Heritage pork helps small farmers increase revenue by delivering delicious product
NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (WFXR) – 'This little piggy went to the market…..'
With profit margins razor thin, one of the hottest trends among small farmers these days is diversification, adding new crops or livestock to their existing operations. The practice helps to generate new revenue streams, mitigate risk, and spread operational costs.
One place diversification is being embraced is the Virginia Gold Orchard in Natural Bridge. Virginia Gold grows Asian pears, produces grapes and wine at its Ramulose Ridge Vineyard, and produces cut flowers and lavender. Now, heritage breed pigs can be added to that list.
Owner Thomas Vandiver says the pigs, a breed known as Idaho Pasture Pigs, integrate perfectly into his growing operation. The pigs are pastured in open grass areas and tree lots, where they can eat chestnuts, walnuts, and acorns. In addition, the pigs feed on insects and grubs. Their diet is supplemented daily with a non-GMO feed made up of field peas and barley.
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Plus, at certain times of the year, there is fruit, a lot of fruit. The pigs are allowed to forage in the orchard, assisting farm operations by serving as a natural clean-up crew while fertilizing the orchard.
'They get a lot more fruit because we do finish our pigs on the fruit,' said Vandiver. 'So we have lots and lots of fruit that we produce that's not quite marketable for humans. The pigs love to eat it, and it gives a very unique flavor. So it's beneficial. The trees give to the pigs. The pigs give back to the trees.'
It takes about ten months for Vandiver to raise his pigs to the 250-pound weight for market and processing. Vandiver sells cuts of pork like chops, bacon, ribs, and sausage at the orchard. He also sells whole and half hogs to individual customers. He is sold into next year. Vandiver says it is because of the quality and flavor of the pork he raises. One way to tell is by the color.
'That color is amazing,' said Vandiver as he held up a pack of chops, almost a deep red in color. 'Pasture-raised pork should have that sort of pinkish tone to the meat. That just speaks to a really healthy pig raised on a really healthy pasture.'
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Raising healthy pigs is important to Vandiver. He wants them raised and processed ethically and humanely.
Vandiver says that is good for the pig and good for the product that will eventually go to a customer: 'When you take a bite of that pasture raised pork, when you take a bite of that sausage, that sausage on a bun, or a pork chop on a plate, or some ribs you're picking, in you're mind, and this is what I'm thinking, there are months of sunlight, there are dozens of thunderstorms, the rain that hits the pasture; all of that is concentrated in that pork. The animals are just amazing, the way they can concentrate all that nutritional benefit for us to enjoy.'
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