HERITAGE PORK
Our pigs are comprised of two distinct rare breeds, Tamworth, the red/brown pig with pointed ears, and English Large Black, the solid black pig with large floppy ears which hide their eyes.
Much has been written about these pigs recently to generate interest and save them from extinction.
For our farm there are simple reasons why we have them. These breeds have been around for hundreds of years, their genetics go back thousands of years and both are suited to a free range life of pasturing, foraging and being fed outside. They sleep and farrow in simple shelters and on those hot sunny summer days, are free to make their own mud hole and bathe in it. Our heritage breeds are naturally raised the old fashioned way on pasture and fed a barley-based diet. They are allowed to forage and root, fed organic apples and comfry in season, hay in winter as well as organic potatoes, squash and cooked peas. The mainstay of their diet is a granola type mix of barley and field peas. We feed no wheat, no soy, no corn to our pigs as we are convinced that this is where pork production has gone wrong in producing unhealthy fats rather than healthy fats. This is especially true for healthy lard.
What this all means for our customers is what we like to call stress free pork. When our heritage pigs are given a stress free life and access to the proper diet, they are able to produce healthy, nutritious meat and fat, low in saturated fats and cholesterol.
For entertaining pig stories and a chance to meet these wonderful creatures you need to visit us at the markets or at our farm.
Please remember that it is always the case with rare heritage breeds that “we must eat them to keep them and keep them to eat them”. We only tell this to our customers, not our animals!
Cooking Tips
As with all our meat, don’t overcook! (Please!)
We cook our pork roasts from frozen. The magic formula is 275ºF for approximately 45 minutes per pound, using a meat thermometer to check desired doneness.
For more specifics, check out our recipes.
