How to Handle Farm Visitors

The problem is it takes more time to show people how to do things and monitor what they're doing to make sure they do it right than it takes for us to do it ourselves. We don't have much in the way of low brain level tasks - we design our farm to avoid that sort of thing. Can't have them go out in the fields and clear rock or brush, mend fences, etc because:

1) visitors are a biosecurity risk that can and have brought disease to our farm;

2) we have big pigs - breeders get up to 1,700 lbs or more and that's muscle, not fat pigs since they're out on pasture. People don't know how to handle themselves around one animal never mind a herd of a couple hundred most of whom outweigh the visitor, often by a factor of five or ten times. If you have ever been the focus of a mob of pigs you'll know why it would be a very bad idea to have a visitor out in the field;

3) we often have rams - they head butt. It really isn't practical to have strangers wandering around with livestock; and

4) we have working dogs. They don't cotton to people out messing with their livestock.

Agreed. We have a pack of them. Big. Loud. Very on top of the situation. Works great. Uses no electricity.


The times we do have friends and family over we would like a break too for a few hours from our work so we don't want to be out working with them. We would rather stop then and have a bonfire cookout, go for a swim in the pond, chat, etc. We don't keep our noses to the grind stone 24/7. This simply means that visitors are infrequent and scheduled for picnic days, sledding days, etc.

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

Unfortunately waivers are worth a bit less than the paper they're printed on.

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

nice looking alarm highlands.

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"Live your life, and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

Aye, he is a hansom devil. He's up on the scaffolding that wraps around our under construction butcher shop. He and his pack mates love to climb up to high places they can look down at passers-by.

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

Highlands - what kind of pigs do you have that get to be 1,700 pounds? I sold feed for 25 years and never saw one even close to that. Most belgium horses don't weigh that much. Picture would sure be appreciated.

You know as well as I do, you are welcome in my barn anytime!!!

Our farm is visible from all directions and the house and barn on a well travelled road. The view over the lakes and ocean is superb. When the horses, goats and chickens all intermingling it looks very peaceful so people travelling often stop to take pictures and chat.
It is difficult when we are having a wet year here to stop work on a fine day to entertain people who are on vacation.If Bill is mowing with the horse and mower no people are allowed near him because a spooked horse running off with a hay mower with sharp knives can have disasterous results.

If I see strangers in the yard I usually go out to see what they want? That way Bill can keep on doing what ever task he is at. If people just want to take pictures of the view or animals is fine except no pictures of Rex when he is in harness or near the fence. That old horse had his fill of cameras clicking and he runs away when he sees a camera.If he sees a camera he will run even with the hay more is attached!

Now our daughter's horse who is living here, loves people and posing for pictures! He was a show horse and also did cattle penning until he hurt is foot. Now he is 19 years and retired. But Pal loves the attention of visitors as do the goats. The rule is though, no people are allowed in the pasture. The animals will come to the fence if they want to be petted. Rex will saunder away out back if he doesn't like people around. The pasture is a haven for all the animals and they can choose to either be around people or escape them if they choose too.

Another type of visitor are perspective farmers/ homesteaders who come to talk for hours asking questions. I always tell them Bill is happy to answer questions if they return on a rainy day! Otherwise I will answer what I can. I always explain why he can't stop what he is doing to visit. Especially in a rainy year like we are having here. Every sunny day is a work day!

The third kind of visitors are close friends and family who come and want to stop and talk. This group Bill will stop to talk to depending why they are there and if they only stay a few minutes. They usually don't stay long.

I have no problem correcting other folks children if they run, scream or go in our garden! If they don't listen the first time I tell the parent that their child can't run or scream around our animals because we always speak quietly to them.If the parent does not correct them I will take hold of their children and speak sternly to them as they are on our property. If they don't like it both parents and kids can leave. I found there are so many unruly kids and young parents who had no discipline growing up and they just don't know how to behave on other folks property.

Yes; there are days we wish we were out of sight of the road and away from people especially when they ask questions like a lady did the other day. She knocked on the door and wanted to see if we had raw milk for sale which she said she knew was illegal to sell here. She said she loved our farm because it is so pretty and how amazing how all this grew up green and pretty.

She wanted to know about cows and asked; "Do you have to milk a cow every day?"!! "No," I said, " You have to milk a cow twice a day when it is lactating." Then she said;" Can you skip milking the cow when you go on vacation?"

"You can only skip milking if the cow is dry, "I replied. "Some breeds of cows give only enough milk for their calfs and milking them isn't necessary," Would you believe she replied," Why do you let them have calves?" " They won't give milk unless they have a calf" I replied.
"Why?" she says. I finally said to her," I know a good book at the library you can read about these things. But I don't think you are ready to own a cow yet."

These are the days I want to disappear out back with Rex!

"Not open to the public" does have a host of benefits! Legal and otherwise!!!

They're a cross of Yorkshire x Berkshire x Large Black x Tamworth that we've been selectively breeding for a bit over a decade. We take pigs to market weekly, year round so we get to cull and improve the herd very frequently.

One of the many characteristics I select for is fast growth on pasture. It is only the breeding boars that get to that size at about six years of age. Spot, who hit 1,700 lbs was exceptional. Most boars are between 1,000 and 1,400 lbs at full size. Sows get to more like 800 to 900 lbs. Boars are lean, sows carry a little bit of back fat - pasture doesn't incline pigs towards carrying a lot of fat. Most pigs, >95%, are of course only 250 lbs since that is when we take them to market.

There are about 13,000 pictures on my blog. Lots of pictures of our pigs out on pasture. Here's a link in to Big'Un:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2010/06/25/bigun-tusks/

Boars are selected for size and speed of growth and they live long enough as breeders to get to half a ton or more. A bit like short legged cattle.

Cheers,

-Walter

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

[QUOTE=Horseyrider;6652425]I am well insured and careful. I find visitors disruptive because there's a ton of work to do, and very few know the difference between a baby carrot and a weed.

But there's something about people coming out for the first time, looking past the things that need fixing to the trees and birdsong, the old barn with hand hewn beams, the antiques and sunshine and herbs drying in the windows, iced tea brewing on the porch and fresh cherry pie cooling on the sill, and I hear the wistfulness in their voices when they say "Could we come back sometime?"

I know how much *I* love being here. I can't blame them for feeling the same way.[/QUOTE]

Bingo.
Who knows? There could be a future farming friend, farm sitter or neighbor in that group.

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" It's better to ride even if you get thrown, than to wind up just wishin' ya had."

Chris Ledoux