Britesea
Sustainability Master
WooHOO! You've obviously been living right! So much good stuff happening right now 
Free's 2011 pig project....free food from now on!!!!
- Thread starter freemotion
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- #72
freemotion
Food Guru
Ha! Well, I have been living right, but I just don't post the bad stuff. Trust me, I get hit hard like everyone else! Posting all the good stuff keeps me focused....onward and upward!
But really, who wouldn't be cheerful in the presence of so much BACON?!?!?!?!?
But really, who wouldn't be cheerful in the presence of so much BACON?!?!?!?!?
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- #73
freemotion
Food Guru
OK, having four large pigs and trying to feed them for free is a challenge! Those 14 sacks of corn? Almost gone! We picked up another 13 today and at least they didn't dive into them like they did yesterday. Interestingly, they ate the large corn leaves that made it into the sacks here and there with an ear of corn.
The farmer also dropped in some more pumpkins/squash, maybe 8 large ones that the pigs rolled around their field. There may have been more that they ate....there was one spot with orange pulp that was obviously the remains of a slaughtered pumpkin!
I took one intact Long Island Cheese squash out and washed it and diced it up for the goats. I also reserved one sack of corn to give some husks to the goats and especially the buck, and to see if the food processor could handle the ears. For the does.
It did, and they ate some tonight, but....most ears had a fat, juicy corn worm at the tassle end. To me, this was a great sign. It meant the corn was basically un-sprayed!
More corn tomorrow, and we may need to go every day at this rate! We'll see how much they slow down. It is likely in part because the corn is in the milk stage, so they husk it, chew off the ends and the kernels, and then husk another one. I hope they slow down as the corn matures......it is a lot of work and the mosquitoes were very hungry!
The farmer also dropped in some more pumpkins/squash, maybe 8 large ones that the pigs rolled around their field. There may have been more that they ate....there was one spot with orange pulp that was obviously the remains of a slaughtered pumpkin!
I took one intact Long Island Cheese squash out and washed it and diced it up for the goats. I also reserved one sack of corn to give some husks to the goats and especially the buck, and to see if the food processor could handle the ears. For the does.It did, and they ate some tonight, but....most ears had a fat, juicy corn worm at the tassle end. To me, this was a great sign. It meant the corn was basically un-sprayed!
More corn tomorrow, and we may need to go every day at this rate! We'll see how much they slow down. It is likely in part because the corn is in the milk stage, so they husk it, chew off the ends and the kernels, and then husk another one. I hope they slow down as the corn matures......it is a lot of work and the mosquitoes were very hungry!
- Thread starter
- #74
freemotion
Food Guru
We skipped picking yesterday as we just had no time. But it will rain tomorrow so we ran in there and got ten sacks in a hurry. The pigs are slowing down a little.
I haven't had time to make cheese this week and the milk is building up. I took about 4.5 gallons out of the fridge last night and filled a pail and stirred 3-4 drops of rennet into it. DH brought it out to the pigs just now. It is easier to transport across the field and to dump into their tubs in a congealed state. Less spilling and waste on the part of the pigs, too. They'll probably get another pail or two
because I won't have time to make cheese until at least Monday. On the other hand, I have a lot of paying work this week and through the weekend, so yay! 
I haven't had time to make cheese this week and the milk is building up. I took about 4.5 gallons out of the fridge last night and filled a pail and stirred 3-4 drops of rennet into it. DH brought it out to the pigs just now. It is easier to transport across the field and to dump into their tubs in a congealed state. Less spilling and waste on the part of the pigs, too. They'll probably get another pail or two
because I won't have time to make cheese until at least Monday. On the other hand, I have a lot of paying work this week and through the weekend, so yay! 
Wannabefree
Little Miss Sunshine
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Wow, you've been busy. My dreams of bacon aren't looking good :/ The food in those jars was reaaallllllly spoiled. I'm betting it was more like 10 years old NOT complaining though. I got some great jars! I have several half gallons It sure is a lot of work to get the yuck off them though! I am going to look at pigs Saturday though. Maybe I can still convince the hubster. Our acorns are already dropping, and the pignuts are as well, so we have some free food. I am going to talk to the cafe before settling on an animal. I just can't afford to feed one with bought foods.
