One day while putting up fence we were visited by an older neighbor who asked us simply “what exactly are you all doing here?” In trying to explain to this confused old farmer why we have these odd looking Chinese pigs and why they were chowing down on ragweed under the shade of a trampoline it became apparent that we were a bit off the path of conventional agricultural practices.

Meishan pigs are one of the rarest and oldest breeds still in existence and are widely revered for producing some of the highest quality pork around. They were bred for small sustenance farms in China for thousands where they were raised on garden scraps and rice bran. Because of this, they have developed natural disease resistance to most swine illnesses and a superior ability to digest fiber. This allows us to raise our pigs with a more plant-based diet and without reliance on pharmaceuticals. Throughout the year they're able to source the majority of their nutrition from our organically managed pastures. Because so little of their diet comes from grain we are able to raise them more sustainably.

We also work to be more sustainable in creating our farm infrastructure. Our pigs' homes are constructed using various re-purposed materials including: semi-truck ferrings, pallets, reclaimed barn tin, and plastic storage tanks along with the trampolines we use for portable shade in the summer.

When we arranged to buy our first Meishan pigs they were largely unknown. Since then they have become recognized as critically endangered by the Livestock Conservancy and featured in several small farmer publications including: Grit Magazine, Small Farmer's Journal, Countryside Magazine, and Farm Show Magazine. We not only raise Meishan pigs for market we are one of the premier breeders holding one of the largest, most genetically diverse herds in the world. We have been featured in Startland News and Country Club Bank's “Banking on KC” Podcast.