Welcome to the 2020 edition of “The Ones That Built the Brand!” This is the fourth time we’ve assembled our best and most proven sows to offer them at auction and we can say with confidence, they’re as good as they’ve ever been! I am excited about this offering, but I am THRILLED to welcome […]
There are plenty of phrases, quotes and sayings about opportunity. Chances are, you’ve read one recently when scrolling through your feed on Instagram or Facebook. I’ve read several that are really good, but for me, this one is always rings true: Opportunity doesn’t knock twice. It was February when we were approached by another firm […]
If you’ve ever shown a junior livestock project, there’s not doubt you’ve dreamt of the moment. It’s the final drive. The judge makes his final remarks on the microphone and returns it to the announcer. You’re completely focused, yet you can feel the energy as the crowd goes silent. The judge takes one last look […]
The Belt. Perhaps the Holstein cow aside, is there a more recognizable mark in the livestock world? Ask a smiling 4 year old what kind of pig they want to show and most will answer ‘A belted pig!’ Have you ever noticed what breed of pig is included in most of the Ertl farm sets? […]
When I need perspective the most, I can usually find it by looking back, retracing a few steps and pausing a few minutes to remember the way it used to be. I’m no historian and I wasn’t alive in the 70’s but in the 80’s I was learning and I never had to wonder how […]
SOW ORDER BY DUE DATE Welcome to a powerful set of proven showpig-producing sows! 2015 marks the ninth year since we bought a few gilts and reentered the business and wow – what a ride it’s been! This is such an incredible time to be involved in the showpig industry. Enthusiasm for raising and showing pigs has […]
In casual conversation, random people often ask me what I do for a living. When I answer with ‘I’m a pig farmer’ I usually get an elbow from my wife or a sharp reminder from my conscience. ‘Pig Farmer’ may be true at times and perhaps ‘Showpig Breeder’ might be more accurate, but on a […]
To be quite frank, I’ve always hated tags! It didn’t matter if I was tagging a showpig at a pig sale, show barrow at the county fair or even sows at the farm in the distant past…I hated tags! Some were too big, some were too small and some were even noisy and annoying but […]
I’ll never forget the day my son was born. As someone who’s witnessed thousands of births at the pig farm, the actual birth – while fascinating – was not the moment that captivated me. It was instead the arrival of the anesthesiologist and his preparation that followed. Maybe it was because it was my first […]
For the last couple of months I lived in fear. The threat of PEDv loomed around every corner and every expert I consulted repeatedly said “it’s only a matter of time.” At the farm we used caution at every turn and followed the advice of our vet every chance we had. We disinfected the propane […]