Our Pigs

We purchase piglets in the spring from a friend that raises mixed breed pigs. We are not particularly picky about the piglets being one breed or another. What is most important to us is that they are healthy and happy. Another important factor before bringing them home is for the barn to be available so the pigs can make it their home. The sheep are not happy sharing the barn with pigs so we make sure the sheep are grazing in the fields before we bring home the piglets. The pigs love to make the thick bedding in the barn their new home. If the Spring is cold, we put a heat lamp in the barn. Pigs love to be warm and comfortable. They love to eat, sleep, play and be warm.

We give our pigs access to a small field where they can graze and dig and hang out in the sun if they want to. Pigs love to graze. Sometimes we have pigs grazing on one side of the fence and sheep on the other. They also love to play and chase each other. We often see them running around in the cool of the morning because in the afternoon heat they prefer to have a mud bath or rest in the shade of the barn.

One of the reasons for raising pigs was to have them dig out the barn. I drill dried corn on the cob into the thick bedding and over the few months the pigs are with us they dig out the whole thing. This leaves nice and fluffy bedding to be removed and composted and then spread on the fields the next fall. Pigs are real workhorse of a creature.

The pigs share an area with our meat chickens. Pigs are pigs when they eat and there is a lot of wasted food and there is nothing nicer for a chicken then to pick food off the ground. We feed them both organic grain from In Season Farm so we have no problem letting the chickens eat the spilled pig grain.

The pigs are slaughtered here on the farm. A local slaughter business comes to the farm. They have been in this business for over 30 years and are very professional and quick. We make sure the setting is quiet and calm and the whole unpleasant business is over in just a few moments. It is unpleasant to have animals slaughtered. But we eat meat and there is not any other way of getting meat. Selma is always present during the slaughtering. She wants to make sure the creatures she has been taking care of are treated with the respect they deserve and that no needless suffering occurs.

Our customers pick the pork up at a local butcher shop were it has been cut and wrapped to the customers specification. We use a butcher shop that does not use Nitrates in their smoking process.

Our Customers

Our customer base is mostly in Rochester and Olympia although we are getting a lot of interest from Seattle.

Testimonials

Neta: So happy to have access to local pork without Nitrates. Your pork is wonderful.

Annie: Can I put in an order for 1/2 pig for as many years as I am around? I love your pork and I love the way you raise them.

Hollis: It is very important to me that the animals we eat are humanely raised and slaughtered. I don’t ever again want to eat slaughter-house/factory-farmed meat, so I am fine with whenever your/our pigs have their Valhalla date. Honestly. I really
appreciate your ethics!!!

Hollis: We made the ham last Sunday; it lasted all week in a variety of dishes.
It was simply wonderful!!

Kevin: We continue to enjoy our pig. We just rendered our leaf lard last week, we were making fried chicken from the little house on the prairie cookbook, it was so good! We think of you each time we head down to the freezer, thanks again!