Hogs Ready for the Butcher

Whole and half hogs for sale

This summer we have been selling red wattle pork by the cut at the local farmer's markets--Maquoketa, Clinton and DeWitt, Iowa. Well, the farmer's market season is winding down so we are now offering whole or half hogs for the freezer. This is the same great pork that our farmer's market customers have been raving about all summer. Get your hog cut and wrapped the way you want and buy it by the whole or half hog and save some money while eating great pork. Because of this summer's draught, feed prices have raised some 30%. Raising pork prices can't be far behind.

Here's how it works.

• Once a butcher date is set we require a $100 deposit for a whole hog or a $65 deposit for a half hog. The deposit is due before the set butcher date. Currently we have butcher dates set for the Edgewood locker for October 22 and November 13. (UPDATE: the next available butcher date will be in early February 2013) 
• We will deliver your hog to Edgewood locker. 
• Once you have reserved your hog you will need to call the locker with your cutting instructions.
• After processing you will be responsible for picking up your cuts of meat and paying the locker directly for the processing of your pig.
• After the pigs are processed we will get the hanging weight of your pig from Edgewood locker.  We will then send you a final bill based on the hanging weight of the pig less the deposit.

Processing costs can vary depending on the cuts of meat that you get. A good explaination of this can be found at http://www.edgewoodlocker.com/meat-processing/how-much-meat-are-we-getting/how-much-meat3-1/

Meat from a typical half hog (from a 250 – 270 lb. live animal) consist of approximately:
40 Pork Chops-(1/2” thick)
2 Shoulder Roast (4lb)
12 Shoulder Steaks (1/2” thick)
1 Ham (15-18lb; can be cut smaller)
1 Rack Spare Ribs (2lb) (can be trimmed)
2 Hocks (can be smoked/trimmed)
8-10lb Belly (can be bacon or side pork)
6-10 lb ground pork/or ground sausage.

For a whole hog, just double this. Things like the heart, liver and tounge are also available. The fat can be rendered into lard, or have it ground by the locker so that you can render it yourself.

If you would prefer, we may be able to deliver your hog to another locker of your choice if it is within a reasonable distance of Maquoketa, Iowa. You can also pick up your hog here at the farm if you want to butcher it yourself. Live butcher hogs are sold for $1.25/lb.

For more information, contact us at wickhamfarm@gmail.com