to use them well too. But are they the only critters that work?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

it just depends on your goals

[@ontariohomestead7135]

The best way to hold the sheet to the wire would have been 2x4 on the outside and tin on inside and screw them together sandwiching the cattle panel

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Good idea!

[@ontariohomestead7135]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead I am a big fan of cheap easy and effective

[@lindahandley5267]

This has nothing to do with anything, but you remind me so much of sweet, gentle John Denver. Can you sing too? LOL. I saw you for the first time on Justin's channel. You have been through so much and you deserve the very best! It's just hard though now, to imagine you being such a great farmer instead of a big shot, city slicker detective! LOL. Do you ever miss it?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I do miss it on occasion but I wouldn't give up my new life to go back. I am not a great singer. I do ok with backup vocals, though.

[@lindahandley5267]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead I'm just glad you're happy!!!

[@cekfraun]

8 x 16 seems like a very small space to keep your pigs in. Will you be expanding that space as they grow? I've seen Joel Salatin, Justin Rhodes, and Jason Contreras (Sow the Land) do this method, and all had much bigger enclosures for their animals.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Actually, my area for them is slightly larger than Justin's. Justin was using half of a 12x20 so it was 120 square feet. 8x16 is 128.

[@johnreck399]

Perhaps for the future take a look at korean natural farming piggery. It is a great longer term solution to raising pigs in an enviromentaly stable and ethical manner.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

sounds good!

[@rickgarcia8481]

We found you have to get a load of topsoil every season or 2 to repair the ruts... Not going to lie its a bit of a pain...

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

sounds like it

[@gavinh1449]

You can make cable ties longer by putting 1 cable to into another

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Yes!

[@AJIN0071981]

How about kunekune pigs... Do they root as badly as other pigs.. I heard they don't .

[@garrettmesser3977]

I’ve had KuneKune for 5 years, what I’ve noticed is between 6 months and 1.5 years old they are more prone to turning over the sod. It’s not the same deep rooting I’ve seen other pig breeds do. I had mangel beets planted in one pasture and they dug each and everyone of them out, but the digging as very localized. Some of them that dug at a young age stopped and don’t do it at 3-4+ years.

[@AJIN0071981]

@@garrettmesser3977 : Thanks for the info..

[@bigmamankc6101]

I Love ❤️ Pigs 😍♥️🙏✝️

[@jamez2u]

instead of drilling try using an awl and pound that through with a hammer, no metal shards, it is used when building post frame buildings credit RR buildings Kyle

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

good call!

[@MFaith777]

Do you have to put a cover/roof over it to use mulch in your pig pen?

[@margaretbedwell58]

Yes it needs to stay dry.

[@MFaith777]

@@margaretbedwell58 sorry if dumb question, but why? We use wood chips in our chicken run and it doesn’t stay dry; and are getting pigs this year, but instead of grazing since we don’t have a ton of acreage, we were going to try the mulch method in a smaller pen, to keep smell down etc, but don’t have a roof. The pen is 24ft x 20ft, for 4 pigs. Thoughts? Should we just skip the mulch all together?

[@margaretbedwell58]

@@MFaith777 I am not sure, I watched Justin Rhodes do this a couple years back and he wanted to be sure to keep it dry. You might look back on that video. Sorry, I probably shouldn't have said anything with not having all the facts. I know that Sow the land built one also for his pigs and they covered it also.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It needs to stay dry so it can absorb the nitrogen from the urine/feces. Wet mulch can't absorb as well since it has already absorbed the water. I will defiantly add roofing of some kind.

[@MFaith777]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead is that to make it break down faster? Either way, it will eventually break down and become compost, right?

[@jimmieburleigh9549]

Idaho pasture pigs are your best bet. They dont root bad and they grow quick to butcher size but dont get huge. That's my experience

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

IPPs are not bad but they will still root more than I'd prefer

[@jimmieburleigh9549]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead less than most about the same as those kunies and you get the temperament of the kunie with a hog that is fast to butcher weight without getting as big as most of those others especially if you decide to breed them that's size and temperament. Plus it's a good quality meat compared to alot of those standard pig farm breads. But that's my experience. Look at Living Traditions Homestead here on KZbin

[@justinallmond3855]

Instead of drilling holes get nail and hammer and punch hole, no small metal flakes. However there will be sharp metal points from nail punching. Also super confused as to why you couldn’t just link two of your short cable ties together and keep getting er done.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I already got it finished but thanks for the good suggestion!

[@matthewwarnecke4034]

Use some straight wire it will last a lot longer plastic will brake down quick

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

good call

[@barbarabrooks4747]

What's wrong with the American Guinea hogs? If you give them plenty of room, they don't tear up the ground.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

too small and too slow-growing

[@barbarabrooks4747]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead if you don't have lush forage and don't want to spend much on feed, then a slow growing pig is better. I like their friendly personalities. I never have to worry about them being aggressive, even if I touch their babies. I'm going to try running 3 on 5 acres and see how it goes.

[@just_ducky_acres7561]

If your cable ties are too short simply put 2 or 3 together. No brainer.

[@justindeming3553]

As soon as they root down and get their nose under most of that they will rip it loose.

