Centering Sustainability From Farrow to Finish

Centering Sustainability From Farrow to Finish

Andrew VanDerPolTuesday, July 23 | 9-11 a.m.

Location

4077 110 Ave. NE | Kerkhoven, MN 56252

Host

Andrew VanDerPol | Pastures A Plenty

RSVP

Since 1952, the VanDerPols have been raising hogs at Pastures A Plenty near Kerkhoven, Minnesota. As part of the fourth generation, Andrew is in charge of the pigs on this farm that is guided by the principles of environment, family, community and long-term profitability. Come learn from Andrew how those values manifest in their production system today. We’ll see all the stages of a pig’s life on the farm, from the gestation barn, to the farrowing barn (rebuilt from an old hog building and featuring geothermal cooling), to growing and finishing in deep-bedded systems. Finally, Andrew will share how his family direct-markets up to 700 hogs a year.

Due to biosecurity practices, booties will be passed out at the end of the driveway.*

Meal

No food will be served at this field day.

See & Discuss

  • Repurposing old infrastructure
  • Geothermal cooling for pigs
  • Gestating, farrowing and finishing pigs
  • Putting farm principles into practice

Farm Info

Website | Facebook

Sponsor

  • MOSA Certified Organic

*Special Instructions for Visiting Farms With Livestock

We ask that all attendees at field days where livestock are present observe the following biosecurity practices. While biosecurity is important on all farms, clean shoes and clothes are particularly important due to the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

When visiting farms with livestock, we ask that attendees:

Wear clean shoes or boots that have not been worn on other farms with livestock or livestock buildings, or around a dense population of wild birds. If shoes or boots were worn around livestock or birds, they must be cleaned and disinfected.

Wear clean clothes that have not been worn around other livestock.

Upon request of the farmer host or PFI staff during the field day, you may be asked to disinfect shoes or boots in a phenol or similar solution or wear disposable plastic boot covers over your shoes (provided by PFI).