Adding KuneKune pigs to Lynn's Farm
Donation protected
I am and always have been an animal lover. That has always been clear. What hasn't been clear is what I should do with my life. In university I studied Geography and Environmental Studies and very much enjoyed many of my classes. I am probably even more of a hippie because of them. Following my studies I struggled to find a passion for any employment or opportunities available. Having experience running a painting business, I knew I enjoyed running the show. I combined this notion with what comes natural to me. And, I acknowledge that what I think of as natural, easy and simple makes me the weirdest person that many people know. That's o.k. because I've found my Zen.
I am becoming a farmer. The hardest part is done. We bought the property. It is an 1860's log house (requiring a lot of updating), a log barn (filled with wasps) on 1.8 quasi-swampy acres with way too many Manitoba Maples ready to fall over on a very busy road. What I saw was the opportunity for self-sufficiency and sustainability in a house that was designed when people and communities were self-sufficient and sustainable as a necessity.
I saw a house designed before electricity which would have less demand for it because of its small size. A house where family members are close-knit and spend most summer days outside enjoying the sun. I saw the history in the cuts, nails and burn marks on the logs (burnt lands fire). The attic was filled with things including a numbered copy of the Canadian Charter of Rights signed by John Diefenbaker himself.
I saw land that, with raised beds and mulching to build soil, would keep crops moist and well hydrated. I saw the opportunity to create streams, a swimming pond and a pond for livestock. Which negates the need for artificial hosing, pipes, pumps and extra electricity. In the busy road I saw a tremendous marketing opportunity for my homegrown vegetables, fruits, meats, naturally multicolored eggs, nuts, milk, honey, pottery, soaps, quilts, etc...I would restore the log barn and refurbish it as a farm store. Create that all important link with the community to the farm and the history of the area.
In the first year of owning the property we cleaned up a lot of the trees on the property, put deer fence around the garden and I put in my first garden bed. I do have an off-farm job which took up a good portion of my time. That was my biggest problem in the first year. Last year I was able to cut down on hours during the summer. So I kept up work on the garden beds and started my farm with 2 Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goat does for milk and breeding. I built their adorable bright red 8'*8' barn by myself (mostly). I also added 4 laying hens and eventually an Isbar rooster (heritage breed that carries the green egg gene) . Later in the fall I also added 3 New Zealand rabbit does and a buck. This year I plan to make an addition to the barn to make room for more ND does and a buck. Right now I am incubating 42 multicolored eggs from a flock north of Kingston that was selected for it's foraging abilities and hardiness.
The garden takes up the back acre of the property. This garden is divided into thirds. The front third is pasture and the barn. The middle section is where I have a veggie garden bed but it is mostly dedicated to perennial vegetables such as sunchokes and asparagus and perennial fruits such as grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, goji berries, hardy kiwis, etc... The back third is where I have started my orchards. Apples on the left with rows organized by ripening dates of different varieties. On the right I have started to plant plums, sweet and sour cherries, pears, persimmons, pawpaws, mulberries, quince and I plan to experiment with growing peaches in a greenhouse.
As you can see, I have things pretty well started. Next, I would like to get Kunekune Pigs. The breed is relatively new to Canada. They were bred by the Maori in New Zealand and the name means fat and round. They are known as orchard pigs because the shape of their nose allows them to graze pasture and keep the grass short for the trees to grow. So, unlike the pigs used in modern pork production, these eat grass and develop slowly. Their meat has wonderful flavor and marbling and is well suited to charcuterie. In comparison, they need a fraction of the pig feed as they can get fat on grass all spring, summer and fall. This trait is of great importance to me as I see this as a naturally ecological breed since way less feed needs to be planted, harvested, produced and shipped using fossil fuels. These pigs will be eating pasture, living in my orchard eating all the dropped fruit and weedings from the gardens. And it doesn't hurt that they are the cutest. With their long fur and short faces. They grow up to 200 lbs which is a more manageable size for a small farm than the [phone redacted]lb breeds.
As the Kunekune is a breed that is new to Canada they are hard to find and expensive. Good breeding stock will cost 2000$ per pig. I would like to get started with a breeding trio as I am excited about this breed and want to get things going quickly. I look forward to making KuneKunes available to the Ottawa area.
