Market Farming

["Paul Range" <paul AT hanszen.com>]

John,
   No problem,  I farm the two acres on 5 foot centers running the pigs and 
chickens down the middle leaving a foot on either side.  Have not turned the 
soil on the growbeds for 10 years.  The pigs and chickens rototill the 
ground mixing in the horse manure, leaves and whatever else i can find.  I 
rarely top dress the growing rows but plant them as thick as possible.  The 
occasional weed (mostly Johnsongrass) that pops through gets thrown in the 
the nearest pig pen since the consume it all.
   The pens have a 5gal bucket with a dog waterer attached for both pig and 
chicken pens, 6in wheel (recycled from old lawnmowers) and tin on top for 
shade.  Have to make them pig proof on sides so welded 4in cattlepanels then 
covered by chicken wire on chicken pens only.  Coons will kill the chickens 
and the cattlepanels, covered by chicken wire is the only thing that will 
stop them.
   Pigs have to be moved each day to keep them from digging out. Chickens 
can go a couple of days but any longer and the coons will dig in.
   Don't market the livestock or eggs.  We eat the pigs, since they are 
small and easy to butcher but only eat the eggs with the chickens because I 
don't like them smell of slaughtering them.
   Raise turnip and mustard greens for the winter, tomatoes, cucs, squash 
and canalope in the summer.  Most of the vegs go to the two resturants in 
town or to farmers market on Sat. morning., over ripe stuff goes to local 
Catholic church which seems to be the distrubition point for the town.  We 
live in central Texas.
   Send me your e-mail and I will send a couple of pics.  Paul Range 
paul AT hanszen.com