10/09/2026
That's right. Almost without exception, pork from restaurants & grocery stores comes from pigs that are never allowed to go outside, form normal social bonds, run around, play and, well, be pigs. Getting health-food store meat such as from Applegate is an improvement: sows now get enough room in their cage to turn around, they put straw on the floor and add pieces of metal hanging from the ceiling for enrichment. But millions of years of evolution have given pigs a strong snout and an extremely good sense of smell for the purpose of rooting. Call me crazy, but I think a pig needs to experience actual soil on their snout in order to be truly happy. And don't get me started on the environmental consequences of bringing pigs indoors! I could go on all day, but you get the pigture.
Our society is in a sad state when every year, we essentially torture 75 million sentient creatures their whole lives. This isn't about "Feeding America", it's about profit, plain and simple. But what can we do about it? One good option is to go vegetarian. If that's not for you, there's another: buy from a local farm that raises animals with respect. If we're going to be killing these animals to eat, they deserve more than "Look at us! We stopped torturing our pigs!" - they deserve to be honored. In addition to being able to sleep at night, you also get better flavor and nutrient density that way.
Well-raised meat can be pricier, but the most cost-effective way to get it is to buy a share. Even better, my 1/2 and whole shares are actually over 10% cheaper than the average pasture-raised pork shares. Find a friend to split it with, have a neighborhood BBQ party, or give it out as Christmas gifts. This pork will hit your freezer in June, in time for Independence Day grilling.
***Reservations are now open, and with less than 10 pigs on the farm, slots are limited. You can message us on social media or email at [email protected]. Reserve yours now before they're gone!
Here are the details:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
¼ pig bundle -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You’ll get a little over 40lbs of sausage, bacon, chops, roasts, and lard and liver if you want. You can’t split a ½ hog evenly into two parts, so each ¼ bundle is a little different. While there is no custom processing available, I’ll let you see exactly what you’re getting and give you options to swap some of it out if it isn’t totally vibing with you. The price is exactly $350 for the whole bundle. This is a great option if you don’t have a huge amount of freezer space or balance in your bank account.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
½ hog -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How it works:
1. You’ll pay a deposit of $200 now.
2. Once the hogs finish around June(ish), I’ll take them to the butcher, and cry a bunch. They’ll let me know the hanging weight, and you’ll pay me $4.20/lb, minus the original deposit.
3. The butcher calls you and walks through all the custom options. You’ll pay approximately $200 in fees to the butcher. Again, this is a *rough estimate*, ultimately based on the size of the animal. You’ll pay extra if you want curing, smoking, or other special processing.
4. The meat will take 1-3 weeks to be processed, depending on your options. The butcher will call you to pick up and you’ll pay their fees once you do. At the end of the day, with all fees included, you'll have paid about $600 for 80ish lbs of meat.
5. Enjoy the delicious meat, at your leisure, always making sure to be grateful & strive to not waste.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Whole hog -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the same process as with a ½ hog, but you’ll get a 15% discount on my rate, so you’ll pay me $3.57/lb hanging weight. The deposit is $400 for this option. The estimated total, with all fees included: $1070 for 160-ish lbs of meat.
Q&A
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How much freezer space will I need?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The meat for a ½ pig will take up about 2.3 cubic feet, which is about the same space as 20 gallons.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What Breed are they?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
These pigs are a mix, but mostly Meishan. These pigs have the old genetics, from long before the 70's when we started raising pigs in factories. Hogs bred for confinement typically finish in 5-6 months, but these pigs grow slower, finishing in about 9 months. This allows them to acquire more flavor. These pigs also have a robust immune system, retain their natural rooting instincts and a versatile digestive system, allowing them to make better use of the varied diet they'll be given and to forage for their own food.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What is their diet like?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Did you know pigs have roughly twice the taste buds that humans have? I try to make their diet as balanced and flavorful as possible. They’ll have free access to dry, pelleted swine feed any time they want, which is pretty typical. This isn’t the best option, ecologically speaking, so I’m making it my mission to reduce the amount of industrial feed as much as possible. I’m going to feed them plenty of fruits, veggies, and other rescued waste food. For protein, I’ll be growing soldierfly larvae from the waste food. Pigs LOVE bugs and go nuts for soldierfly larvae.
If they get sick, or when it’s really cold outside, I make them soup. Plenty of squashes and pumpkins to help control parasites and homemade kefir for digestion. Finally, they get any non-pork kitchen scraps and leftovers I have from home.
These pigs aren’t organic; if they were, I wouldn't be able to take advantage of waste food. This is more ecologically responsible than growing organic corn and soy to feed them (ask me why).
They do eat clean, however: I never use growth hormones, chemicals, or routine antibiotics to enhance growth. These pigs will only get antibiotics or other medicine if they are sick and absolutely need them, and only the minimum amount possible. If they are ailing, I’ll try herbal methods first before calling a vet, if possible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What humane practices do you use?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pigs amaze me in their capacity for joy, so I try to cram as much happiness as possible into their lives. Whenever I see them, I greet them, give them scratches and treats and often a little massage. I get really muddy doing this, but it’s worth it to know they’re enjoying themselves.
They love running around, and have a lot of space – a roughly 1 acre woodland, divided into spacious regularly rotated paddocks. For the 6 pigs we’re getting this round, that’s nearly 8,000 square feet per pig! For comparison, the recommended space for pastured pigs is at most 6,000 sqft, and industrial pigs get only about 80 sqft. They get to run, play, and root around. They love it so much they even do it when it’s 10 degrees outside.
If you’re wondering why not “pasture-raised”, the simple answer is that I don't have any pasture. However, the forest is a pig’s natural habitat, so it makes a whole lot of sense to raise them in the woods. Pigs don’t have sweat glands; in the woods I can make sure they will always have access to shade and a wallow to cool down in the summer heat.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What about sustainability?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I see this pig operation as a way to regenerate the ecosystem of the 1.65 acre woodland under my stewardship. Regeneration is a process, not a state, and I'm just beginning. Right now, I’m primarily focusing on ecological diversity. Pigs are a balancing act, because they’re really good at destroying vegetation and tilling the soil. That is fantastic - in the right circumstances. Since the land is chock-full of invasive plants, the pigs will be clearing them out and exposing the seed bank to help reset the land. Plus, much of the protein I bring in as feed will be excreted, helping fertilize the soil.
As we’re clearing out the bad things, I plan to introduce good things: native savanna and woodland plants, fruit and nut trees, mushroom logs, etc. At this point, the pigs’ destructive power will have to be carefully matched to the land’s growth by moving them to a new area every week or so, leaving the plot behind them time enough to recover. The theory is that this system builds organic material in the soil, which sequesters carbon, helps with water infiltration, better nutrient cycling, and keeping the stream clean.
I’m aiming to reduce the amount of feed I’m buying from industrial monocultures (which are an absolute ecological catastrophe) and I’m working as hard to get closer to that goal. I won’t likely be 100% successful this year, but I'm hoping to make food waste and soldierflies a majority of their diet. Rescuing food waste helps keep it of the landfill and reduces feed need.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A note about this operation
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the third batch of pigs I've ever raised, and I’m very much in the learning phase. Last year went really well, and I’m getting better and better all the time. The animals will likely turn out bigger or smaller than estimated above, and that will change the total price you’ll pay at the end. For example, last year I estimated 70 lbs of meat to your freezer per ½ hog, but they ended up with 90 lbs! If for any reason I am unable to fulfill my end of the deal, I will refund your deposit. Otherwise, deposits are non-refundable.