I have noticed that many people enjoy hearing stories of my farm antics or seeing pictures on Facebook. They enjoy the farm life through me. Which is great! I love that! If you guys want to live vicariously through me or believe in and want to encourage my dream please donate! I will be forever grateful and look forward to getting to know you!
I am becoming a farmer. The hardest part is done. We bought the property. It is an 1860's log house (requiring a lot of updating), a log barn (filled with wasps) on 1.8 quasi-swampy acres with way too many Manitoba Maples ready to fall over on a very busy road. What I saw was the opportunity for self-sufficiency and sustainability in a house that was designed when people and communities were self-sufficient and sustainable as a necessity.
I saw a house designed before electricity which would have less demand for it because of its small size. A house where family members are close-knit and spend most summer days outside enjoying the sun. I saw the history in the cuts, nails and burn marks on the logs (burnt lands fire). The attic was filled with things including a numbered copy of the Canadian Charter of Rights signed by John Diefenbaker himself.
I saw land that, with raised beds and mulching to build soil, would keep crops moist and well hydrated. I saw the opportunity to create streams, a swimming pond and a pond for livestock. Which negates the need for artificial hosing, pipes, pumps and extra electricity. In the busy road I saw a tremendous marketing opportunity for my homegrown vegetables, fruits, meats, naturally multicolored eggs, nuts, milk, honey, pottery, soaps, quilts, etc...I would restore the log barn and refurbish it as a farm store. Create that all important link with the community to the farm and the history of the area.
In the first year of owning the property we cleaned up a lot of the trees on the property, put deer fence around the garden and I put in my first garden bed. I do have an off-farm job which took up a good portion of my time. That was my biggest problem in the first year. Last year I was able to cut down on hours during the summer. So I kept up work on the garden beds and started my farm with 2 Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goat does for milk and breeding. I built their adorable bright red 8'*8' barn by myself (mostly). I also added 4 laying hens and eventually an Isbar rooster (heritage breed that carries the green egg gene) . Later in the fall I also added 3 New Zealand rabbit does and a buck. This year I plan to make an addition to the barn to make room for more ND does and a buck. Right now I am incubating 42 multicolored eggs from a flock north of Kingston that was selected for it's foraging abilities and hardiness.
The garden takes up the back acre of the property. This garden is divided into thirds. The front third is pasture and the barn. The middle section is where I have a veggie garden bed but it is mostly dedicated to perennial vegetables such as sunchokes and asparagus and perennial fruits such as grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, goji berries, hardy kiwis, etc... The back third is where I have started my orchards. Apples on the left with rows organized by ripening dates of different varieties. On the right I have started to plant plums, sweet and sour cherries, pears, persimmons, pawpaws, mulberries, quince and I plan to experiment with growing peaches in a greenhouse.
As you can see, I have things pretty well started. Next, I would like to get Kunekune Pigs. The breed is relatively new to Canada. They were bred by the Maori in New Zealand and the name means fat and round. They are known as orchard pigs because the shape of their nose allows them to graze pasture and keep the grass short for the trees to grow. So, unlike the pigs used in modern pork production, these eat grass and develop slowly. Their meat has wonderful flavor and marbling and is well suited to charcuterie. In comparison, they need a fraction of the pig feed as they can get fat on grass all spring, summer and fall. This trait is of great importance to me as I see this as a naturally ecological breed since way less feed needs to be planted, harvested, produced and shipped using fossil fuels. These pigs will be eating pasture, living in my orchard eating all the dropped fruit and weedings from the gardens. And it doesn't hurt that they are the cutest. With their long fur and short faces. They grow up to 200 lbs which is a more manageable size for a small farm than the [phone redacted]lb breeds.
As the Kunekune is a breed that is new to Canada they are hard to find and expensive. Good breeding stock will cost 2000$ per pig. I would like to get started with a breeding trio as I am excited about this breed and want to get things going quickly. I look forward to making KuneKunes available to the Ottawa area.
I have noticed that many people enjoy hearing stories of my farm antics or seeing pictures on Facebook. They enjoy the farm life through me. Which is great! I love that! If you guys want to live vicariously through me or believe in and want to encourage my dream please donate! I will be forever grateful and look forward to getting to know you!
Organizer
Lynn Smith
Organizer
Rd, ON
