Pasture pork.

[Skinny rooster]

A couple bought a farm near me and started pasture raised pork. They did something smart last Saturday, they got other farm producers like pasture beef, maple syrup producers, organic vegetable growers etc, etc to come and they held a farmer's market for the Christmas season. All the locals said it would never work because they are too remote, they were smart however, they really advertise well and it was an unbelievable success, I was really happy for them.

I got to walk around the farm, one of the first things I noticed was that there was no smell, anyone that has been to a pig farm where everything is kept inside knows what I am talking about. The second thing I noticed was I had forgotten how big they get lol, I was really hoping the electric fence was working whenever an adult ran to the fence looking for food. I also see where all the pigeons suddenly came from lol, since the pigs are fed outside. The pigs were running around happy as a pig in..... a pasture. They are destructive to the land though I noticed, a couple of the biggest sows were digging holes big enough to hide a small car. One other drawback I noticed was that to farm this way, one pig took up a lot of space compared to pigs kept in pens.

I bought some of the pork, I haven't tried it yet but the pork burgers they cooked that day were out of this world. I also bought organic beef and lots of home baked treats.It was a fun day with music etc. Good for them!

[Killerbunny]

It will be fabulous and taste like pork not the tasteless stuff from the supermarket - enjoy. Flavour will also depend on the breed of pig some taste more "piggy" (in a good way) than others.

[baronrenfrew]

Skinny: what is the farm?

Aye, pigs allowed to be pigs? Crazy!

Pigs on rotated pasture can rejuvanate land if done right.

I still dream of the pork we got from a friend 20 years ago. 100 pigs free ranged ?! He put feed in the troughs and banged garbage can lids together and pigs appeared from all over the countryside.

[TomK]

I read this and i have always thought on getting pigs...the drawback has been the land requirement to pasture them properly and the basic damage they are able to do to a pasture and quickly, so I held off...at this point in time and living here as we do we are incredibly blessed to be able to carry on as we have...today I watched a doc on Netflix...entitled 'Cowspiracy' ...a little lengthy and a few minor flaws in the use of statistics but basically has a message to everyone...i came away saddened that we all, yes, all, have blinders on when the topic of sustainability is presented...it has made me think...its a huge topic...not always easily addressed and when people are asked to change how they do things, resistance is savage...if you have time (its an hour and a half long) give it a watch...the comments above about the pigs and land use triggered this post...MJ and I are making changes

[baronrenfrew]

Yes, cradle to grave, dig oil out of the ground, run a tractor to grow corn, use natural gas to make fertilizer, use it to grow corn, feed the corn to cows/chickens/pork etc. people eat the meat and you have the greatest impact on global warming. BAD
Cut down forest, burn what is left, and grow grass for cows- very bad.
The planet has lots of land unsuitable for crops and is only good for grass so grass grows- then they burn it to get rid of it (which happens a lot) - VERY BAD.

Have a cattle rotational grazing system that IMPROVES the soil, consumes grass that is grown on non-tillable land (such as our rocky pastures), then add in silvopasture (growing trees and grass pasture on the same land at the same time), and you put carbon into soil reducing global warming. GOOD

Agriculture is currently the problem and it can be the solution to global warming -who'd a thunk it?

[the chickenvilla]

HI, we used to raise our own pork.
can't compare it to the one you buy in the store
only "downside" is to get them butchered - it's getting really expensive
don't have any pigs right now, but I will get some again

[Ontario Chick]

HI, we used to raise our own pork.
can't compare it to the one you buy in the store
only "downside" is to get them butchered - it's getting really expensive
don't have any pigs right now, but I will get some again

It's the same problem everywhere, with the small processors disappearing and the cost of processing going thru the roof.
We stopped raising ducks because we couldn't find anybody to process them after the local guys stopped doing them.
The last batch went for a 1.5 hour trip and the cost of processing $11 each.
Most expensive meal we ever had

[TomK]

OC...11 bucks to process a duck?... WTH....I could see it for the trouble of one or two but as a general price thats insane

[windwalkingwolf]

IF you buy weaned pigs in early spring, pasture all summer, and slaughter in fall, and have buyers lined up for pork, it CAN be cost effective. And KB is right, the taste is incomparable, and like chickens, the older they are/longer on pasture, the better the flavour. But, it still won't be 2$ per lb., once you factor in fencing, supplies, gasoline, time, supplemental feed, water, hydro, etc. Replacement food and water troughs when the pigs destroy the "pig proof" ones, replacement fencing when the pigs figure out how to ground out the electric, or dig under poles sank 3' into the ground, or push 2 ton concrete aside or open double chained gates. They are smart, and determined, and entertaining, and worth every penny when you get one back from the butchers. If you want to keep breeding stock though, forget about it being cost effective ever again!

[Skinny rooster]

I have heard of much higher prices for processing ducks, sometimes high enough that it is cheaper to buy duck than raise them yourself.

WWW or a cheaper and easier way for me to get pasture pork is to get in my car and drive to this neighbour...... lol lol lol, why would I want all that expense and work? I also think you guys forgot, I am the pto member that absolutely, completely hates pigs, haaaaates pigs, despises them, loathes them, the only ones I want are in the form of bacon, green bacon, roasts or spare ribs! I know all about pigs, we used to have them when I was young. They eat chickens as well, enough said! Lol