Showing posts with label red wattle pork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red wattle pork. Show all posts
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Now available in Davenport!
Wickham Farm pork is now available at the West Kimberly Mall in Davenport, Iowa. The West Kimberly Mall is an eclectic collection of 160 vendors under one roof selling everything from antiques and collectibles to farm fresh beef, chicken and now PORK! But not just any pork. Oh no, not for WKM. They now carry our pasture raised, antibiotic and hormone free Red Wattle Pork! Some of the best bacon, ham, pork chops and ribs you'll find anywhere. So if your in the neighborhood, stop in give us (and West Kimberly Mall) a try.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Piggy Salad Bar
It wasn't really all that long ago when most pigs were raised on small farms, in small lots and pastures. This was how my grandfather raised his pigs, and how I had hoped to raise ours. A couple of years ago, I joined the growing number of farmers who are raising heritage breed pigs on pasture. Believe it or not, pigs will graze!
Up until now, the pigs had been grazing on old goat pasture. a mix of grass, clover and weeds....well, mostly just weeds. So, this spring I decided to try something different. I left the pigs on one area a little longer than I normally would have liked and let the pigs totally root-up about an acre of ground. I then used my trusty old 1955 Allis Chalmers tractor and disk to smooth out the ruts and prepare the field for seeding. I hand broadcast a mixture of oats, dwarf Essex rape and field peas. I had read about a similar mix online somewhere and thought it might just work. That was about 60 days ago.
Tonight, I strung electric wire around this new seeding, turned the pigs out into this pasture and stood back to watch. Would they go after the rape, the field peas or the oats first? Well, neither actually. To my surprise, they first tackled the giant ragweed growing on the edge of the field. I wasn't sure if this was because they preferred it to my seeding mix, or maybe it was just because it was what they came upon first.
It wasn't long before they realized there was more beyond the ragweed and began running through the 2- foot deep vegetation like kids in a candy store. This made me feel much better. After all, I planted this piggy salad bar just for them.
Up until now, the pigs had been grazing on old goat pasture. a mix of grass, clover and weeds....well, mostly just weeds. So, this spring I decided to try something different. I left the pigs on one area a little longer than I normally would have liked and let the pigs totally root-up about an acre of ground. I then used my trusty old 1955 Allis Chalmers tractor and disk to smooth out the ruts and prepare the field for seeding. I hand broadcast a mixture of oats, dwarf Essex rape and field peas. I had read about a similar mix online somewhere and thought it might just work. That was about 60 days ago.
Tonight, I strung electric wire around this new seeding, turned the pigs out into this pasture and stood back to watch. Would they go after the rape, the field peas or the oats first? Well, neither actually. To my surprise, they first tackled the giant ragweed growing on the edge of the field. I wasn't sure if this was because they preferred it to my seeding mix, or maybe it was just because it was what they came upon first.
It wasn't long before they realized there was more beyond the ragweed and began running through the 2- foot deep vegetation like kids in a candy store. This made me feel much better. After all, I planted this piggy salad bar just for them.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Road Trip
Yesterday, my wife Jane and I set out on an adventure! We traveled to Perry, Mo. to drop off one of our red wattle boars and pick up a new gilt. Yup, we are expanding the herd! Let's hope that demand for our red wattle pork will keep up with production. If you are not familiar with the red wattle hog, you are missing out. The red wattle is a heritage breed hog listed as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breed Conservancy. They are great mothers, fast growing and best of all....great tasting. The meat is a dark red and the flavor is reminiscent of the pork that grandma used to make.
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