Pigs

Here at Heritage Farms we buy, raise, and sell half and whole pigs each year. We buy in piglets form area farmers that raise piglets similar to the way that we raise them. We primarily are concerned with getting piglets that have come from parents that have been raised on pasture.

Our pigs are raised on rotational pastures. We are continually adjusting and refining our process. We buy piglets in the spring from farms exhibiting similar practices, and raise them through the lush spring green growth, into the fall when we have them butchered in a State Inspected facility. All pigs are sold by the half (side), or whole hog. The pigs can be cut up anyway you like and we can assist you in making your cuts. Smoking hams and sliced bacon is included. We can even have your pig split, and the organs removed for those of you who would like to process your own pigs but do not want the hassle of handling, transporting, and killing a live pig.

Pigs have a stomach similar to humans and are truly omnivores. Our pigs eat a massive amount of roots and grubs, a little bit of locally produced grain each day, enough grass to make you think they were cows, and all the excess vegetables from our farm we can produce. In the fall, we'll gather barrels of apples and acorns to give to them. Occasionally the local winery, Winterport Winery, gives us spent grains that we give to all the animals and use in our compost. Most of it is scattered by the pigs, but what isn't eaten is spread by them very well as organic matter for the soil. We have on occasion cooked down beaver meat to give them a treat in early spring or late fall, often a result a nuisance wildlife job or our trapping excursions. It's hard to get more Organic than a beaver, and no one on the farm rejects freshly cooked beaver meat, including us. We are slowly experimenting with a diet composed of potatoes, beans, kelp chips for micro nutrients, and all the roots and tubers we can grow, and unlimited pasture and wooded areas for them to dig and root in. Our water comes from the stream behind the house, and barrels are kept on hand to ensure that the wallows are always wet for cooling down on hot days.

We are looking for pigs to be finished in October/November.

For pricing, see our price list.

For those of you interested in cutting your hog up yourself, we can have the butchers kill, eviscerate, and split the hog into two sections, or halves. See our price list.

Nate in the pack basket as I'm off to feed the pigs.

Piglets in their shelter.

Pig eating grass among the turnips.