STAPLES FARM

Anytime something happens at the farm, and unplanned things happen all the time, one of us will say, "It's just one more thing." For those not familiar with the phrase, it refers to a new challenge added to the already overwhelming list of items that need attention. At times, they occur just when you think your list of things to do is complete, or, more importantly, down to a manageable number of items. Such was the case this week. Two nights, Jon and I worked late into the evening, relighting the stock trailer and replacing some rusted metal at the back gate. Wednesday morning, I was feeling good about what we had accomplished. After picking up some things we needed at the shop, I decided to drive the service road back to the house. As I got close to the top of the hill, I could see a river of water coming out of the well house. The cause was a blown-out 1 ½" fitting at the wellhead. What should have been a quick trip to town took several hours and stops at five stores, which is funny since it took less than thirty minutes to replace the broken fitting. Still, we are thankful that this one more thing occurred during the day when the parts stores were open and that we were given the skills necessary to repair. Yesterday, Andrea, Travis, Jon, Steve, and I spent the day moving the pigs into new paddocks, preparing for winter weather, and building a pen for some new arrivals. I'll share more about them in the coming days. It is an exciting time on the farm, full of endless possibilities for the future. We are blessed! Leo

Today, we celebrate and give thanks for all the blessings we have received. Choosing to farm and raise animals sustainably requires hard work. As we have learned this year, things don't always go as planned. We are grateful, knowing that nothing we do would be possible without God's grace, our dedicated team, and the support of our friends and customers. Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving filled with good food and surrounded by family and friends.

Yesterday we put the pigs in new paddocks. The nine remaining paddocks are the last of our 2025 summer annuals. While all the forage is dead, the pigs are still eating it. They especially like finding a Johnson grass plant. When they do, they dig up the rhizomes and eat them. Hopefully, the remaining paddocks will last until the fall pig plants are ready to graze. As the weather turns colder, we will keep their shelters filled with hay. The hay we will use is cereal grains, winter peas, and vetch baled after the cereal grains set seed. This morning, I noticed two of the sows gathering mouthfuls of summer annuals and putting them in their shelters, so I gave them some hay. Making beds is a natural behavior for pigs, as these beds are comfortable and make them feel safe. The two videos also show that the pigs like to eat the hay we use. -Leo

On Saturday, November 1, 2025, we finally started planting our fall cover crops and pig pasture. We had hoped to plant on September 1, but the ground was too dry. It is still hard to see how good the stand is in the hay fields because they are covered with thick grass. However, that isn’t the case with the pig pasture, which was bare ground when we planted. Our preference is to no till everything, but the pigs have different ideas and rut up their paddocks as they graze. The first photo shows the growth in the pig pasture, and the second photo shows the diversity of plant life. We are thankful for the rain and warmer-than-normal days that have allowed us to make up some lost time. In a few weeks, the pigs will start grazing on the west end of the field. The pigs grazed this area in the Spring of 2024 and 2025. It is impressive to see how the soil in this area has changed in that short span of time. -Leo

In October, I was privileged to participate in a Farmer/Rancher Fly-in in Washington, DC. The purpose of the event was to encourage Congressional members to vote against any legislation that opposed California Proposition 12, Massachusetts Question 3, and other similar legislation. Over the course of twelve years, I visited Washington, D.C., three to four times a year to advocate for STEM education, professional certifications, and standards within my professional society. Even with that experience, I was not prepared for what the opposition had ready for us. Returning home, I researched their position and wrote a paper titled, "Economic Benefit Doesn't Justify Animal Cruelty." In this paper, I debunk each of the opposition's talking points, expose the dark side of the vertically integrated food processors, and highlight areas where the large industrial farms are putting our food supply at risk. If you would like to read the paper, email me at [email protected] and I'll send you a copy. In my opinion, we are at a crossroads in agriculture, where the vertically integrated food processors hold farmers, ranchers, and consumers hostage. One result is the rapid replacement of family farms by corporations that, in some cases, are owned by foreign entities. As we approach the holidays, I encourage you to support the local, independent farmers and ranchers in your area. Remember that the majority of money spent on locally grown food stays within the community. -Leo