Homesteaders

[Chicken girl 15]

I have 2 WB, an old metal one that is in rougher shape than me. And a huge 2 wheeler do-ma-jobbie. I'm short and stout so I need extra umph for lifting and moving stuff. I also have 4 kids who know they must help to eat.

 

[KlopKlop]

Hello fellow homesteaders! i used to keep up on this thread but have had a summer hiatus while im busy on the homestead.

Dropped by to see if anyone has any experience with American Guinea Hogs. I have been preparing to raise pastured hogs on our farm and just recently learned of this breed while figuring out what breed we wanted. I am very intrigued and gathering info on them. There is some but not a whole lot of info available on them as they are a recovering heritage breed.

THanks guys!

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Hello fellow homesteaders!  i used to keep up on this thread but have had a summer hiatus while im busy on the homestead.  

Dropped by to see if anyone has any experience with American Guinea Hogs.  I have been preparing to raise pastured hogs on our farm and just recently learned of this breed while figuring out what breed we wanted.  I am very intrigued and gathering info on them.  There is some but not a whole lot of info available on them as they are a recovering heritage breed.  

THanks guys!

Looks like a great breed for a small homestead. I just might start looking into them

 

[KlopKlop]

Looks like a great breed for a small homestead. I just might start looking into them

They do seem great. I do recommend you read about the difference between a 'bacon pig' and a 'lard pig' so you know what you are dealing with. Guinea hogs are lard pigs

 

[Chicken girl 15]

They do seem great. I do recommend you read about the difference between a 'bacon pig' and a 'lard pig' so you know what you are dealing with. Guinea hogs are lard pigs

lard has a very big place in my kitchen. It's used for pie crust and calories for the dog for winter and in small amounts to the flock. I will of course have a bacon pig as well, I do need ham and chops.

 

[KlopKlop]

lard has a very big place in my kitchen. It's used for pie crust and calories for the dog for winter and in small amounts to the flock. I will of course have a bacon pig as well, I do need ham and chops.

One thing I haven't figured out yet is the difference in the meat between the two. Lard pigs have more marbling, but that doesn't mean you can't cut chops and hams from it, right? More marbling can't be a bad thing. I know the meat is darker and slightly different texture. What about making sausage?

I'm also looking forward to the prospect of home rendered lard for baking. How much do you feed to your dog? I remember our dog getting into a bucket of lard when I was a kid and she was sick for days, her rear end was a faucet with a steady drip.

 

[1cock2hens]

One thing I haven't figured out yet is the difference in the meat between the two. Lard pigs have more marbling, but that doesn't mean you can't cut chops and hams from it, right? More marbling can't be a bad thing. I know the meat is darker and slightly different texture. What about making sausage?

I have been reading about guinea hogs for a long time, I absolutely love them. I don't have any but I plan on getting 2 or 3 when the time is right. I want to breed and sell piglets ,maybe keep one or two a year to grow out and sell as a butcher hog. Also We have alot of snakes and I love that homesteaders would use them for snake control. It's funny you asked about the meat quality, I just read that some chef's call guinea hog meet the kobe beef of pork and chef's that cook "tail to snout" really like them also it does happen to make "excellent charcuterie"

 

[KlopKlop]

I have been reading about guinea hogs for a long time, I absolutely love them. I don't have any but I plan on getting 2 or 3 when the time is right. I want to breed and sell piglets ,maybe keep one or two a year to grow out and sell as a butcher hog. Also We have alot of snakes and I love that homesteaders would use them for snake control. It's funny you asked about the meat quality, I just read that some chef's call guinea hog meet the kobe beef of pork and chef's that cook "tail to snout" really like them also it does happen to make "excellent charcuterie"

I've read the same about it being very very good, I'm just trying to figure out what that translates to on my own plate I haven't read a thing about them that I don't like. The only downfall I see is my dear wife saying they are too cute to eat that and the start up cost of buying breeding hogs due to them being somewhat uncommon

 

[1cock2hens]

I've read the same about it being very very good, I'm just trying to figure out what that translates to on my own plate I haven't read a thing about them that I don't like. The only downfall I see is my dear wife saying they are too cute to eat that and the start up cost of buying breeding hogs due to them being somewhat uncommon

Around here they aren't as hard to find as they are in other places. I just saw an ad on Craigslist for 2 registered sows for 345$ and registered piglets for 100$ unregistered you can get for 50$. My wife says if we are going to eat one I have to keep it on the backside of our property so she doesn't visit it all the time and get attached, they are amazingly cute for a pig

 

[KlopKlop]

Around here they aren't as hard to find as they are in other places. I just saw an ad on Craigslist for 2 registered sows for 345$ and registered piglets for 100$ unregistered you can get for 50$. My wife says if we are going to eat one I have to keep it on the backside of our property so she doesn't visit it all the time and get attached, they are amazingly cute for a pig

That seems fairly consistent with what I'm seeing around here for prices too.

I'm not specifically looking to own a registered breeding group but on the one hand it would be nice to know that the breeding stock I start with aren't super inbred already. Might be worth a little more money up front