Coyote Ridge FarmsWelcome To Our Rural Blog

I got the telephone poles installed in one of our older garden areas, north of the vineyard.  Last year, our rural electric co-op dropped-off the two 25+ ft poles.  I’m happy to say that they will be in use, shortly.  Right now, they tower above the ground, like two lone sentinels.

A few days ago, the hops we ordered arrived and now that the poles are in the ground, we are waiting for a nice day plant.  We have 6 hop rhizomes to plant around each pole.  Yesterday, after setting the poles, I measured and flagged where the rhizomes will go – equal distance apart, 7’6″ from the pole.

Our two 25 foot poles for the hops

After lunch, I did a little clean-up of the grove, across the drive from the house.  It is this grove that we will be raising pigs.  I did some tree-trimming and some wood cutting, in order to clear some paths.  These pathways, will be where we will be installing and running fence.

Over the years, trees have fallen and weeds have grown.  We are hoping to have the hogs clean the grove as only pigs can.  We will be, as Joel Salitin says, “Respecting and honoring the pigness of the pig.”  I was able to get five holes dug and fence posts ready to be set.  Then we will put-up some woven wire fencing and run a strand or two of hot-wire.  Hopefully, we will be able to keep the pigs penned.  I have heard some folks say that hogs are either outside the fence or they are in the fence, trying to figure out how to escape.  We hope to raise them organically… if not organically, as naturally as possible.  Pigs, when given the chance, love to rut, eating warms, grubs and tasty, highly nutritious ‘weeds’.  The shade of the trees should leave the pigs cool and comfortable on the hottest of summer days.

Related posts:

1. New Yard Fence