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Andy & Megan Bame
Rowan County, NC
Beef, Pork, Poultry, Eggs, Produce
Andy and Megan Bame have been building their diverse small farm for the past 4 years, but have been growing plants in the horticulture industry for the past 15 years. Initially, they began farming to grow and produce their own food. Since they enjoyed it and found themselves with more than they needed, they began to look for markets that suited their small scale. They do not farm full-time, and provide their own labor. They are a member of Goodness Grows in NC, have their Meat Handler's License, Nursery Certification, and are certified in Pork Quality Assurance (PQA). Pork Bame Farms raises 4-8 hogs at a time. The weaned pigs are purchased from a local hog farmer. The pigs live in a 16-foot x 16-foot open air "pig-pen". There is a dirt floor with straw bedding added as needed. No pasture. As for the parents' living conditions, the sow lives in a production hog house and the sperm was delivered via artificial insemination. The hogs are fed local corn, ground on the farm and mixed with soybean meal and mineral supplement. Anti-biotics are only administered if absolutely necessary. The animals are never given hormones or feed additives. Eggs Currently, there are 50-60 laying chickens at Bame Farms. They generally hatch their own eggs to grow the flock. They use three rolling pens and poultry netting to allow the chickens to graze during the day and roost in the pens (safe from predators) at night. These animals are not force molted. They are fed laying pellets from a feed mill in Statesville and oyster shells as a calcium supplement. They are never given antibiotics, and remain in the flock indefinitely. |
