One of the best parts of our piggie co-ownership is that our friends have land that the pigs are using to root and forage in. This clears and fertilizes the land for their garden expansion next year. This helps to minimize the amount of feed that we need to purchase for the pigs.
But, pigs being om
nivores creates a great situation for feedings. Frugal families can feed many things to their pigs safely, thus reducing the monthly food bill. The following are just a few ideas of things that pigs can eat and grow on.
- Kitchen and table scraps. If you are not keeping onion peels, celery tops, and carrot nubs for making stock, they can be tossed into the pig pen. My friends have advised me that large amounts of fruits at one time (particularly fruits with pits) can be a problem, but if given in modest amounts over time they are fine.
- Garden leftovers. Any produce that you have grown that was damaged beyond the point of human consumption will be great for your pigs! Even things like corn stalks, shucks, and cobs can be added.
- Co-op leftovers. I have a cousin who gifts me anything in her weekly co-op purchase that she feels can’t be used up quickly enough by her family to prevent spoilage. Sometimes this isn’t much, but occasionally it can be buckets full of large cucumbers on the verge of spoiling, leaf lettuce that has seen better days, or questionable bags of kale. She is pleased that these items don’t go to waste and end up in a landfill and I am grateful that it reduces our feed bill.
I am sure that the homesteader that is determined could find all sorts of ways to provide 
free and low cost foods to their pigs to keep the feed bills lower. As for now, we are finding enough for our growing piglets. I will likely be exploring more ways in the future as they grow and require more food.
For more of our adventures in raising pigs, click here.
Are you raising livestock this year? What are your feeding tips?
Till next time,
Another Hatchett Job.... 