Joyful Noise

Joyful Noise Home-N-Stead is our little moniker to describe the source of our blessings, the cacophony of many animals, and how we do life: at HOME, instead.

We are a family that home-birthed and home-schooled. We grow much of our own food, and deeply appreciate the rural life.

Over the years we have had many kinds of livestock including dairy goats, heritage turkeys and chickens, steers, donkeys and horses, llamas and a variety of other poultry & rabbits. We have settled into a more laid-back routine with a choice of hogs and sheep that require far less of our time and energies than previous ventures and allowing us more time to simply enjoy life.

 After several years of raising commercial-style feeder hogs for our family’s freezer, we began looking at possible heritage pig breeds; at the same time, we explored Hair Sheep breeds. We were already devoted to heritage turkeys and chickens and wanted to switch our standard pork for that of a more flavorful experience as well as find a small livestock to provide 'red' meat.

Heritage animals are ‘old timey’ breeds, not standardized for commercial production. They take longer to grow to ‘butcher size’ (2-3 x as long) and in that longer grow-out, develop a deeper flavor profile and fabulous marbling. The difference is well worth the wait!

American Guinea Hogs was an easy choice for hogs as they are known for being docile, friendly, excellent mothers and great foragers. and because of their smaller size, easier to work with.  We typically grow our butcher hogs until about 16 months of age or more. At that age, an individual will weigh approximately 120 pounds.

St Croix Hair Sheep require no shearing as they shed their winter wool each spring/summer. They are an active (but not flighty) flock. Their meat has been delicious and even older mutton has been mild (not gamey). They are hoof-rot resistant, parasite resistant, and are easy keepers.

 Our hogs are raised on pasture and hay as permitting, a non-GMO feed mix of barley, peas, and oats (corn- and soy-free), pumpkins, apples, garden scraps, soured milk/yogurt, and boiled eggs.

The sheep are on rotating pasture and hay and get the same barley/pea/oat mix. They also enjoy pumpkins and apples.

It is important to us that our animals are fed well, as we believe that we are *what our food ate*.