Sounds like yours are doing great though. I'll just live vicariously through you for a bit longer
NOT complaining though. I got some great jars! I have several half gallons It sure is a lot of work to get the yuck off them though! I am going to look at pigs Saturday though. Maybe I can still convince the hubster. Our acorns are already dropping, and the pignuts are as well, so we have some free food. I am going to talk to the cafe before settling on an animal. I just can't afford to feed one with bought foods.Sounds like yours are doing great though. I'll just live vicariously through you for a bit longer
LittleRoosterCroft
Power Conserver
Free, I so appreciate you posting your piggy adventures here. I am planning on getting 2 pigs next year (end of summer because I figure it will be much better for me to raise them through fall and winter here in DE due to the heat and I have seen ads here the end of July and into August for piglets). Between you and OFG I think I might have a tiny clue what to prepare for! This year I bought half a pig and it is good and raised well by a local farm but was $400 and probably won't get me through to Spring unless I am lucky enough to have my rabbits start producing and get a deer or two!
So...I figure $400 would feed these 2 piggies well if I learn how to scavange at stores and restaurants like you are! Thanks for the inspiration!
So...I figure $400 would feed these 2 piggies well if I learn how to scavange at stores and restaurants like you are! Thanks for the inspiration!
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- #77
freemotion
Food Guru
You are most welcome, RC! For $400 you could raise 4 pigs if you planned it well in advance and stumbled upon some good deals. If you have acorns available in your area, pick up tons of them and pile them up in the middle of the pig pasture, away from the trees. Just keep piling them up. They will start to sour and the pigs will LOVE them! Get a LOT....it is amazing how much they eat as they grow, especially towards the end. Can you get corn? Pile that up, too, the whole ears in the husks. Find someone that grows sweet corn or sells corn stalks and see if you can get the deals I got!
Dad and I got more corn today, maybe a dozen big sacks filled to overflowing. The farmer had dumped a few pumpkins in the field and some looked so nice I had dh guard me while we went in and I picked out a few to cook up for us. Just in case. We didn't get any free sugar pumpkins for the freezer last year. I have three little ones in the oven now, and there is one big one in a bucket waiting its turn.
DH got three boxes of bread from the pizza guy, I picked up a large box of salad, rice, and some orange sauce (marinara? it was all mixed together) from the good restaurant, and I dumped 7+ gallons of whey in their tubs yesterday.
Since we are into the most bountiful free food time of the year, we ordered 50 creepy meats to arrive next week.....with shipping, about $62! Can't beat that. They will be fed on some of this field corn and pumpkins when they are big enough to handle it. Meanwhile, I'll start them on the cans of cracked wheat I got a couple months ago with all that prepper food. I put almost four cases of cracked wheat (six big cans per case) aside for future chick feeding. I'll supplement that with homemade catfood until they can handle the sprouted wheat, usually by day ten. They don't grow as big but who cares, it is just about free. Last year's experiment yielded a bunch of free chicken, and they were rather healthy and could fly up to 5' high. None had dirty butts or the issues I see talked about. No, they weren't vigorous like the heritage heavy layers, but they certainly weren't flopping over dead.....until they were supposed to!
Dad and I got more corn today, maybe a dozen big sacks filled to overflowing. The farmer had dumped a few pumpkins in the field and some looked so nice I had dh guard me while we went in and I picked out a few to cook up for us. Just in case. We didn't get any free sugar pumpkins for the freezer last year. I have three little ones in the oven now, and there is one big one in a bucket waiting its turn.
DH got three boxes of bread from the pizza guy, I picked up a large box of salad, rice, and some orange sauce (marinara? it was all mixed together) from the good restaurant, and I dumped 7+ gallons of whey in their tubs yesterday.
Since we are into the most bountiful free food time of the year, we ordered 50 creepy meats to arrive next week.....with shipping, about $62! Can't beat that. They will be fed on some of this field corn and pumpkins when they are big enough to handle it. Meanwhile, I'll start them on the cans of cracked wheat I got a couple months ago with all that prepper food. I put almost four cases of cracked wheat (six big cans per case) aside for future chick feeding. I'll supplement that with homemade catfood until they can handle the sprouted wheat, usually by day ten. They don't grow as big but who cares, it is just about free. Last year's experiment yielded a bunch of free chicken, and they were rather healthy and could fly up to 5' high. None had dirty butts or the issues I see talked about. No, they weren't vigorous like the heritage heavy layers, but they certainly weren't flopping over dead.....until they were supposed to!
