I am a big believer in healthy fats. I consume lard from pastured pigs, pastured eggs, fat from grass fed meats, butter from grass fed cows, and now coconut oil.

Recent research on coconut oil clearly indicate it is a healthy oil. My personal experience has been positive since I began consuming coconut oil on a regular basis.

It is a great oil to cook with but beyond that it is a good oil to consume by itself. I take at least a tablespoon or two everyday.

Coconut oil has many benefits such as:

• Promoting your heart health
• Promoting weight loss if and when you need it
• Supporting your immune system
• Supporting a healthy metabolism
• Providing you with an immediate energy source
• Helping keep your skin healthy and youthful looking
• Supporting the proper function of your thyroid gland

I wasn't aware of all these benefits when I first started taking coconut oil. I was mainly interested in replacing junk carbs in my diet with healthy fats and oils.

Coconut oil has often been compared to carbohydrates in its ability to be "burned" for energy.

However, since insulin isn't involved in burning the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil you get the energy without the spikes in your blood sugar like you do with burning carbs for energy. This is one of the keys to health and weight loss….keeping your blood sugar at normal levels.

I've noticed since drastically reducing my carbohydrate intake and replacing much of it with healthy fats and oils like coconut oil I no longer suffer from the intense hunger I used to experience after eating a carb loaded meal.   As a matter of fact I've been shocked at how gradually I get hungry compared to before I started doing this.

The End Result Since Using Coconut Oil

• I have more energy
• No more ups and downs in my energy levels
• I eat less because I'm not hungry
• I've lost six pounds
• 95% of the spare tire around my waist is gone
• I weigh what I did when I was in high school

Many of you will email me and ask what kind of coconut oil I use and where I get it. I've tried several different companies over the last few months and have settled on this one. Good price and good product. Here is a link to what I've been using. You can save up to $10 off your first purchase.

If you want to research further how coconut oil and other healthy fats can help you in your health journey check out these links.

Dr Mercola

Dr Mercola

Weston Price


Until Next Time...

Last October a friend talked me into going to the Muskingum County Sale Barn to see if there would be any feeder pigs come through he might be able to buy.

I haven't been to a sale barn in a long time. One litter of pigs went through that day but what astounded me was the


amount of sows that went through the ring…all headed for slaughter. 34 sows (to be exact) that will not be producing feeder pigs this spring. That's a potential 340 pigs lost from this sale barn alone in one day.

I knew right then what this meant... I decided to would check a few other sale barns in the next week or so and see if it was a fluke or if small farmers were unloading their sows at an alarming rate.

I checked four more sale barns in the days following and the story was the same. Tons of breeding stock going to slaughter. With feed prices higher than ever many small farmers have opted to get out of business or drastically cut back on the number of pigs they carry through the winter.

I did some checking around and all the indicators are pointing to a shortage of pigs this year.

Hog farrowings (litters of pigs) are expected to decline in the second-half of 2012 and the first three quarters of 2013 because of high anticipated feed prices. -USDA Economic Research Service

I have been getting calls and emails by the dozens each week from folks asking about feeder pigs.

Our Supply is Tight We will have a very limited supply of feeder pigs this spring as well. Our main line of business is supplying consumers with pork and we need more pigs than ever to meet the demand.

What You Should Do if You Plan to Get Feeder Pigs This Year

If you plan to get feeder pigs this year you better get with your farmer right away and see if you can get them reserved.

If you're waiting for a bunch of pigs to hit the market this Spring...I think you're going to be surprised!

Until next time...

Bacon and ham have been demonized most recently because of the nitrites used to cure them.This has brought about the 'nitrite free' products you can find at your local health food store. Are they really healthier? The short answer is no. Nathan S. Bryan, PhD, University of Texas Houston Biomedical Research Center, pulls no punches when he states, "This notion of 'nitrite-free' or 'organically cured' meats is a public deception.

The truth is these meats are cured with celery salt and a bacteria starter culture which turns the nitrates in the celery salt to nitrites.

There is a wide range of how much of the nitrates from the celery salt are converted to nitrites. But the end result is much more than would be added from a traditional method of nitrite salt. So even though it's labeled nitrite free it's loaded with nitrites.

Dr. Bryan says. Yet his biggest concern is not nitrite content but the possibility of bacterial contamination. "I think it is probably less healthy than regular cured meats because of the bacteria load and the unknown efficacy of conversion by the bacteria," he says.

If you have followed my blog for very long you know I'm a proponent of bacteria being one of the keys to enhancing or wrecking your immune system.

In this case you risk wrecking it.

This is a prime example of big business taking some highly publicized and flimsy science at best and then using it to capitalize on a trend.

