Looking for pigs!

[BouchonIntern]

I am in Sebastopol (Sonoma County) Looking for a local hog farm or something of that nature to get some whole pigs in to do some charcuterie work.

I am only interested in somewhat local, and responsibly cared for pigs.

Can anyone help me with this? I am not having much luck.

[WolfChef]

Too bad you don't live in Minnesota. My friend raises pigs that don't know what a needle looks like, and eat cracked corn, no commercial feed. His wife hands out treats...all the kitchen vegetable scraps to her favorites. The pigs favorite treat is the watermelon rind, they go nuts for it.

[WolfChef]

Here's a pic of my wife and his son John, who are watching the mom feed the new piglets.

Here is the gilt with her litter. If I have it right a gilt is a female with her first litter, after this she is called a sow. This gilt gave birth on a very cold night(about 20 below) in large open unheated barn with all the other sows around, and managed to keep all of her piglets alive till Pete came home from work and found them. She was early in her delivery, which I guess is not unusual for a first litter, but much earlier than even Pete expected, which is why she wasn't segregated to one of the farrowing enclosures you see in the above heated barn. She was in a large pen with about 15 other sows and Pete said it is extraordinarly for a sow, especially a gilt to keep the others from hurting the piglets. He says they usually step on them in their curiosity. The red mark on her back is how Pete marked her, so he would know which female to segregate after he had scooped up all the piglets. I say that like it is a walk in the park, far from it. It is no small feat for a man to enter a hog pen and remove piglets from a mother. Especially one that has just spent the day defending them and keeping em warm. Pete says a sow like this doesn't come along every day, and she will live a decidely long life on his farm. He hopes she will pass along these great mothering attributes to any offspring she might have.

[devinf]

Let me check with a friend who roasts up a few whole pigs during the year..... He lives in the Dry Creek area so he'll have some good local info for you hopefully.

Devin

[jsolomon]

To my knowledge, the best way to acquire high quality pork that has been treated right--albeit at a premium--is to support your local 4-H hog sale.

Additionally, if you purchase a hog at the sale, usually there are some litter-mates that didn't make the show cut that you can buy at or close to local market price. It sows many seeds of good will among the people you purchase your pork from, and you are assisting a sprout in becoming a responsible adult.

[alanamoana]

"It sows many seeds of good will..."

it took me a minute to figure this one out!

pun intended?

[devinf]

No info yet, but I second jsolomon on the 4-H.

Our restaurant purchased a steer, John Henry, and had a special "John Henry"-only menu for a few days. It was some good eating and we still have a few roasts left!

From a google search, the local 4H number is 707-584-9284.

Devin

[Carolyn Tillie]

Ian, you might want to make a phone call to John Stewart - owner of Healdsburg's Bovola and Zazu restaurants. He is now the owner and operator of Black Pig Meats devoted to all things pork.

You can read Heather Irwin's article about him here.

Edited February 15, 2006 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[BouchonIntern]

Yeah, I actually ate at Bolovo on Sunday. I knew he cured his own meats there, but I didn't know that he was raising the pigs as well. I will definitely check it out.

Thanks, I will Look into the 4H thing as well.

Edited February 15, 2006 by BouchonIntern (log)

[AlexBernardo]

Have you considered Niman Ranch? Here's the link to their pig offerings: http://www.nimanranch.com/c/Pork

[Trishiad]

Ian, isn't there a hog farm near Harmony Nursery?

I think I've seen a sign on a fence.

[BouchonIntern]

Ian, isn't there a hog farm near Harmony Nursery?

I think I've seen a sign on a fence.

←

I'm not sure, but I will look into it. I am farely new to the area and have only been open 3 weeks so I am still trying to get to know the local farms.

Thanks

[devinf]

Just heard back...

They buy their pigs from a farmer in Santa Rosa named Jube Bagely. He's in the phone book.

Devin