Our pork comes from our Heritage Hogs that we rotated through our pine forests all summer. Here are some facts on the nutritional benefits to pork that is raised outdoors either on pasture or in our case, in the forest:

• Less saturated fat, more heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats
• Higher in Omega-3’s (lowers the Omega-6: Omega-3 ratio)
• Higher levels of Protein and vitamin E
• More Vitamin D in the Lard from being out in the sun
• Happy hogs = healthy hogs (our processor/butcher praised us on how healthy our meat and animals look)
• Rotational foraging means greater parasite resistance, less disease – we haven’t had to use chemical dewormers, antibiotics, hormones, etc.

Sources:
Hampshire College “The Nutritional Benefits of Pasture-Raised Pigs”,
Robb Wolf “5 Reasons to Switch to Pastured Pork”,
Rodale Institute “Pastured Pork”

Commercial Pork

Image & fact from the Rodale Institute – “97% of commercial hogs are raised in small, indoor, concrete-floored pens. Almost half are raised on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO), also known as factory farms. These intense operations lead to overcrowding, animal stress, disease, and excessive waste.”