The following excerpt is from Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN, the Naughty Nutritionist™

Then why do so many health experts condemn bacon and other cured meats because of their nitrite content? Well, why do fats and cholesterol still get a bum rap?

The reason is bad studies and worse publicity, with the latest shoddy work out of Harvard a prime example. According to Dr. Bryan, the body of studies show only a "weak association" with evidence that is "inconclusive." As he and his colleagues wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "This paradigm needs revisiting in the face of undisputed health benefits of nitrite- and nitrate-enriched diets." So what's the last word on America's favorite meat? Indulge bacon lust freely, know that the science is catching up, the media lags behind, and, our ancestors most likely got it right.


Until next time...

If you're looking for portable netting for pigs, poultry or otherwise Premier is the place to go.

If you've never used portable netting you don't know what your missing! Since I bought my first roll I have wondered how I ever got along with out it.

Take a moment and check out there website at: http://www.premier1supplies.com

I recently received Premiers newsletter and loved the article so much I shot Stan a note and asked if I could re-publish it for you. His thoughts on "labels" echo my own. So without further ado Here's Stan.....



In Premier's previous newsletter my comments about the future merits of the organic, sustainable and natural labels surprised and offended some readers. Therefore, a little personal background and an expanded explanation of my views about the future may be in order. My father switched from "chemical" to "organic" farming on our 160-acre Iowa farm in 1955, when I was 9 years old. This change was encouraged in part by reading J.I. Rodale's monthly magazine, Organic Gardening and Farming, which we studied at length.

My folks had a true family (8 children) farm for decades:

• Milked up to 5 cows by hand and sold the cream.

• Raised chickens (hundreds) and sold the eggs.

• Had a large vegetable and fruit garden for our personal needs, weeded, mulched and harvested by hand labor.

• Raised a limited number of sheep, pigs and beef cattle. We butchered and processed meat from them for the family and sold the rest.

• Grew corn, wheat, hay, oats and soybeans, but not many acres of each.

• Heated our home with wood from trees on the farm.


In short, it was the complete opposite of modern specialized farms. The most important product wasn't the food. Instead it was the education and development of the 8 children and our city cousins who visited us each summer. We learned how to think, accomplish, suffer and sweat.

In 1964, I went to Iowa State University and used its excellent library to read every organic/natural farming author on hand, including Howard, Faulkner and Bromfield. In 1965 I switched to Ambassador College, a small, conservative religious college that actively supported and practiced organic farming and gardening.

Two years later I transferred to Ambassador's British campus north of London. Its farm and gardens produced organic milk, meat (chickens and beef), eggs, vegetables and fruit for the student and faculty kitchens. In my senior year I was paid (even now I marvel at this!) to read extensively about organic food and food production for the college's Agricultural Department and prepare summary reports therefrom.

I stayed on after graduation to manage the college's farm and vegetable gardens. By the time the college closed (1974), the farm operation had grown to 300 acres, 1000 chickens, 5 acres of fruit/vegetable gardens and 150 dairy and beef cattle.

During my 6 years as the head of Ambassador's Agricultural Department, I visited research farms and agricultural shows all across Britain, Europe and the USA. We listened and talked with folks like E.F. Schumacher, whose book Small Is Beautiful — Economics As If People Mattered, is probably even more applicable now than it was in the early 1970s. In 1973 I had the privilege to share a lunch in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, with Robert Rodale (now deceased) and Wendell Berry (alive, and a thought-leader I respect highly).

So I have roots developed over 6 decades in organic farming and ecologically sound land utilization.

Why therefore did I suggest that producers might consider supplemental labels to organic, natural and sustainable in my previous newsletter?

1. Because the astute marketing minds of the big "industrial" food producers have already spotted the $$ potential of these labels. Therefore, "organic" labels will soon be commonplace (and may be often attached to food whose production systems may be questionable).

In turn, the smaller producers who began it all will feel pushed out. That's why it's sensible, in my view, to anticipate this — and also attach supporting labels like "no antibiotics, local and/or hormone-free." The nature of large-scale food production makes it more difficult to honestly replicate the extra labels (particularly local and no antibiotics).

2. Because, and this is an opinion developed over 6 decades, I think there is a second, and larger, group of valuable food consumers who are not overly concerned whether their food comes from an organic source. Nor do they care whether the source is a large operation or a small one.

Instead, they want the food source to be one that practices stewardship, that demonstrates integrity (honest, genuine, reliable) and proactively cares for land, animals, employees — and their customers. If they find that the source is too focused on profit as opposed to these things, they will seek an alternative. And they want to buy from people who — to paraphrase E.F Schumacher — "view food production as if people/soil/animals/plants matter, not just for profit and efficiency." Best wishes to you all through the holiday season and beyond.
Stan Potratz, Owner

Health information floating around on the internet and every other form of media can boggle your mind at times.

