By Robert Malone at Brownstone dot org.

Last weekend, Jill and I visited the uniquely experimental Polyface farm here in Virginia. A long-standing, successful older farm where its owner and operator, Joel Salatin, has developed regenerative farming methods grounded in the pragmatic realities of the small farm and homestead. Jill and I were lucky enough to get a private tour of the farm and to have Joel teach us about sylvan farming and pigs.

Joel has a system of paddocks, with low-lying electric fencing (two-wire) interspersed throughout his vast forest lands of about 2,000 acres. Although the amount of land used for his 400 pigs at any one time is much smaller. Pigs are kept in 35 animal "herds" and are rotated in lightly forested areas.

These pig paddocks have had some trees felled, so that the dappled earth grows vegetation that the pigs can eat. Old-growth forest (with the exception of acorn season) doesn't have much undergrowth and is less suited for sylvan farming. Joel moves a feeder - along with the pigs, so that they have access to tested, non-pesticide residue feed also.

Although the pigs eat every bit of vegetation, greenery, and all the scraps given, they also require feed in order to gain healthy weight for slaughter. In the fall, pigs are put into forest areas heavy with oaks, so that they can forage the acorns - their favorite!

Joel has basically developed his own breed of pig, although he is too modest to put a name on them. Although Jill did. The "Polyface Pig," as Jill calls them, is built like a torpedo, with a straight topline, and is a mix of heritage breeds. It is built for hardiness, the ability to build healthy muscle, and is less lean than the pig used on factory farms. It can tolerate changes in the weather more readily and has pigmented skin that doesn't burn to a crisp in the hot sun.

This is a hardy pig, developed from multiple heritage breeds, and is quite docile. What is important is hardiness, tractability, and meat quality. This is a pig being created for the small farm and particularly for rotational grazing.

Sylvan farming is essentially farming within a forest-like environment, blending agriculture with forestry to create a sustainable, diverse, and productive system. In the case of pigs, they need to be rotated often, or they do too much erosion damage and even uproot trees. However, in Virginia and in other states "east of the Mississippi," where forest is plentiful and most of it is not old-growth, pigs can be a wonderful addition to a homestead.

In the meantime, although more difficult to find, pork and ham can be bought from quality sources online and locally. It is absolutely worth going out of your way to buy pig meat from ethically sourced farms.

Pig factory farms pose risks not only to the animals inside but also to human health, the environment, and surrounding communities. The most significant issues are air and water pollution, antibiotic resistance, and inadequate animal welfare.

My hope is that one day the USDA will intercede and make this type of factory farm illegal in the United States.

On the home front, Jill has been wishing for a small dog that we can travel with, as our Aussies just don't fit under the seat on planes very well. Well, a small Pomeranian kind of fell into our laps via an old friend from Georgia last week. So we are now the proud(?) owners of a beautiful peach and white "dog-cat". Her age and history are largely unknown, and she has gone through a number of homes in a very short time this year.

No fault of her own - as she is cute as a button and has attached herself 200% to Jill.

The big dogs were at first a little taken aback, as Sunny (now named Kitty) is an adult dog in the size of a puppy, with so many silly behaviors. Within a day or so, they also have become smitten. We have never owned a small dog before, so we are having to figure some stuff out as we go. Of course, she will be a mostly indoor dog, but she is already learning that birds are ...