Stark Hollow Farm

Running of the Pigs

Six pigs,200 lbs on the hoof each, running through the woods trying desperately to follow the sounds of our calls and the smell of their delicious pig mash to their new paddock near the road. It was several hundred yards of loud dead-leafed scrambling through thicket, down the gully, over the stream, through the cattails, across the field and back into the woods. It was quite an adventure for both humans and pigs. At one point they had all scattered and run off into different parts of the woods! Repeated bucket banging and calls of "WIGGERS!", their feeding time chant, finally brought them home. Those darn pigger wiggers!

New Ram: Ursus

At 18 months, Ursus is a handsome solid moorit proven Icelandic ram. He is 1/4 Bambi, 1/8 Kari, 1/8 Rector, 1/16 Serkur for a total of 9/16 AI genetics. Sire and dam both have a beautiful fleece, and very nice conformation. His fall lamb fleece won Best of Show award at the VT Sheep and Wool Festival.

Our rams have been selected for great quality genetics to produce solid breed stock, superb fleeces, meaty builds, great color, and diversity of blood lines.

Apple Drops for the Piggies

Nature's abundance...we picked up about 200 lbs of apple drops for the piggies. Pigs love apples. They make a nice aperitif while Vanessa dishes up the main course.

The Scientist Farmer

Vanessa last week checking the fecal samples of the sheep for parasite eggs. By conducting individual egg counts, we can treat only those animals who really need treatment vs simply treating them all. This is a more holistic approach and, combined with our rotational grazing method, keeps the parasite levels down. It also helps keep the parasites themselves from getting resistant to treatments, a problem faced by many farmers today. This addition to our farm management program will also allow us to become more effective at breeding for parasite resistant breed stock.

Haying

Maple & Cream

After a long hiatus at Bloomfield Farm in Charlotte, Maple & Cream come home to their ancestral family. An interesting ride in the back of our Subaru Forester. Perhaps we should submit this to Subaru...if only they knew how handy their car is.

Cream...ready to exit the Forester...

Rabbits arrive at Stark Hollow Farm

Vanessa's latest addition to the farm include Acorn & Buttercup, two Spotted Giant/New Zealand breeding does, and Beet, a white New Zealand buck. They will be bred this fall, with meat coming available in the spring. As with all Stark Hollow Farm animals, these guys will be rotated on pasture with access to fresh pasture grasses and with lots of room to roam.

A few interesting facts about rabbit meat:
1. It is lowest in cholesterol of the primary meat products (turkey, chicken, pork, lamb and beef).
2. It is the highest in protein.
3. It is lower in % of fat than turkey, chicken, pork or beef.
4. Rabbits are among the most productive of livestock.