New feed formulations almost ready!

This has been a very busy weak at Little Sprouts! We have been working diligently for quite a while on improving the feed we provide our farm animals. You may recall from previous blog posts that the presence of Soy in animal feed has become a major problem. (Check the archives for that blog post to review). We are happy to pre-announce that the process of removing soy and adding more healthy food sources is almost complete!

Here's a quick rundown of what we have accomplished thus far:

Soy Free Feed:

For both hog and poultry feed (chicken and turkey) we have settled on a relatively inexpensive, healthy, year round available soy alternative for protein in a combination of peas and sesame seed.  In the right proportions this combination can replace soy completely for birds and hogs both removing soy from their diet completely and providing a wider variety of food and nutrients.

Additional Feed sources:

One of our philosophies is that animals in the wild eat a wide variety of foodstuffs, and so they should also on the farm to be healthy. To this end we have been working on a fairly labor free way to routinely sprout organic whole grains just enough to make the grains digestible and more healthy than dried grains. The hogs and to some extent the chickens will have these fresh growing sprouted organic grains added to their daily diet to add nutrients that far exceed those available in milled dried commercial feed.  This move also helps to offset the slightly higher cost of commercial feed without soy.

Acorns! We are happy to announce that we have finally found a year round source of organically grown acorns for the hogs. In the wild, hogs go crazy over acorns. It is definitely one of the most natural foods for hogs of any breed. We have scoured the country and found a source for this tasty food left in natural form. Research shows that hogs raised on acorns have the absolute best flavor possible, winning hands down on all taste tests.  Over time we will explore how much acorns can be introduced into their food to accomplish this while keeping costs in line.

FishMeal! Most nutritionist will tell you that fish is one of the most nutritious foods available for any animal or even humans. We all hear the advice to add fish to our diets to be healthy. Well, I am happy to report that our animals will also be receiving this benefit soon. In the process of exploring soy free protein sources we have stumbled across a supplier of organic fish meal. While this food is not appropriate for the primary protein source for a variety of reasons, as an added "top dressing" or vitamin supplement it is perfect for raising the nutritional value of the meat and health of the animals. It is a nice accompaniment to our natural parasite control.

Finally, Peas. Dried organic field peas. In addition to this being one of the two primary protein sources in the pelleted feed for hogs and poultry, we are purchasing extra peas in raw form in order to feed directly as a supplement and whole food. These peas are also a favorite of our yet seldom mentioned flock of sheep. The peas make a great healthy way to hand feed the sheep, getting them used to being around us as shepherds and allowing us to give the natural parasite control supplement easily. With the female sheep pregnant at this time their nutritional intake and care is rising to the top of the list quickly.

Keep in mind that all of these foods are in addition to the steady stream of fresh produce  as available. Just this week we offered the hogs dozens of pounds of fresh cabbage and kohlrabi from the fall garden, along with the last of the tomatoes, all of which disappeared in minutes! We also keep a steady supply of tree trimmings in the hog area for them to chew on and consume the bark and small twigs. They love certain trees and shrubs! The ones they don't love to eat, become nice playthings to toss around in the cool of the afternoon.

As I said above, this is a pre-announcement... These foods are scheduled to start arriving over the next 2 weeks (time for some serious barn organizing!) By that time we hope to have over 7 tons of food stored away safely in the barn. While some of the above is subject to change as prices are settled and arrangements made, I wanted to share with you where we are heading, and let you know that we have heard and responded to your request for even better quality meats.

As a final note, if you are raising your own animals and are interested in exploring with us in these new feeds, feel free to contact me directly. Most if not all of the products we are using should be available through our local feed store, "Rainey's Farm and Feed" located right here in Sams Valley with us.  The guys at Rainey's have been instrumental in helping us solve these issues and come up with alternatives at prices that work for everyone.