PASTURE FINISHED, ALL NATURAL PORK
We purchase our "starter" pigs from a local farmer who starts them off with lots of love and expert care, and raises them without the use of antibiotics or hormones. The boars and sows all live in big beautiful pastures their entire lives, which make for some very healthy piglets! After the piglets are weaned, they are raised briefly in a large, free-range lot, where they get plenty of exercise, fresh air, and sunshine (Vitamin D!!) The hogs that I select are then brought to Riverplains Farm to "finish" on pasture.
Every time I unload a new group of hogs from the trailer, I tell them "Welcome to the first phase of hog heaven! Where you will get to experience all of your glorious pigness for the rest of your life." These pigs are definitely a happy lot. They run, root, graze, sunbath out in the pasture and nap in the comfort of the barn on bad weather days. I never realized how much I enjoyed watching pigs be pigs until I started raising them. Watching them gallop across a pasture is one of my favorite things to do, talk about bringing the heart joy! Our pork is proudly sold fresh at Three Rivers Market in Knoxville, TN. The in-house butchers there make some of the most delicious sausage you'll ever have. The pork can also be purchased from the farm in larger quantities when in stock, but it goes fast! Call ahead to make a reservation if you'd like to stock up.
UPDATE: I'm now raising Large Black/ Berkshire hybrids as well. We begin our first breeding in fall of 2021. These heritage breed hogs are known for their top of the line pork chops, as well as their exceptional lard!
