Pigs
- Multiple pigs from roaster size 40-60lbs up to market weight of 300lbs
- Born on pasture in the fresh air and sunshine.
- Fed a Non-Gmo ration & pasture/hay
- Trained to electric fence
Contact Kyle or Don
Call or text 423-380-8220
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2015 Spring Farm Update
Spring is upon us already and it is a busy time of the year! We are still trying to clean up our property and prepare for the growing season. Just this past week’s agenda included pigs, getting a pole barn built, putting up a small greenhouse, putting out the first of our orchard, and getting in our first batch of broiler chicks. I need a nap!
Pigs
Our pigs are growing fast. We still have them on our late winter/early spring paddock. They have really done a number on the area but it really needed the disturbance. Disturbance of the ground promotes new growth. Plus, the pigs naturally add a great fertilizer to the area for a second garden spot to plant extra corn and okra. Soon we will start rotating them around our South West pasture. This year we will be rotating two groups: one of our feeder pigs (which will be ready to market this summer) and one of our sow and boar.
Pole Barn
This year we plan to cut and put up our own hay in order to avoid herbicidal contaminants and eventually reduce the high winter cost of buying hay. With that said we are purchasing hay equipment and more equipment means a need for more dry space to store and work on the equipment. Since time is sparse we made a decision to have a 24×24 pole barn built by a guy we found on Craigslist. It worked out great. The guys came out and built it in one day. Now we have our tractor and equipment in the dry. Plus we have extra space for our bulk non-gmo feed to be stored – which is especially important since we started buying two tons at a time!
Green House
This year we set a goal to have a greenhouse up and running. We were a little late but we now have it up and useable. We still have some finishing touches to do but we made our goal. Now we are getting plants started and ready for the garden.
Orchard
This year we have started our first orchard. This year we have 7 raised beds so far and more will be added. So far we have apple, pear, and paw paw trees, 5 blackberries, 5 raspberries, and a juneberry planted. Soon we will be adding blueberries, fig trees, and kiwi. The weather almost kept us from getting the orchard put out but the weather broke and we made it happen.
Chicks
Our first batch of broilers arrived this week as well. They came in a day early so we had to temporarily brood them in our kitchen. It was a loud time with all those chicks plus the kids. We are using a non-gmo feed from Tucker Milling which should do great. We are waiting till the birds are moved into the pasture before taking orders due to the feed issues of last year.
It is amazing how quick the year is flying by so be sure to stay up to date on order/pickup dates via Facebook, our website, or our email list.
Local Naturally Raised Pork, NON-GMO fed
Local Naturally Raised Pork, no hormones, no antibiotics, no steroids. Raised on pasture and woodlots. Pigs are rotated thru different pasture and get fresh air and sunshine.
Whole $3.25 lb
Half $3.25 lb
Orders are taken on a first come first serve basis with a $100 deposit.
Plus butchering fees….your butcher or ours.
Email us at sales@newnormfarm.com to place order
“Cluck, Cluck” goes the Lucky Duck
What does a cow say… “Moo”
What does a pig say… “Oink”
What does a horse say… “Neigh”
Etc….
This week we added to our livestock – We welcomed 14 laying hens, 100 baby chicks & 
The laying hens are already happily laying their eggs in their new home, err should I say field, woods, wherever. We kept them in the pin for the first two days, but since then they have been out pecking & scratching in the woods or fields, or as my father-in-law likes to say out expressing their “chickenness”. And, I am sure that too soon our little duck will soon be paddling & splashing in our ponds expressing his “duckness”, but right now at just a week old he stays inside cuddled next to his Momma (Quackers) chirping for what seems
Around here once you are named, you are part of the New Norm Family when it comes to animals. And our little duck is now officially named…. Mr. Waddles. We have already been asking Abigail…What does a duck say?…. And here on New Norm Farm our little lucky duck goes “cluck, cluck”.
