Heritage Animals
So what exactly is "heritage"?
"...heritage animals are the animals that you’d find on your great-grandparents farms. Heritage is an umbrella term that embraces pure breeds of livestock and poultry with deep histories in the United States. These are animals that were bred over time to develop traits that made them suited to specific local environments. Because these breeds have been developed and selected over time, they tend to have better disease resistance, are well-adapted to their environments, and thrive in pasture-based settings.
We look to the Livestock Breeds Conservancy for information on heritage breeds - and more specifically - which breeds are in need of support (support through breeding, growing and selling) since our focus is on heritage breed animals. We choose a specific breed over others based on temperament, taste, availability, natural reproductive activity and on what we can do well at our farm.
We're a small, family farm - but when we think about rare breeds of animals, even a few is more than none.
"...heritage animals are the animals that you’d find on your great-grandparents farms. Heritage is an umbrella term that embraces pure breeds of livestock and poultry with deep histories in the United States. These are animals that were bred over time to develop traits that made them suited to specific local environments. Because these breeds have been developed and selected over time, they tend to have better disease resistance, are well-adapted to their environments, and thrive in pasture-based settings.
We look to the Livestock Breeds Conservancy for information on heritage breeds - and more specifically - which breeds are in need of support (support through breeding, growing and selling) since our focus is on heritage breed animals. We choose a specific breed over others based on temperament, taste, availability, natural reproductive activity and on what we can do well at our farm.
We're a small, family farm - but when we think about rare breeds of animals, even a few is more than none.
Mulefoot Hogs
The Mulefoot Hog is one of the rarest breeds in the country. The Mulefoot is on the "Critical" list of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. We have one registered boar, Roscoe P. Coltraine. We have two breeding sows: Janet and Nina.
Our hogs all live outdoors in the temperate Northern California climate. They are bred, born and are raised all on the property. They eat non-GMO, corn & soy free hog kibble which we purchase from a mill about 100 miles from us. Depending on the season, they also have goat milk, black walnuts and garden trimmings. We give them no supplements or medications unless recommended by a veterinarian (or if one of the hogs needs antibiotics I'm certainly going to administer to a hog who needs it). The only time the hogs are not on the farm is when they are driven to the USDA slaughterhouse.
The Mulefoot has its name from the fact that where most hogs have two toes - the Mulefoot has only one toe - like a mule. They are friendly (as long as they are treated nicely), quite hairy (some compare them with wild pigs) and grow slowly - which makes them a poor option for hi-turnover, commercial farms. Historically, they have been used as a lard pig - they have a large belt of lard between their skin and muscle. The meat from the Mulefoot is very tasty - and has been known to win some taste competitions!
They are wonderful animals with which to work and we are proud to be members of the American Mulefoot Breeders Association.
Our hogs all live outdoors in the temperate Northern California climate. They are bred, born and are raised all on the property. They eat non-GMO, corn & soy free hog kibble which we purchase from a mill about 100 miles from us. Depending on the season, they also have goat milk, black walnuts and garden trimmings. We give them no supplements or medications unless recommended by a veterinarian (or if one of the hogs needs antibiotics I'm certainly going to administer to a hog who needs it). The only time the hogs are not on the farm is when they are driven to the USDA slaughterhouse.
The Mulefoot has its name from the fact that where most hogs have two toes - the Mulefoot has only one toe - like a mule. They are friendly (as long as they are treated nicely), quite hairy (some compare them with wild pigs) and grow slowly - which makes them a poor option for hi-turnover, commercial farms. Historically, they have been used as a lard pig - they have a large belt of lard between their skin and muscle. The meat from the Mulefoot is very tasty - and has been known to win some taste competitions!
They are wonderful animals with which to work and we are proud to be members of the American Mulefoot Breeders Association.
Black (Spanish) Turkeys
After researching the different heritage breeds of turkey we decided on the Black Spanish breed. One of the key considerations for us in choosing the Black Spanish is its ability to breed naturally. We have worked on choosing our own breeding stock over the past several years and so each season the parents breed and then once we find the nests, incubate the eggs and raise the chicks to a big enough size that they are not easy hawk prey.
