This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home... At Kaden and Emily Roush's farm, all piggies are going to market. Kaden and Emily are the sole owners and operators of R Family Farms. Kaden has been raising and selling pigs his whole life, however, after marrying his wife, Emily, they started their own business of raising market hogs together. Emily works full time on the farm and Kaden works part time as he spends the rest of his hours working at a bank in Smith Center, Kansas. Kaden and Emily have worked hard to construct their new farm east of Lebanon, Kansas consisting of 5 barns all equip with enhanced outside access, automatic waters, and either electronic or bulk feeders. The use of electronic feeders is a fairly new way of feeding hogs. Kaden and Emily have electronic feeders in their gestation barn and farrowing house in order to give the sows the correct amount of feed to fit their individual needs during each sows gestation cycle. You can see the electronic feeders in both pictures directly below.
Many of the concepts that Kaden and Emily have incorporated into their barns were in order to succeed in the GAP Program, Global Animal Partnnership Program. They are now a GAP Certified Level 3 Market Hog farm. Through their operation, they produce around 40 head of hogs a month and are hoping to increase to their maximum of 90 head a month within the next year. Kaden and Emily sell their hogs to Whole Foods Market in the Wichita and Kansas City areas. They also provide pork to families in the area when needed. When asked what advice they had to give to aspiring producers, Emily said, "Take advantage of government grants and loans when constructing or expanding." Though R Family Farms is fairly new, they have already experience success and there is no doubt they will continue expand and prosper in the years to come.
