Serenity Valley Farms Kentucky

Every Spring we find ourselves looking for the weather to stay one particular way.   The way we want it.  However, Mother Nature and the Lord above do not always have the same ideas.

This spring of 2023 we have experienced hail, flooding, snow, and ice. We are waiting for it to resolve and settle in so the little diddles that we have can get out on grass.  Our brooder is kept in the barn so the young chicks have protection from the freezing temps that can cause them harm while they are so young.

Right now we have 51 Locally hatched chicks form various local KY farms. Colleen has also hatched out 15 chicks so far and has another round in the incubator due to hatch after Easter.

In addition to chicks we had a neighborhood feline bring here kittens here to live on our back porch it seems.   This is fine as it is a farm there are always unwanted rodents around.   There are only two kittens and they are wild enough that Colleen wont be having a lap cat anytime soon.   She lost her Fritz last year around this time or year so it is nice to see the smile creep across her face as she sees the kittens on a daily basis until they are old enough to go off on their own to hunt.

We raise Pigs on the farm and are currently waiting on two sows to farrow.  We hope they will have between 14 to 16 each.  We shall see.   We sell piglets as we have them available.   

The pigs we raise are a specialty breed imported from Hungary, Austria and the Netherlands. They are called the Mangalitsa which is a cousin to the Iberico and the wild hog.   Their offspring are adorable with stripes that go away as they grow to 5 months.   The mangalitsa is a beautiful curly haired breed that has smaller litters and take longer to grow out to add to the freezer but they are docile and adorable.  Oh and delicious.

There are 4 colors, only 3 of which are available in the United States.  We will focus on raising the reds.

Red seem to be the rarest color here in the states. It is much easier to find Swallowbelly (black on top, blonde on belly) and Blondes. The 4th color is black. (these piglets are not aailble in the US yet and word is they can sell for $6,000 a piglet. Yes, that's what I said, $6,000. Unfortunately the SB and Blondes we have are un-registerable as we have no lineage on them.   Our Reds, we have 2 gilts and one boar.  The boar's lineage goes back 7 generations of grandparents, if you will, from the imported stock.  Our Gilts, Tica and Katoka are from a farm in Ohio while our boar is from a farm in Michigan.   We are excited to let them all meet each other in December of this year as the gilts need to be older than a year before they can be bred without issues.

The Boar, Bartalan, has already been introduced to Flossie (Landrace), Bitsy (Yorkshire) and Lizzie (Mangalitsa Blonde) sows.  They should be due in June and July, a few weeks apart.

On top of raising the livestock, we dabble in produce for our own use, but it is not unlike us to offer any extra produce when we have and abundant harvest.  We are always doing different things with our garden, still trying to find what works best for us and our needs.   From Back to Eden to Lasagna to Bale gardens to Hydroponics.  Hopefully the future will allow for a Hoop House and an Aquaponics set up.

So as the weather tries to work itself out of the wrinkles of winter, we will too.   Take the time to notice things you never have before.  Watch a seed from start to finish, Take note of how long the trees blossoms can hold on thru the winds of time.  Smell the roses. Pick the Herbs and use them! Take the walk, notice the bugs, watch the spider build her web and capture its dinner.   Nature is amazing!

Take it all in.   Till next time...  Visit us online at www.serenityvalleyfarms.us or the farm.

Monticello KY,  6313 E Highway 92.