STAPLES FARM

Soil Health and Our Fall Cover Crop

At Staples Farm, animal health and well-being are more than simple words. In fact, they guide everything we do. This evening, as Jon and I finished up and put away our tools, an unfamiliar sound grabbed my attention. We checked on all the animals but found nothing amiss. Later, during our 9:00 pm bed check, I paid extra attention to the new baby donkey. That’s when I heard the strange noise again—this time coming from the hut where Tiana’s litter sleeps. Two weeks earlier, some of our breeding stock and feeder pigs had come down with a respiratory infection. We only medicate animals that are truly sick, and up until now, Tiana’s litter had stayed healthy. But this time, the noise was unmistakable—one of her barrows was wheezing. At first, I thought I could wait until morning to treat him, but after consulting with Jewel, I realized it was wiser not to delay. Andi reminded me about a new, single-dose medication for respiratory infections, a welcome change from the usual multi-day antibiotic regimens. For context, just two weeks ago, Tiana’s piglets weighed in at about 42 pounds each. I knew catching and holding the wheezing barrow would be no easy task. I trapped him in the hut, but he made it clear he wasn’t interested in my help or the shot. After a struggle, where the pig was definitely winning at first, I finally managed to hold him down long enough to give the shot. As we say here at Staples Farm, “It's always something”.

Donkey Billie has her baby.

It was just starting to rain when Layla and I did the bed check this evening. Everyone was warm and dry. I'm always amazed at how the pigs love to snuggle. Sandy was in her farrowing hut, but hasn't shown any signs that she will give birth anytime soon.

As many of you know, our gilt, Sandy, is expecting, and her due date is November 1, 2026! We thought it would be fun to have our Followers guess how many piglets Sandy will have. So, put your pig-counting skills to the test! HOW TO ENTER: Comment below with your guess: How many piglets will Sandy deliver? Like this post to show Sandy some love! Share this post with friends and family so they can join the fun! We’ll reveal Sandy’s piglet count and contest winner after she farrows. Will Sandy surprise us with a big litter, or will she keep things small? We can't wait to find out! Good luck, everyone! #StaplesFarm #SandyTheGilt #PigletGuessingContest #BerkshirePigs #FarmLife #PastureRaised #OklahomaFarm #PigletsOnTheWay #AJCBerkshires