[@vicentevasquezb]

Didn’t quite understand what you’re trying to do next instead of the pigs xD

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'll still get pigs but I will keep them on a deep litter bed instead of pasture rotation

[@alphasolutions2325]

Why didn't you try Kune Kune?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

too slow-growing

[@mandykal]

Don’t need a pasture to raise pigs. Create pig pens 12 x 12 or 14 x 14. Concrete floor and solid walls. They eat and sleep... still happy pigs and clean. Brought up that way one pig per pen...

[@AlleyCat-1]

Concrete floors are hard on them, easier on us

[@dennismcdonald1763]

I used humane hog rings on pastured hogs and the pigs grazed like sheep and cattle

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Oh wow! I didn't know there was such a thing!

[@melanieleszczynski2468]

Kunekune pigs are suppose to be less harsh on pasture.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

They are but they grow so SLLLLLOOOOOWWW. I originally thought I'd be ok with slow-growing pigs but it turns out I prefer raising them from spring and harvesting (being done) in the fall and not having to overwinter.

[@livingcountry]

That why you cross them with a faster growing pig

[@pillaryclinton6187]

get some bailing wire. No property should be without, theres not a whole lot that cant be held together with enough bailing wire. Im suprised you dont have any already. Much better option then zip ties, I love my zip ties too, but wouldnt of used them in this situation.

[@Paelorian]

Why switch to deep litter instead of trying rotational grazing with smaller and shorter-snouted breeds that do less damage to the pasture?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

those breeds still root. Kune kunes are the lightest on a pasture but they take way too long to grow.

[@Paelorian]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead Personally I'd probably not mind the slow growth since they're good foragers that don't need to be feed much, are easy to handle, and can go longer between rotations, but to each his own. Have you considered using nose rings on your preferred breeds? That's what's used to reduce rooting among free-range pigs in pannage systems. Quick and inexpensive and probably at least somewhat effective.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

@@Paelorian the nose rings go against my farming ethics but I do understand that they are effective.

[@keithhogan6997]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead I was going to suggest the kune kunes (EDIT : Idaho Pasture Pigs) after having watched Kevin & Sarah from Living Traditions Homestead in MO. They have been doing really well with them and just expanded their breeding stock. Being here in the PNW/OR I will be looking forward to watching more of your videos to learn as much as I can. All the best and many blessings!

[@margaretbedwell58]

@@keithhogan6997 I thought Sarah & Kevin had switched to Idaho pasture pigs. I may be wrong.

[@Gatorgolfusa]

🐊🦅🇺🇸

[@ambermcfarland6273]

Use a magnet to pick up metal shavings

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

good idea!

[@4ArcticFox]

Let your pigs help you make your vegetable garden. They will do the work for you. You let them root the soil to their heart's content. They'll free the land of all weeds and grass. After they are done you can plant your vegetable garden.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

that's the plan!

[@ejcastlerooterllc]

So do you still have a job beside this one ?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I also do video production work full-time

[@ejcastlerooterllc]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead I’m a plumber, I will be getting some goats and sheep’s chicken very soon

[@TinaShay]

Why not drill bigger holes?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I only had the one size drill bit for metal drilling

[@roberthoover8807]

That's too bad, confined pigs in a deep litter system will eliminate any chance for having marbled pork.... I'm sorry to hear American Guinea Hogs didn't work for you. I can leave a breeding pair in a 50 x 100 pig net for 2 weeks to a month before having to move them, even in the rainy season. I keep about 10 AGH's (4 breeders and 6 eaters) on about 4 acres each year.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

yeah, everyone has their preferences. I really wanted to find a more relaxed breed and something faster growing. The GOS pigs are great.

[@gregwaskom552]

Feed pigs meat scraps it will cut down to eliminate their rooting

[@nickking7067]

Just put more t posts on the front of the panel

[@lmfarms4611]

bailing wire.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

if I had any

[@venomgamer2003]

whos the woman in the video

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Dance Partner

[@deannaelliott8247]

hog rings!!!

[@garypage9515]

Sounds like you are trying to do a lot of things, and while I applaud lofty goals, I hope you will take time to be a dad (and maybe question the necessity of having a "homestead" now). You can never get these years back, and children grow up quickly!

[@genevievegreene1595]

😯

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

going to a deep litter system makes things easier

[@candacewilliams6869]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead Homesteading is invaluable when raising kids!! Even when you have to cut corners the memories and habits you form in them are treasured when they are grown and it gives you alot in physical and mental health too! Praying with you as you choose what and how to do it. God will guide you!!

[@theodorebormet1780]

ring the nose,they won't root the ground

[@CP-012]

Just do it right and build a barn.

[@joseluis7118]

Wait single parent? I saw your wife on 3;10 :S

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm not married. She's my g/f

[@joansmith3492]

Looks too small IMO

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It does look that way but it's actually bigger than Justin's pig port (the part the pigs were in)

[@07negative56]

This concept of pastoring pigs is over done. They’re not an animal to pasture. This other method seems a bit CAFO to me. I know the environment is healthier. 128sq ft seems rather tight. But you’re making it work for you. You’ll get a ton of compost in the end too.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

true!

[@jhb61249]

Go vegetarian.

[@user-mg7ec4eq1k]

Pigs for everyone! Great video