Heck you can have a conversation with a friend at the water cooler and end up wondering if we're all going to die of some horrid disease from eating wrong. It's all around us - This is bad for you, this is good for you. Eat this, don't eat that.

If you've ever looked at indoor air quality you can be afraid to take a breath inside your own home.  How do can you know what 's the truth?

Unfortunately I don't have a definitive answer for that!

What I can tell you is the rule I live by:

Have the sense of an old cow - Eat the hay and spit out the sticks.

Dr Mercola posted a blog today titled: Why I Do Not Recommend Eating Pork.

Those of you who follow my blog know I'm a big proponent of Dr Mercola. I still am.

However on this particular point,  I don't agree with some of his views or conclusions, particularly about pastured pork.

He has softened his stance some over time. At one time he did not recommend eating pork of any kind.

He now states in his most recent post: "Pork is an arguably "healthy" meat from a biochemical perspective, and if consumed from a humanely raised pastured hog like those on Joel Salatins' farm and prepared properly, there is likely minimal risk of infection. However, virtually all of the pork you're likely to consume do not fit these criteria."

However in the side bar of this post, he has the following: "If you choose to eat pork, I recommend seeking a naturally raised, pastured source, although this is no guarantee of safety. Pastured pigs are vulnerable to Trichinella spiralis infection—aka “pork worm”—due to their exposure to wild hosts. Trichinella is one of the most widespread parasites in the world, and can cause potentially serious health complications."

Perhaps Trichinella spiralis is one of the most widespread parasites in the world but according to the CDC:

Over the past 40 years, few cases of trichinellosis have been reported in the United States, and the risk of trichinellosis from commercially raised and properly prepared pork is very low. However, eating undercooked wild game, particularly bear meat, puts one at risk for acquiring this disease. [More here]

This is one of the favorite arguments  big-ag uses to make us think animals raised outside the way nature intended is actually risky to our health.


We must keep animals inside in an environmentally controlled  setting lest they get contaminated and harm us...Rubbish.

If we mimic nature, feed a proper diet, and let the animals have sufficient room, they will be healthier themselves and impart that health to us when consumed.

A historical research into trichinellosis in swine shows us that it was linked to feeding pigs swill or garbage. This practice today is banned in many states. Most that allow it require a license to feed it to pigs.

I've blogged about alternative feeds before and I personally would not eat pork that has lived on garbage.

Overall I think Dr Mercola did a good job of showing that pastured pork done right is your only option for pork. But when it comes to trumping up the dangers of trichinellosis in hogs that roam outside...this old cow is spitting out that stick.

Until next time...

Ever wonder what a 13 year old female farmer has to say about farming, food and finances?

Shelby Grenbec recently spoke out about her experience raising chickens, selling eggs, and gardening in an article in the Denver Post.


I loved the article! It is an honest assessment of where the sustainable farming movement is right now as well as the realities of marketing direct to the consumer.

She says things like:

"If you want sustainable, wholesome, pasture-raised organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free food, you have to support it. You can not get these things by talking about it and not paying for it."

If you read between the lines you see a girl who is wise beyond her years about people and money. I applaud her parents for teaching her these fundamental truths about life.

Shelby is getting a great head start in life by farming and earning money from the free market system we have here in the United States.

It reminds me of my boys. They have a good understanding that money doesn't just show up in the bank. It takes work. It means offering something of value to the market place and working to get the word out so folks will want to buy what you have.

I was disappointed to see she says she will not continue farming when she gets older. As Joel Salatin so eloquently pointed out one time, we have to have new, young farmers coming into the industry or the old ready to retire farmers can't leave. And when they do the big Ag model gets to fill in the gap if there isn't enough young farmers.

Perhaps Shelby will change her mind in the future but even if she doesn't, I wish her all the best and admire her honesty and hard work!

Read the entire article here: The Denver Post It's a great article.

Until next time...

When I was a kid growing up on a hog farm I'd never heard of Dwarf Essex Rape let alone knew hogs absolutely love it!

Dwarf Essex Rape is a cool season forage we use a good bit to run hogs on especially in the late fall, early winter and spring .


If not grazed down too much it will grow back for several rotations.  I have used it to reclaim old over-grown pastures by sowing a pasture mix with it.

Our sows have been on it for several weeks and have pretty much grazed it down to nothing. Time to move them soon! Besides the Rape they have been getting ear corn from our open pollinated corn. They have put on weight since being in this particular patch which is evidence that it is good forage.

