A Permaculture Guided Farm

Shire Hound Farms

The Farm

Eco Not Ego

We are a small farm based in Martinsville, Ohio. We grow a variety of native and non-invasive non-native fruit trees, nut trees, and berry bushes. In addition to the maturing food forest we produce quality naturally grown vegetables. Helping us steward the land are our dogs and livestock.

Stay tuned for more info…

Congrats to our friend over at @branstratorfarm that are celebrating a release of a beer brewed with rye grown right here in Clinton County!

This is why you plant natives whenever feasible. This beautiful zebra swallowtail (protographium marcellus) was sitting on our pawpaw (asimina triloba) seedling in our front pollinator garden. The pawpaw is the only host species for the zebra swallowtail. When I spooked the butterfly it took flight and considered alighting on nearly fifteen different species before returning to rest on this same pawpaw. Ecosystems are complex. Native ecosystems are the most harmonious. Consider your role in the symphony when selecting plantings.

Auggie decided the volunteer pumpkin growing outside his pen made a perfect frame in which to model his good looks. Also, lots of wonderful flowers are hitting their stride for all of our native pollinators. #AmericanGuineaHogs #Wildflowers #FarmBeauty

A perfect handful of snacks after some yard work is only a few steps away on the farm. #gooseberries #marionberries #BlackCurrants #GrowWhatYouEat

The reaction you get from the piglets when you bring home spent grain from work. #AmericanGuineaHogs #reuse #repurpose

Braided up the garlic today. A large portion will go towards expanding our garlic crop for next year, but we will have a few braids available for purchase after they finish drying some more.

You know, just a casual ride down the log flume at Shire Hound. Haha. Life is dreary if you can’t make a little fun out of the rain.

Last night moments before the storm hit. We always love the pictures across the pond combining the sky, tree line, and the sky and trees reflected back in the water… Overall, everything is soaked and only a few branches down. Otherwise we came out pretty unscathed from the wind and rain.

@woodsidepawpaw had an online giveaway for some pawpaw scion; and we won. We were able to get a few scions of some genetics (prima 1216 and mango) we didn’t have on the farm. The scions arrived in great condition and we field grafted a few young seedlings. Thanks, Woodside!

It was a family affair at the farm today. Tara harvested a bunch of garlic, Jim mowed all the grass, and Alex did some planting and small projects. It takes everyone to make this place run.

We’re going to apologize in advance for all the piglet pictures we are going to flood your feed with over the coming few weeks. Enjoy! #AmericanGuineaHogs

It’s definitely springtime. It’s raining all day and babies are everywhere on the farm.

We aren’t just all pigs and fruit trees on the farm. We’ve got a nice selection of flowers growing as well. Gotta feed the pollinators and feed our eyes with some beautiful flowers. Shared a few bouquets with the neighbors as well.

A sea of flashy trout back lettuce. Getting real close to harvest, who needs to make a salad...

Well, the heard just got a little smaller, just in time to get a little bigger. We sent three girls out with a great family today. Camille is still holding on to her babies, but refuses to leave the relief of her kiddie pool on these hot days. Piglets any day now... #AmericanGuineaHogs

Camille says get these babies out, it’s too hot for this... #AmericanGuineaHogs #AndTheHeardGrows

These early season beds are some of our favorites. They might appear to not be growing much in terms of traditional veggies, but that is perfect camouflage to keep out hungry wildlife. Today we thinned out the radishes growing in the bed, but will continue to harvest carrots, radishes, and crimson clover before thinning the cover crop and planting in our fall harvest veggies.

Everyone moved into new homes/pastures today. Over the last month or so they’ve done their job of tilling up the alleyways between the fruit trees so we can plant some annual produce there. I think everyone approved of the new digs. #americanguineahogs #EveryoneWorksOnTheFarm

Spending the morning attending, virtually, one our favorite conferences of the year, pawpaw! The conference, presented by the Ohio Pawpaw Growers Association, National Pawpaw Growers Association, and The Ohio State University, is packed with great presentations and information. Great job Brad and Ron and your teams!

It’s always fun to be able to put a farmer’s face with the ingredients. Today’s hoecakes are brought to you by red fife wheat and cornmeal from @branstratorfarm and chestnut flour from Route 9 Cooperative and rounded out with eggs from the ducks here on the farm. So tasty!