High On The Hog Farmoirs

02/04/2026

My humble tiny garden composting adventures made a portion of our local paper.

Several shared their stories, mine stood out for its unusual RV park perspective for those with limited space, gardening and composting can be done on a square foot successfully after all In February 2025, Guinness World Records officially recognized 0.24-square-meter (2.6 sq. ft.) plot in Nagaizumi, Japan, as the world’s smallest park. Roughly the size of two A3 sheets of paper, it features grass, a decorative stone, and a tiny bench.
​It took the title from the long-standing record holder, Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon, which is a 452-square-inch (3.1 sq. ft.) circle that has hosted a single tree and various flowers since 1948.
​Key Small-Scale Gardens
​The World's Smallest Garden (Product): A commercial hydroponic device by Urban Leaf that turns a single recycled glass bottle into a functional herb garden.
​Becky’s Garden (UK): Winner of the 2025 "Small Garden" category by Gardena, noted for growing a massive variety of vegetables in a tiny residential footprint.

The only limit is the mind!

Happy Gardening!!!!

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Spring is less than 50 days away, and gardeners are already planting seeds inside for seedlings and planning out how to use compost they have been creating.

02/04/2026

I have started my garden's wake ⏰ routine.

I'm fermenting cooked farina, grits, and oatmeal in a compost tea, made from my own compost mix with non-chlorinated water providing sustenance for microbes and worms rather than acting as a fertilizer. This approach will support early-rising organisms and overwintered red wigglers, supporting and promoting my garden's ecosystem.

Using natural, organic materials like grains helps build long-term soil fertility and structure while promoting different types of microorganisms, for example oats can favor a fungally dominant tea moreover.. farina, oatmeal, and grits creates a diverse diet for a broad range of microbes.

The fermented grains provide simple sugars and complex carbohydrates, which are ideal food sources for beneficial bacteria and fungi.
By "pre-feeding" the compost tea, I am looking to multiply the microbial populations before planting begins.

Zone 7a-b
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10/16/2025

The timing of this memory couldn’t be more perfect as Lyric and I plan our December visit to Colorado with family and friends. StoneClad’s direct sibling, Chivas, now 3 years old, will be processed at the end of this month and soon will be home with me in my freezer. Having my cornerstone genetics come full circle feels incredibly meaningful, and I’m grateful to be able to cull her responsibly.

I can’t say enough about the dear friend who took her in and raised her with the utmost care a swine herdess could give. This feels like a moment of closure in my pork production journey and the right path for the fate of my herd. If they don’t work out in a breeding program, I’d rather take responsibility than see them passed around at the expense of their welfare—even as livestock.

Grateful for this outstanding breeder to provide this opportunity for us 🙏

10/14/2025

Check out AKKPS (American KuneKune Pig Society)'s October issue newsletter! It is chock-full of helpful info. If you are a fancier of KuneKune pigs and have yet to join a registry that is supported and led by its members, sanctions its own shows, where your voice will be heard, look no further!

AKKPS offers members numerous benefits with affordable annual member dues, including a detailed herd book that currently uses a 12-generation record to calculate the coefficient of inbreeding (COI) for its swine, (up from the previous 6) a range of educational webinars, a monthly newsletter, a COI calculator, an online market to list pigs for sale on the website, and access to other KuneKune enthusiasts worldwide.

AKKPS is more than just a registry; it is a community. Go spend some time looking through this Registry treasure trove!

As a registry member, I was delighted to share my knowledge in October's educational article on Laminitis in KuneKune Pigs.

LAMINITIS IN KUNEKUNE PIGS WHAT EVERY KEEPER SHOULD KNOW Written by AKKPS Member Michelle Geiger of High On The Hog Farm All Photos Courtesy of Michelle Geiger of High On The Hog Farm / Hooves Laminitis, sometimes called “founder,” is an inflammation of the tissues inside the hoof that support t...