Pastured Pork the Healthy and Humane Way
Pasture-raised animals will produce nutritionally superior food for you, along with environmental benefits that come with seeking out pastured pork products.
Here at Pleasant Pastures, we raise our pigs humanely on grass and well-managed pasture, making it easy for you to choose from our many pork options.
Our Heritage Tamworth and English Black piglets are born in a deeply bedded pen, which they will burrow into in order to keep warm. We provide the mama pig with a spacious pen which gives them the opportunity to have an amble area to eat, sleep, urinate/poop (yes, they need to do that too) IF you give them enough room, they will not urinate and poop where they sleep, eat and socialize. Our mamas have plenty of space to move around, and enjoy their babies, versus commercially raised hogs where the mama's are in farrowing crates.
Spring into early summer, we move the pigs almost daily to a new patch of pasture. This helps prevent over-rooting, allows any vegetation to recover, and a offers a natural regeneration of the soil through manure distribution. Plus, for an added bonus we found that moving the pigs frequently has eliminated the need for chemical dewormers and vaccines. Every move consists of moving their corn and soy free feed (a mix of wheat, barley, field peas, fish meal, coconut oil and minerals.) and an 80 gallon water drinker and their shade. During the cooler part of the day they will munch on grass, or create a wallow to utilize when it gets hotter.
Mid summer when it is really hot, we will rotate them through the woods to help minimize heat stress. After the summer heat is over, They head back to pasture.
In late October we round up and move our 40+/- pigs to their winter home. They are lead into a strongly built, large, grey, three sided shed that protects the pigs from the cold north wind. The pigs love how the shed's over-sized, south facing opening generously invites the sun shine in to warm them as they breath fresh air and free range around their winter quarters.
The Tamworth pig is a heritage hog characterized by a striking ginger-red to dark red coat, long, narrow body, and long, straight snout. This comes in handy while rooting for grubs, worms, and roots. These rugged pigs have erect ears, a deep-sided build, and long, strong legs suitable for foraging. Known as "woods pigs," they are highly active, intelligent, making them a suitable choice for pastures. They have great dispositions, are social and like being around other pigs. They are a docile breed overall, making them a perfect breed for beginners and for our family of growing farmers who also tend the pigs.
These pigs are known for producing lean, high-quality bacon. This mouth-watering meat has numerous health benefits and can prove to be a good addition to any diet.
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Did you know pigs are considered one of the most clean animals on a farm?
When given sufficient space, they are highly hygienic, keeping their sleeping and eating areas strictly separate from their bathroom areas. Wallowing in mud is for temperature regulation—not cleanliness—since pigs cannot sweat.
Until next week,
Farmer Daniel