AlphaWolf Homestead

11/20/2024

This is the best time of year to control invasive species. These are the 5 worst invasives for SW Michigan. Cut then treat stump with an herbicide.

10/30/2024

A gorgeous sunset to welcome 8 new piglets on the farm! More pics to come 🎃

10/22/2024

Tell me your boar is awesome without telling me your boar is awesome! His next litter of babies should be due any day!

10/21/2024

90lbs of apples equated to 3.5 gallons of fresh hand pressed cider! Would it have been easier to buy 3 gallons absolutely! But then I wouldn’t have gotten to spend this beautiful day picking apples on a private orchard with my wife and toddler. I wouldn’t have seen his face light up drinking that first sip.

10/15/2024

This summer I started working on this old cider press. I took every piece apart, hand planed the wood, oiled all the moving pieces and then sealed the wood with mineral oil. When I got it all apart I was able to getaway date stamped on the grinder, 1876. It is 150 years old! It was still missing a hopper though. I sent the dimensions to my dad to see what he could come up with. Was not expecting our logo lasered into the wood. The oak for the hopper came from his property. Very happy with how it looks. Going to press some apples this week as a test run.

10/07/2024

This spring the City of Battle Creek had a a wooded section near the river logged of nonnative trees. I sent a proposal to our city manager to plant it with native pawpaws. The proposal got approved and last week with a few volunteers we were able to plant it with 50 pawpaw seedlings!

09/30/2024

I was out checking on the back part of the property today. We recently ran the fence further back to allow the animals access to the woods if they wish. Mostly it’s the pigs finding acorns or cherry’s or whatever else the pigs can find 😂. But today not only were the pigs back there but so were the horses and our dairy cow. Which got me thinking who else lets multiple species of animals utilize the same track of land?

09/29/2024

Had an amazing time at the inaugural Illinois Pawpaw Festival in Pawpaw, IL! We sold every piece of fruit and every tree we brought—thank you to everyone who came out to support! Thank you Austin Cliffe for the invite. 🍈🌳 It’s incredible to see so much love for this delicious native fruit. Can’t wait to do it again next year! "

09/27/2024

Persimmon tree is loaded this year! Dropping early also.

09/26/2024

Pawpaw trees loaded up for the Pawpaw Festival in Paw Paw, IL! While I was loading them I was able to pick the first ever figs from the farm as well!

09/22/2024

Pawpaws are finally starting to get ripe!

08/28/2024

Found time to plant out some of the pawpaw seedlings today. Very happy with the amount of growth they have shown in their first year, along with the amount of root mass.

Speaking of pawpaws we have a really exciting event taking place on October 5th that I’m very excited for. More information to come closer to October! Checked my forage sights for pawpaw and they are about 2 weeks away from being ripe.

Also the first year with a fig tree in the ground and it is looking good! Hopefully some of the figs will ripen before the first frost.

08/19/2024

Michigan native pawpaw trees for sale! These are all seed grown trees from superior plants. $20 for 1 or $30 for 2.

Pawpaws are native to Michigan and grow the largest native fruit to the area! It tastes like a mix between mango and banana with the consistency of custard, and will require two plants for good pollination. Young plants like some shade from harsh mid day sun but after a couple of years can handle fun sun.

08/12/2024

Piggies love leftover corn stalks from the garden!

06/24/2024

New project this summer! Vintage cider press with grinder. Going to pull it apart plane the wood and reassemble. Anyone have any ideas on who made it? Or food safe oil for the metal parts?

06/15/2024

Couldn’t have said it better! The pork we raise does not compare to what is in a grocery store, and our pigs live how they are intended, outside with fresh air, sunshine, dirt and grass, with all the belly scratches they could ask for!

When someone asks why a package of brats is $10 or $12.....

#54 of finished product for $281.10....

This is JUST processing. This doesn't include non-gmo feed, water, high quality hay, my time, labor, pasture seed, land rent, or electricity. These pigs take an average of 14 months to grow to a butcher weight of #200. When you purchase from us you can be guaranteed you are getting the absolute highest quality pork money can buy, raised with strict animal welfare guidelines and lots of love.

06/03/2024

So true! One item removed from the project list and two more get added! What is at the top of your list?