The pasture here at Sweet Bear Farm was of poor quality when we began this journey. The pigs did some great work last summer, foraging and rooting. We then over-seeded with pasture mix from our favorite supply store, Farm-Way in Bradford, which has lead to significantly improved pasture this year. There are sections that still need work, mostly due to poor soils or poor drainage. With all the rain this summer, there are some areas that have not been able to dry out.
If the quality is still low, we let the pigs stay longer, to give them an opportunity to further fertilize and root, before we seed again. If the quality is higher, we move them off once the plants are around ankle height to allow regeneration.
Eleanor was out inspecting their work yesterday and is pictured here giving Ruby some scratches. 
A neighbor stopped by, someone who has been familiar with the property for many years, and she commented on the improved quality of the pastures since Sweet Bear Farm has been caring for the land. We hope to continue the pasture improvements as well as reclaiming some of the recently reforested pasture in the areas surrounding the barn. There are some very clear borders which we are aiming for, notable by the different tree ages. So many long term goals! Meanwhile, the pigs will probably move again this weekend…