The turkeys are a seasonal product for us - although we have turkeys at the farm year-round, we raise the turkeys for Thanksgiving and Winter holidays. All turkey sales are through reservations. We harvest the turkeys right on the farm - each year researching the most humane and quick method of slaughter.
The turkeys are a seasonal product for us - although we have turkeys at the farm year-round, we raise the turkeys for Thanksgiving and Winter holidays. All turkey sales are through reservations. We harvest the turkeys right on the farm - each year researching the most humane and quick method of slaughter.
Oberhasli Dairy Goats
After deciding on Oberhasli as the breed that we wanted, we found a breeder nearby (how lucky!). Not only did we find a breeder, but we we also found a goat mentor, cheese-making mentor and good friend. The dairy goats were originally added to our menagerie as more of a hobby - so Amy could explore cheese-making at home. We knew that there would be additional mouths to feed - but extra milk, whey and not-so-perfect cheeses could be fed to the hogs so there'd be no waste (and who doesn't love the sound of milk-fed pork?). Since we would be bringing on Oberhasli breeding stock, we would be able to sell registered dairy does in any given year and also sell goat meat from non-breeding quality doelings and bucklings. The rationale was spot on. What we didn't expect, though, was the sweet, intimate relationships we have with the dairy goats - far above what we have with the other animals. The dairy goats are much more attuned to humans, easier to handle and much more affectionate than our other goats. The difference between dairy and meat goats isn't just the end product - there's a much richer relationship with the dairy goats from hundreds of years of breeding for milk production and temperament and from the day-to-day interaction & milking.
Fainting Goats
After maintaining a small herd of goats for weed control, we decided to venture into the realm of raising goats for meat. Goat meat is the most popular meat around the world. Goats, unlike many other animals, can survive and actually enjoy eating the brush, thicket, bramble and other greens that are passed over by many of the other critters. They are a valuable part of the "balance" of what can be and is eaten in the back pasture.
The Fainting Goats are a heritage breed - and although there are many requirements to be considered a heritage breed - one of the regulations is that the breed has not been cross bred with other breeds of goat to achieve "specific" characteristics, i.e. faster growing, longer legs, etc. Because their body has a high percentage of muscle, the Fainting Goat is an efficient animal to raise for meat - the meat to total body weight ratio is very favorable to the farmer.
There are plenty of websites that explain the "fainting" of the goats - or myotonic condition. In layman's terms, when the goats are faced with a "fight or flight" situation - such as being chased by a predator - a certain adrenalin in their bodies flows through their muscle and tightens the muscles up - as if the goats faint, but the muscles just stiffen up so the goats look like they are falling over - sometimes they will completely fall over and other times, their back legs may stiffen up and drag behind them a bit. Each goat reacts differently to different stimuli, and the fainting does seem counterintuitive in the event of being chased by a predator, but it is what makes them a unique breed of goats.
The Fainting Goats are a heritage breed - and although there are many requirements to be considered a heritage breed - one of the regulations is that the breed has not been cross bred with other breeds of goat to achieve "specific" characteristics, i.e. faster growing, longer legs, etc. Because their body has a high percentage of muscle, the Fainting Goat is an efficient animal to raise for meat - the meat to total body weight ratio is very favorable to the farmer.
There are plenty of websites that explain the "fainting" of the goats - or myotonic condition. In layman's terms, when the goats are faced with a "fight or flight" situation - such as being chased by a predator - a certain adrenalin in their bodies flows through their muscle and tightens the muscles up - as if the goats faint, but the muscles just stiffen up so the goats look like they are falling over - sometimes they will completely fall over and other times, their back legs may stiffen up and drag behind them a bit. Each goat reacts differently to different stimuli, and the fainting does seem counterintuitive in the event of being chased by a predator, but it is what makes them a unique breed of goats.
Heritage Chickens and Ducks
We have a mix of different heritage breeds of chickens and ducks - both of which we keep for egg production. Like for our other species, we reference the Livestock Breeds Conservancy listing of heritage breeds and choose breeds we want on the farm based on their endangered status, eggshell color (so we get a nice mix of colors), and availability. Unlike our other species, we don't specialize in one particular breed of chicken or duck - rather we enjoy the "symphony" of colors, sounds and personalities among the egg-layers.