Livestock farm that provides red meat pastured and feed raised pork, whole turkeys and chicken eggs. Rhisponsible Living Farm is a small family farm.
Our Farm started officially September 2016, when we brought our first 3 pigs home. That is when I found my passion. Raising pigs was something my ancestors did, but I was a city girl that became a mountain woman and now a wannabe farmer. I love being around our pigs. We raise these pigs for meat, for my family as well as other families. Recently, due to cost and time availability, we did have to downsize the farm to only raising chickens.
Operating as usual
I made purple sweet potato waffles. It's the only way I can get Zoey to eat sweet potatoes. They turn a little blue when they are cooked. Did you know the darker in color for potatoes, the healthier they are for us? Same goes for greens too.
I cooked up one of our turkeys and a pumpkin. I've made a Turkey casserole with veggies, Pumpkin Turkey lasagna, and I'm making another noodle turkey casserole for the freezer. I froze most of the pumpkin for soup, etc. Turkey soup from the leftover meat on the bones is going in the crockpot.
Thank you to my neighbor for the pumpkin. Can't wait to make all kinds of stuff from it. Thinking of making turkey pumpkin lasagna. Maybe pumpkin soup and pie.
Processing apples from our farm. Reminds me of being a kid and helping process all the apples from our backyard tree.
Apple crisp in the crockpot
Graham cracker crust apple pie
Making apple oatmeal cookies next.
Photos from Rhisponsible Living Farm's post
Chicks are growing nicely! Done incubating for the year. I have close to 75 chickens. Roughly 9 are going in the freezer before winter. Glad to see our egg production has increased. If you need eggs, just message me.
Morning ladies...time to start foraging.
Our neighbors hate our tall weeds, but our chickens love it. So many bugs and nice shade. Yes, the weeds won't be so bad next year. These are just the couple of pastures that we didn't get cleaned up from the pigs this year.
Morning!
Our 2nd batch pulled and there's a lot more.
I think 2 out 3 of the $18 trees that I bought, have died. The Keiffer pear hasn't had any growth for leaves or anything. The Granny Smith tree was doing well but the leaves have all died. We think the ground right there was to much clay and wasn't draining well. So the roots might have gone rotten. At least they were the cheap trees.
Still have more work to do, but progress is being made. I also now have 3 coops and 2 quarantine brooder pens in the barn now. First 3 pictures are of our blackberry bushes. Then our two cherry trees. Blueberry bushes are planted in a raised bed. Next to them will be our potatoes. Last picture, is our 4 raspberry bushes.
Aurora blueberry...this is my other one. Doesn't have any growth. This one has a warranty. Bought all of my berry bushes through fastgrowingtrees.com. I have a 1 year warranty on each one through this company. The only one that wasn't from them is the Elliott blueberry bush.
Elliott blueberry bush....my new baby
Planting the blueberry bushes in a raised bed so I can make the soil acidic. It made me sad, having to pull the flowers off. Bought through Earl May shop.
Part 1, farm changes.
Part 2, farm changes and chicken talk.
Most of our berry bushes arrived! 3 blackberry, 1 blueberry and 4 raspberry bushes. So excited!
Brought three fruit trees home from Cedar Falls Walmart. $18 a tree. Heck yeah....
Changes....part 2
Changes so far....part 1
http://fastgrowingtreesco.refr.cc/rhiannonshields
I just bought a bunch of berry bushes. Can't wait to get some trees next.
Hey, if you're ever looking for FastGrowingTrees.com products, let me know and I can get you a discount at FastGrowingTrees.com. Here's a coupon if you need one now:
Over winter, we have talked a lot about the farm and the possibilities. We have decided to focus on repairing the land from the damage the pigs did. Then work on growing a garden that will feed us and our chickens. Reseed the pastures for the chickens and build them a fun area. Instead of going back to pigs, we are turning the farm into a chicken and produce farm. We want to add fruit and nut trees, as well as maple trees. Hopefully when this farm becomes Zoey's, it will be bountiful.
Some of my new babies, that were gifted to me.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas!
The barn is slowly turning to a chick'on emporium! Where the pigs use to be at, we are creating separate pens for each of my roosters and heroms. During nice weather they will all free range together, but go to their own designated area for bedtime.
Since the turkeys are gone, we are slowly moving the chickens to the barn coop. Much bigger space. This is one of my roosters (King George) and his harem. Soon him and my other rooster, will have to learn to live together and share the ladies.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
We are processing all of our turkeys and some chickens this weekend. Not looking forward to the processing. This is our last year (for awhile) at providing a turkey for Thanksgiving to a few families. Our farm is getting so empty and so much quieter. It's weird. Thank you to the animals, that brought us joy and nourishment.
Yesterday was a sad hard day on the farm. Our last 3 pigs went to Clarion meat locker, yesterday. Turkeys will be going soon. This is our last year with turkeys. Thank you to all the animals that brought joy and substance to the farm. The whole thing feels kind of liberating but mostly weird. Just won't be the same around here. At least I get to keep my chickens. They are my sanctuary.
Still have 3 pigs left to sell before winter.
-Roby Roy DOB 2/22/2020 sired 5 litters 50/50 Red wattle mangalitsa cross (I owed his parents and both were pure)
-Carmel DOB around 6/12/2019 1 litter by accident, had 5 piglets, I bought her blind as pure mangalitsa. I know pure mangalitsa and she is not a pure. Very protective mom.
-Cookie DOB 6/12/2019 1 litter by accident and we bought her cheap because she was the last piglet on the farm. She is my favorite. Super sweet and excellent mom. She had 9 piglets. She's pure AGH.
All are pigs are non aggressive. Love attention and belly rubs. They have never been aggressive with any of our other livestock. Please message me if you are interested.
Just had our day of people picking up their pigs. This is what I have left:
8 25% Red wattle 25% mangalitsa 50% AGH $50 each
3 75% Red wattle 25% mangalitsa $50 each
1yr old boar 50/50 Red wattle mangalitsa cross
1 AGH sow 2yrs old
1 Mangalitsa sow 2yrs old
Pork chops for dinner!
Selling off all our pigs and turkeys. Our animals are loved on and handled a lot so they are gentle and love human affection.
Turkeys: 8 Tom's and 3 hens, roughly 1yr of age.
Pigs:
Boar 1yr old 50/50 Mangalitsa Red Wattle
He helped create 5 litters.
His sister is available as well. Shes still a gilt.
2 Red wattle sows 2yrs of age. 1 sow has had two litters. 2nd sow had her first litter. 13 piglets between the 2 sows.
1 Mangalitsa sow almost 2yrs of age. Only had 1 litter. Protective momma. She has 4 piglets.
1 AGH sow 2yrs of age. Only had one litter. Awesome mom. She has 9 piglets.
27 piglets for sale. All boys have been castrated.
Make us an offer. We can not afford these anymore and need them gone after September 11th when sows are done with piglets.
Well, I said I was going to give it 5 years and if the farm was not stable and we couldn’t earn a little bit off of it then it was time to let it go. I’m going to sell off as much as we can. Please let me know if you are interested in any of our pigs and turkeys. I feel like the dream I had for this place and our family, just failed.
We have decided to keep the chickens and in a few years maybe we can try this again.
Turkey pics
Chick pics
Piggy pics
Piglet pics
211 Wren Avenue
Ackley, IA
50601
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Morning ladies...time to start foraging.
Morning!
Part 2, farm changes and chicken talk.
Part 1, farm changes.
Changes....part 2
Changes so far....part 1
Rosais Acres LLC Dalmatians & Quarter Horses
Eldora 50627