Homesteading with Heritage Breeds
(Page 4 of 5)
February/March 2008
By Mary Lou Shaw
We’re not the only ones grateful for the milk. In addition to the neighbors, the chickens get a boost in their quota of calcium and protein from milk and its products. And when the calves are weaned, the pigs become our excess milk consumers.
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We didn’t realize what a wise investment the Dutch belted cows were when we first got them. We’re now so “wealthy” in meat and milk products that we don’t need further convincing, but we’re learning about their many other assets as we go. They have easy births because of the relatively small size of their calves. The cows will continue to have calves and produce milk through their teens and live to be about 20 years old — much longer than dairy cows confined in large commercial operations.
Here is a lazy confession: These cows are just great if we don’t feel like milking all the time. It’s OK to share their milk with the calves and only milk when we feel like it. We also take a break at least two months before their next births. With cheese in the root cellar, we don’t need to be deprived of milk products during the cows’ dry periods.
Big Black Piggy Banks
The most recent additions to our farm are Bart and Lucky, two Guinea hogs. Their ancestors originally came over on slave ships from West Africa and were treasured by pioneers for their ability to forage for food, keep premises clear of snakes (heritage pigs instinctively kill and eat snakes) and provide meat with lots of lard. Their population fell dramatically during the Civil War, but because of their friendly and intelligent natures, they have survived mainly through petting zoos.
I chuckle because our Guinea hogs remind me of very large piggy banks with their short legs, thick bodies and practically nonexistent necks. But, these piggy banks are completely covered with black hair. The pair is a wonderful addition to our homestead; we value their friendly personalities as well as their ability to consume all excess milk, eggs, orchard fruit and garden produce!
Providing for the Future
What we are learning while living with our endangered animals is that we’ve been blessed to have livestock that is easy to care for while providing us with nutritious and tasty food. It’s a new concept to me that eating animals helps to preserve them, but it’s obvious that if there is no market for these old breeds their numbers will always remain threatened.
Just as we are preserving heirloom seeds in the garden, helping to preserve heritage animal breeds is important for future generations. That sounds rather grand for all the fun we’re having, but now that we realize how few of these animals remain, we understand the importance of providing a home for them. Their unique characteristics helped our grandparents survive, and may also help our grandchildren.
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