Previously wooded area will provide lots of food. Roots, nuts, seeds, weeds, insect life in the soil. Prior to the colonization of North America, the hogs of Europe flourished by gleaning their food from the forest floors.
If you put 100 hogs on one acre they will kill all the trees and it will be a moonscape. If you put 3 hogs on 3 acres they will kill only the brush and weeds and leave large trees to flourish as the trees will no longer compete for water and soil nutrients being used up by the brush and weeds.
I am not telling you to abstain from feeding them some grain daily, as to not do so would greatly slow the growth and development of the modern hogs we have today.
About the feed: IMO it would be unwise to purchase the entire 1.5 tons of feed and then feed out hogs on that one batch. Feedgrains, much like coffee, immediately begin to lose their freshness and nutrient value once they are ground. You would do better to break it up into batches, bring your bags or barrels to elevator and still get bulk pricing.
The pigs could do fine moving through areas where you have not cleared the trees as well. I do believe you could call it pastured pork if they can run about gathering natural vegetation, trees present or not.
My experience has been that butcher hogs raised in the manner you propose
are like the movie "The Field of Dream" ... "If you build it they will come"
The buyers will find you.
The hard facts that lots of folks don't want hog chores in the winter months could be used to your advantage. Seasonal lower price to purchase the feeder pigs. Higher rate of gain in the cool months of winter versus the heat of summer(at your latitude).
If you have natural woodlots, you could initiate production yet this fall!
Good luck. Pigs are fun
If you put 100 hogs on one acre they will kill all the trees and it will be a moonscape. If you put 3 hogs on 3 acres they will kill only the brush and weeds and leave large trees to flourish as the trees will no longer compete for water and soil nutrients being used up by the brush and weeds.
I am not telling you to abstain from feeding them some grain daily, as to not do so would greatly slow the growth and development of the modern hogs we have today.
About the feed: IMO it would be unwise to purchase the entire 1.5 tons of feed and then feed out hogs on that one batch. Feedgrains, much like coffee, immediately begin to lose their freshness and nutrient value once they are ground. You would do better to break it up into batches, bring your bags or barrels to elevator and still get bulk pricing.
The pigs could do fine moving through areas where you have not cleared the trees as well. I do believe you could call it pastured pork if they can run about gathering natural vegetation, trees present or not.
My experience has been that butcher hogs raised in the manner you propose
are like the movie "The Field of Dream" ... "If you build it they will come"
The buyers will find you.
The hard facts that lots of folks don't want hog chores in the winter months could be used to your advantage. Seasonal lower price to purchase the feeder pigs. Higher rate of gain in the cool months of winter versus the heat of summer(at your latitude).
If you have natural woodlots, you could initiate production yet this fall!
Good luck. Pigs are fun