We also planted winter peas in with it. Since we broadcast them verses planting in rows they were way too thick and the rape quickly out grew them. I think next time we'll plant the peas much thinner and see how that goes.

I planted at the end of August which was about thirty days later than I wanted. However it was very dry and no rain forecast so I waited until we had rain coming.

It ended up doing very well and has provided some really good forage for the pigs. I only wish I would have planted more!

The deer and turkeys love it too! They have devastated the end of the field near the woods. I reckon the first Monday after Thanksgiving I better break out the ol' rifle and see if I can get one of those rascals for the freezer seeing as how I'm feeding them!

Until next time...

Practically every industrialized country in the world has demanded that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) be labeled if they are in your food. Many countries don't even allow them in the country. China has refused our GMO corn more than once.

The United States government has steadfastly refused to address the issue. The great thing about America? We can demand our rights be honored at the ballet box.

That is exactly what's going on California this November with Prop 37. It is a measure to require food companies to disclose if they have used genetically modified ingredients in their products.

Of course the biotech companies know if food companies have to disclose this many people will choose not to buy the product.

They claim such things as it will drive the cost of food up and other scare tactics. They have outspent the supporters of Prop 37 by millions of dollars.

To me it's no different than food companies placing the ingredients on the label and won't cost anymore either.

Imagine if food companies didn't have to list High Fructose Corn syrup or MSG on the label.

This is no different.

If you are not familiar with the facts about GMO's go to Institute for Responsible Technology website and learn more...your health depends on it.


Prop 37 could very well be the "straw that broke the camels back" this election year. Other states could soon follow suite and we would know what's in our food.


Until next time....

Spring Hill Farms

I have a really nice Tamworth Boar here at Spring Hill Farms. I let him run loose and he does what boars do…..he finds sows and makes babies!

He relies on his sight, hearing, and sense of smell to locate sows that are ready for his advances.   His sense of smell must be really good because he finds sows down the road on other farms and makes babies there too!

My neighbor hates Tamworth pigs. He has worked for years to develop what he calls a nice line of Hampshire pigs.

For some reason he thinks my boar coming down and making Tamworth x Hampshire piglets is an intrusion. He doesn't want my genetics contaminating the genetics he's developing. He has went as far as saying my boar is trespassing! Hey I try to contain him but I can't control the wind for crying out loud.

I think he should admit he's using my genetics (which are clearly superior) and give me the pigs. If he breeds those babies my boar made he has stolen my genetics. Unless he wants to pay me what I say those genetic are worth.

Even if we can't come to an agreement he should at least admit that it's not posing a threat to the local environment or human health.

Hey this is America. Free enterprise allows me to let my boar run loose and spread his genetics.

How do you like my story so far?

I bet you're thinking I've lost my mind!

You see that's exactly what's happening with genetically modified (GMO) corn. We are in real danger of it contaminating the entire corn crop in the United States.

Did you know traces of GMO contamination has been found in Mexico's native corn varieties?

If companies want to develop GMO crops that's fine. Keep them in a hermetically sealed environment that guarantees it won't contaminate other folk's crops who don't want it, don't believe it is safe, and certainly don't want to eat it knowingly.

It's time to educate ourselves about genetic engineering. Take some time and do the research, find out what's really going and make an educated decision. Practically every other developed country in the world has done just that, and they said 'no thanks.'

Until next time…  

Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done. - Calvin E. Stowe

I think many times we complicate things up so much it makes it hard to figure out what the right thing is to do.

Take the case of Whole Foods. If you take a cruise down a few of their aisles you can't help but notice that slowly over time they have moved away from their core philosophy a bit.

Garlic from China beside the "local garlic." Grass fed, local beef from Georgia and the list goes on and on.

However now we see that around 20 to 30 percent of the products on their shelves contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). If that's not bad enough, depending on who you ask in the store, you may be told nothing in a Whole Foods store contains GMO's.

But the most telling of all is the fact that despite showing $10,107,787 in revenue as of September 2011 they have never given one dime to Proposition 37. The measure in California that would require labeling on any food product made using genetically modified organisms.

Labeling foods that contain GMO's is a common sense issue. It's not nearly as complex as folks want to make it. Simply tell me what's in my food and let me decide if I want to consume it.

Practically the rest of the world has come to this decision. It's time for the United States of America to follow suite.

Let's use some common sense thinking - Why would a company like Whole Foods who spends the bulk of their advertising dollars promoting Organic, local, healthy, natural etc. be silent on proposition 37 and the labeling of GMO laden foods?

Looks like the classic bait and switch to me, but you decide for yourself.

Until next time...