Shearing Date Set = Spring Must Be Near!

Yes, and Shearing is only a week away! I won't be shearing as close to lambing this year. Ewes aren't due until mid April, but I was happy to get our wonderful shearer Brian Fitzpatrick booked again this year. This is the fifth year he has sheared for us, and the fifth year we have had sheep to shear! Don't mess up a good thing right?
We have had wonderful, very warm for northern MN, temperatures lately. Most of the snow is melted, and we are all hoping it stays that way.
The sows are ready to farrow, we are waiting on more calves, and the lambs. I also ordered 15 magpie ducklings. Magpie's are a heritage breed, listed as critical. They are known for their good foraging habits, and a taste for those nasty slugs and snails that carry the dreaded deer liver fluke our area is lucky enough to have. We lost three sheep to it last year. Not a fun thing. We are excited for some ducks again. Not to mention less snails!

Pork For Sale

Finally! After hours of researching, phone calls, and debating, we found a USDA inspected processor that sounded like a good fit for processing our red wattle pork. The only hitch- 250 miles away! One of the disadvantages of living in northern Minnesota I guess. Nate's logged 1,000 miles in the past few weeks to deliver six pigs to the processor and then a return trip to bring home 44 boxes of processed pork. We are now able to sell pork by the package. Delicious, pasture raised, red wattle pork. The ham and bacons are smoked, uncured, nitrate and nitrite free (processed with celery juice, organically.) It was worth it- I think. If I can sell this round of product we may have some more available in the future. Otherwise, we may be moving out of the pork business. Keeping the pigs is the most costly venture on our diversified farm. They may be on pasture, but they still want grain, and grain is expensive, especially when you live in the woods!

If you would like to purchase some of this delicious product PLEASE, please, send me a message and I will hook you up. (tifanybriggs at yahoo dot com) All quantities are limited to the stock on hand. Though right now that involves a number of freezers full! I did sell 1/4 of our available pork chops yesterday though!

Pork Prices
Description Price per Pound
Butt Roast 4.49
Chops 6.75
Spare Ribs 5.25
Tenderloin 10.49
Loin Roast 6.15
Breakfast Sausage 4.99
Breakfast Sausage Links 7.49
Bacon 8.20
Ham Steak 8.25
Ham Roast 6.75
Pork Steak 8.25
Bratwurst 7.49
Wild Rice Mushrm Brats 7.49

Bratwurst

Pork Chops