Fall Pig Update

We raised our first batch of "feeder pigs" from May to October 2021. Our batch was 10 gilts (females). We did this intentionally because we wanted the option to keep some if we decided to farrow in the future. We decided to keep 3 of 10. We kept a solid black gilt with one wattle; our largest female that is a hereford/GOS cross named "pink ear;" and a friendly hampshire cross gilt that was slightly younger/smaller. 7 of 10 were processed into healthy and delicious pork. One was processed under USDA inspection and is now available on the website by individual cuts.

However, one of our main goals at Carver Family Farms is to allow our customers to fill their freezers with bulk orders and enjoy the same benefits that our family does. So we were quite pleased that of the 6 remaining hogs: 3 were purchased as whole hogs and the other 3 were purchased as "half hogs" by six families. We also ended up with a waiting list so we have already added more feeder pigs that will be ready in the Spring.

It is exciting to see so much demand and interest in our pork. This pork really is different. The pigs are all allowed to live their lives as God intended. They live outdoors in fresh air and on dirt. They are truly forested hogs and they have beautifully cleared out the land underneath the trees from each paddock they were rotated into. The pigs are fed a locally grown and milled feed that is non-GMO. Our hog feed supplier is Green Sprig Ag in Rocky Mount, VA. The pigs are also fed surplus apples from an awesome local orchard, Morris Orchard. They will also glean acorns, walnuts, and any other tree mast or edible roots they can forage. Now we are supplementing with donated pumpkins. It is almost therapeutic to watch and listen to the pigs eat pumpkins.

For those that are curious about what these pigs can do from a production standpoint. Our hanging weights for the 7 hogs was a low end of 216 pounds and a high of 257 pounds. The difference is mostly from the physical characteristics of the individual hogs. Some of the hogs started a bit larger than others.

The initial response from our customers has been inspiring and encouraging. Our customers have already started rendering lard. They have shared beautiful pictures of pork on the grill, good reports on the breakfast sausage patties and more. We are excited to share real pork with our community. This isn't "the other white meat." Pork is flavorful, nutrient dense, red meat. Thank you to our first customers for joining us on this journey toward better soil, happier animals, healthier food, and full freezers for our families. We look forward to learning together. We will be sharing recipes from our family and our customers. We have now added pork to the website and we will be taking deposits for our Spring hogs soon. Please call or email the farm if you would like to discuss our forest raised pork. Fall/Winter is a great time to get to know your farmer and to fill your freezers!