$1,234 · New Idea! Produce local food and local income for your family.

One hundred years ago, people called pigs “mortgage lifters” because they were so beneficial to farmers. This was an era when most folks considered “stock” to be animals who could do work, reproduce and be eaten sustainably through time - not pieces of paper with limited promises on them which could become worthless in days. We now may have come full circle. Introducing Homesteading Hogs – a pig that grows slightly slower but only needs to eat half the grain to do so. Hi, I’m Mario, and for the last seven years I’ve been working to breed a more efficient pig. So, we have developed the new Calicocean Hog, a cross between a rare little marine pig (who were wild fifty years ago, and actually have a documented “thrifty gene”), and a long, tall and lean heritage breed. I currently have two breeding groups available. Each breeding group consists of one young boar and several young females. Each animal is valued at about $1000 adjusted for size. The girls are pregnant and will birth in May or June. At two months old, the sale of just five or six weaned piglets ($200 each) would recoup your purchase price for the sow. She’ll produce two such litters (with maybe up to ten or twelve piglets each) a year – and still holds her own individual value. Principle and interest! How’s that for stock? Additional dividends include large amounts of organic fertilizer, the ability to clear land without heavy equipment, and a willingness to find their own food in pasture, clearcut or forest. They can also be used to protect poultry and grazers from predation. Big pigs rule! Also, we are offering a Low-tech Smallholders Course where you can learn how to, with as little as fifteen or twenty minutes effort most days, provide your family with both local income, and hundreds of pounds of organic animal products every year. Aspects of our system that you will learn include Feeding – Fencing – Housing – Healthcare – Safety – Efficiency – Locating free feed sources – Composting for your garden – Slaughter – Butcher - Further food processing – Developing interdependence with the neighbours Thanks for your interest. For more information, or to book a farm tour, please email or call Mario at 250 285 3328.