“Killer Tillers”
Spring brings newness, everything begins to awaken from their hibernation, which brings lots of work on the farm & this week our focus has been gardening. And, one of the most important pieces to have when it comes to gardening is a good, quality tiller. Here on New Norm Farm, we have three…..
Our tillers are messy, smelly, squealing pigs…. Literally. Kevin (Bacon), Jimmy Dean (Sausage)& Mordecai (Ham) have been hard at work “working” the ground this week. And, I will admit at first I thought, what’s the most that these three pigs can “till” up; I mean, they are only three pigs, what’s the worst that “damage” they can possibly do? Well, my friends, I stand here a firm believer that pigs are one of the best “non-gas” tiller you can have – it amazed me at just how much three snouts can do to the ground, naturally. Granted they left us some “smelly dirt” (a.k.a. pig poop), but yeah, that’s like gold around here!
After they were moved to the other side, the three men (Kyle, Brandon & Don) go to work clearing off the left behind big brush. So, the majority of their Saturday was spent either with chain saw in hand, in front of a brush fire, or pulling brush to the fire on the four-wheeler. Again, like I said, spring brings lots of hard work on the farm; it also brings fun, which is where the kids & I come in. We helped to at least soak up some of the heat from the fire & sun, by playing in the slip & slide (Thanks, Aunt Elaine)! See, we all have to help out on the farm! 🙂
The pigs have now been moved over to the other side of the garden which has much thicker brush, so they can work their magic on that side. Our middle son, Nehemiah, loves to refer to the pigs as “wild hogs” and will randomly give us facts about wild hogs – thank you “Pig Bomb” from Roku! However, I will admit when you walk by and the pigs are camouflaged in the brush they do indeed sound vicious just like the “killer tillers” they are!
By: Kassy Varnell
“Whose the Fowlest of them All…”
Ahhh… Spring has sprung. The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing…. The Guineas are finding their “mates”. Well, that is at least what has been happening this week on New Norm Farm.
Some of you may already know, but those of you who do not, here on the farm we have three guineafowls; their names – Larry, Curly & Moe, our three stooges.
If you are not aware of what a guineafowl is, by Wikipedia definition they are a family of birds in the Gailiformes order; this family of insect- and seed-eating, ground-nesting birds resemble partridges, but with featherless heads. However, if you have children, chances are you have seen Ice Age. In this movie there is a scene with dodo birds; this is what I picture when I hear guineafowl. I was beginning to believe that these birds just looked like these dodo birds on Ice Age & in reality actually are actually very smart. I mean, they spend the majority of their day pecking at the ground and swacking obniously at random things, but all in all are pretty self-substainable & do not really need much, until Monday….
Monday, we noticed that Moe was not running with the others, in fact he would not venture much farther past the old tree stump in the yard. Even when feeding time and Larry & Curly calling to him to “come check out this piece of grass on the ground”. (Yes, again, the majority of their day is spent starring at the ground) So, we started to wonder… Why will he not leave that area? What is it that has him so captivated? Is he hurt? What could it be….
And then we saw her….
Moe was in love. He had found his sole-mate; his other half; the love of his life; the wind beneath his wings…. Yes, there she was. The most lovely guineafowl he had ever seen. Right there…the the fender of my brother-in-laws trailblazer; the most gorgeous guineafowl Moe had ever laid eyes on. She looked
right at him & he knew, I will never leave this beautiful creature alone. Ever. He was love stricken with his own reflection. (Going back to the Ice Age scene)
So, these days you can find Moe next to any of our vehicles admiring his “love”. She only leave him on cloudy, rainy days and for a few hours at night. But, as the saying goes, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”, so each morning he anxiously waits to see his lady.
I must admit it is hours of entertainment to watch poor Moe because each time I see him I think one, Ice Age & dodo bird and two, of Snow White and the Seven Drawfs and the magic mirror scene, only here on the farm it goes a bit different…
“Fender, Fender, whose the fowlest of them all?”
By: Kassy Varnell
