Piglets at the Bauernhof

NOTE: As we are actively growing and developing our herd of pigs, we are offering piglets for sale. We do not ship live animals. Please let us know if you are interested.

This year we have had our first piglets at the farm.

One of the goals I have for our farm is to develop a good line of pigs. I don’t have a specific breed in mind. But I have specific characteristics in mind. I’ll explain the background of how I chose the characteristics I am looking for.

Here is a photo (over a year old) of our first pigs… the foundation stock.

The reality is that there are a lot of places that have feral hogs and landrace pigs, but not many places have truly native wild pig species. Feral hogs are pigs that were once domestic, but have escaped. These feral hogs can be found around the world.

A landrace is a bit different than feral animals. A landrace is any breed of domestic animal that has been developed in relative isolation from other breeds or strains of that same species. These may be pigs or sheep or chickens or ducks or any other domestic animal. (Note that I am not referring to the American or Danish Landrace pigs which are specific breeds of pig… I am referring to the idea of a landrace breed in general.)

We run a mixed-breed herd of pigs on our farm.

It was common practice for Spanish and Portuguese explorers to bring animals with them on their journeys. They would find a location with fresh water and let a few animals free. These animals would breed and their numbers would grow. When the explorers returned to that area, they had water and meat waiting for them.

But there was a catch.

Those animals had to survive. With no human intervention. With no hay. No feed. No medications. No assistance with birthing. No vaccines. No shelters. No dewormers. No barns. No selective breeding.

Nature was the selecting force. The animals that could survive did. Those that couldn’t handle the parasites, the droughts, the humidity, the cold, the predators… they didn’t. And their genetic traits of being unable to cope were not passed on to the next generation.

These survivor genetics are what I want. And fortunately there are a number of surviving landrace pigs out there.

Our piglets nursing well. These are Gloucestershire Old Spots x Vietnamese Potbelly piglets.

Our pigs love to eat grass!

Fortunately again there are a number of heritage breed pigs that still exist as well. A heritage breed is a breed of animal that was traditionally raised by farmers and homesteaders in the past. Over time, commercial breeds gradually took the heritage breeds’ place, and their numbers significantly declined. Many heritage breeds were lost. But there were a few dedicated farmers and homesteaders who kept some of these breeds going, and I am so glad they did. These heritage breeds may not be as hardy as some of the landrace pigs, but they are significantly moreso than the commercial breeds. They also have a significantly better flavor of pork than the commercial breeds. And, to be fair, the meat of landrace breeds are also very flavorful.

We have a mix of genetics on our farm. Here is a photo when our heard was relatively young.

A piglet at sunrise!

With all this said, my goal is to build my herd with genetics from a variety of landrace and heritage breeds. And that is exactly what I am doing. Here are the breeds I am using at our farm:

Berkshire

• Origin: Britain. Berkshire (Berks County).
• Type: Meat.
• Flavor: Succulent, marbled, flavorful, pink-red meat.
• Size: Medium.
• Color: Black with a white snout and boots and tail.
• Temperament: Good-natured.
• Notes: Good mothers. Good foragers. Commonly used as a terminal sire (i.e. used as the male contributor for hybrid meat hogs).

Gloucester Old Spots

• Origin: Britain. Gloucestershire (Gloucester County).
• Type: Lard.
• Flavor: Sweet, very flavorful, well-marbled meat.
• Size: Medium to Large.
• Color: Mostly white with a few black spots.
• Temperament: Very good-natured and friendly.
• Notes:  Very good foragers. Very hardy. Very good mothers. Originally raised on windfall apples.

Guinea Hog

• Origin: Guinea (Africa) originally, but this is a southern USA landrace breed (meaning it was developed over time, adapting to its new environment in the hot and humid South).
• Type: Lard.
• Flavor: Delicious! On the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste.
• Size: Small to Medium (adults: 150-250 lbs/68-114 kg).
• Color: Black, occasionally red, and hairy.
• Temperament: Sweet-natured, friendly.
• Notes:  Endangered breed. Very good foragers. Do not do well in confinement.

Kunekune

• Origin: New Zealand, but originating from Asian breeds.
• Type: Meat. Being a small pig, they produce select cuts of meat and a lot of sausage and bacon.
• Flavor: Well-marbled, succulent, tasty meat
• Size: Small.
• Color: Wide range of colors, hairy.
• Temperament: Good-natured. Friendly.
• Notes:  Excellent foragers. Kunekune means “fat and round” in the Māori language. It is one of the “pet” breeds of pig.

Large Black

• Origin: England. Devonshire (Devon County) and Cornwall County.
• Type: Meat.
• Flavor: Very tasty, juicy, lean but well-marbled meat. Little back fat.
• Size: Large.
• Color: Black.
• Temperament: Good-natured. Docile.
• Notes:  Endangered breed. A very good forager. Very good mother. Not common in the USA.

Mulefoot

• Origin: USA. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Arkansas. Developed from early Spanish explorers’ hogs (a landrace breed).
• Type: Lard.
• Flavor: Succulent, marbled, red meat. Delicious! On the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste.
• Size: Medium.
• Color: Black with wattles.
• Temperament: Good-natured. Docile.
• Notes: Endangered breed. Very good foragers. Hardy. Mulefoot hogs have fused toes forming a “hoof”… hence the name.

Vietnamese Potbelly

• Origin: Vietnam.
• Type: Meat.
• Flavor: Flavorful. Can have a lot of fat if allowed/desired – very good for bacon. Being a small pig, they produce select cuts of meat and a lot of sausage and bacon.
• Size: Small. 70-150 lbs (32-68 kg), but can get well over 200 lbs (90 kg) depending on the genetics.
• Color: Black or Black and White.
• Temperament: Very good-natured.
• Notes:  Common as pets in the United States, although this is a new phenomenon considering how long they have been present on small farms in southeast Asia.

Gentle pigs that do not grow too large are important considerations for us as we have our own children as well as frequent visitors to our farm.

These are our most recent piglets. They are Gloucestershire Old Spots x Gloucestershire Old Spots/Mulefoot/Large Black piglets.

We ultimately want to end up with a line of pigs that need no significant human intervention but are still gentle. They do not need to be fast-growing, but they do need to produce quality, flavorful meat. I do not want tiny animals, but I certainly do not want very large pigs; I have my own children as well as frequent visitors to my farm, so safety is a consideration. I don’t vaccinate. I don’t deworm. I don’t use antibiotics. I don’t help with deliveries. I don’t use a barn; I provide minimal shelter. I feed them fermented grains (no soy and no corn). They eat fresh grass (as much as they can find!). They eat roots and tubers and anything they can find on (or under) the pastures where they live.

This is a work in progress, and it will probably take quite some time before I “arrive” at a final result. Most likely, I will be tinkering with this for as long as I am alive, and that makes me happy.

Please ask if you would like to use one of my photos!