Comments on: Diversity is Not Enough

By: Walter Jeffries

Walter Jeffries — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 23:12:00 +0000

We raise pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks on pasture. They are very complementary and can all graze together. The sheep are gradually reclaiming the pastures from the brush with the assistance of the pigs. Each works on different things. The chickens eat bugs, break up poops and smooth things back out. In the winter we put the animals in garden corrals where they fertilize our poor soils making new gardens within a couple of years. The pigs do all the rototilling, the chickens then come in and preweed the gardens so I don’t have to weed them all summer long. I like that. This minimizes our needs for petro and off farm resources. Although I don’t turn up my nose at free food such as we get from the dairy (excess milk and cheese trim).

By: JM

JM — Sat, 09 Jul 2005 03:21:00 +0000

Scott,

Loved your post. Diversity isn’t enough, but you’ve got a great jump on the monoculture competition. I’ve developed a midwestern version of Pasture Poultry with I hope to be detailing on my website soon…
I’ve been doing some consulting in this area and that seems to be quite enjoyable for me.

Enjoy Polyface!

By: reformed farmer

reformed farmer — Fri, 08 Jul 2005 00:15:00 +0000

Keith

Glad to have you as a reader, thank you. I look forward to meeting you at the Salatins.

Milkmaid

Thanks for the input. Always enjoy your comments. Praying should be part of every marketing plan, I agree. I would highly recomend Family Friendly Farming, I think you would enjoy it.

By: KSmilkmaid

KSmilkmaid — Thu, 07 Jul 2005 15:30:00 +0000

I haven’t read the book you mentioned here. We have layers free ranging too. We have about thirty or so. We can’t keep eggs stocked. We keep our prices low, perhaps to low, but our milk customers buy the eggs too. One great marketing technique is prayer. I had too much butter on hand at the beginning of this year. It was taking up too much room in the freezer. I prayed and ask God to bring people along that could benefit from the butter and people I could serve for His glory. I can’t keep it stocked either. On the competing issue: For a farmstead creamery sheep and goats actually can help. I had a few goats earlier this year. I would take the goat milk and blend it with separated cows milk. I could use it to return fat to the skimmed cows milk. I didn’t have to waste the cows milk that away. The hidden benefit was goat’s milk is naturally homogenized. It also assisted the cheese in aging faster. It has a more pungent flavor and requires less aging. It was a wonderful addition to the farm. Sheep milk is also good for cheesemaking. There are many speciality and niche markets out there for this type of milk/cheese. I did sell my goats because our business boomed, I had a six month old baby etc. I really wish I had not done that. But, the grazing issue is something worthy of considering. I will post a link to two dairies who sell cheese. One is in NY, the other NJ. Best of wishes!

By: Keith

Keith — Thu, 07 Jul 2005 13:30:00 +0000

Hello from a like-minded lurker,

I’ve been enjoying your blog for some time now. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the encouragement they provide. My family and I will be at the Salatin’s field day and I hope to have an opportunity to say hello. At this point we are taking baby steps with the farm and are basically sponges trying to absorb as much good information as possible. It will be many years before I will be able to wean myself off of my current “job”, but I am looking forward to the journey.