Hi My name is Sky. I LOVE Pederson’s Natural Farms products and I have cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a devastating genetic disease that affects tens of thousands of children and young adults in the United States. Everyday I have to follow a strict medicine, therapy and nutrition regimen just to “Breath Easy”. One of the reasons I love Pederson’s so much is because their delicious products help me meet my calorie needs without all the junk that other companies put in their food. I’m supposed to eat about 3000 calories a day but stay away from preservatives and artificial ingredients, watch my sugar content and eat a balanced diet that is high in protein, iron and more! I need to eat a lot of meat and delicious Pederson’s bacons, hams and sausages are my favorites. Surprisingly… the salt is good for me too! Bacon and I are a perfect match and I LOVE Pederson’s new no sugar bacon! So much so that I sent them this letter just to say keep up the good work. They liked it so much that they asked me to make it into a blog post. So here I am… telling my story!

And here are some pics of me being silly before devouring that plate of bacon with my eggs and toast! Enjoy!

It’s grilling season again… which at my house means it’s also pool party time! Over the weekend, I had a large group of my friends and family over. It was beautiful in Southern California. The kind that makes you want to stay outside all day! So I decided to fire up the grill and make some sausages for everyone. We had a mix of kids and adults so I made a variety of sausage! That’s the best part about Pederson’s delicious line of uncured sausages… There’s something for everyone. Just mix and match according to your family’s preferences. We did Chicken andouille sausages, Bratwurst and kielbasa rope sausages and jalapeño bison sausages.

Cheese stuffed, Bacon wrapped sausages

 Pederson’s sausages (any type or flavor)

 Pederson’s uncured bacon of your choice (1 slice per sausage)

slices of cheddar or american cheese (1 slice per 2 sausages)

a few toothpicks

fresh bakery buns or rolls

Toppings of your choice – we suggest sauerkraut, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, A1, grilled peppers and onions, etc.

Just slice the sausages half way through length wise, leaving a hinge. Cut the cheese slices in half inch strips. Slip one or two strips in each sausage to completely cover the length of the sausage. Wrap with one slice of bacon per sausage and secure ends with a toothpick. Grill, on a piece of aluminum foil to catch the bacon drippings, over medium heat for 12-15 minutes or until bacon is done. Be sure the grill isn’t too hot or the bacon will burn before the sausage is heated all the way through.

Ingredients:
1 pkg bacon
1 medium sweet potato
cayenne pepper
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350*. Peel sweet potatoes, and cut them into bite sized chunks.

Sprinkle cayenne pepper and sea salt over potatoes.

Cut the bacon slices in half. Wrap each sweet potato bite with a half slice of bacon, and secure with a toothpick.

Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, turning once.

Proceed to eat every last one all by yourself. Okay, okay… just kidding.

Here’s the thing… no one is doing this. At least, there is not a nationally distributed, easy to attain brand producing superior quality, minimally processed, uncured, antibiotic free, veg fed, humanely raised, unsweetened bacon. Have you ever read the ingredients list of every package of bacon in any given grocery store? Nope? Well, I have. Ha! Sure, you can find natural, uncured bacon in most grocery stores. BUT, they all contain sugar. Don’t look at the nutritional facts panel… it is not an accurate reflection of sugar content. Look in the ingredients list. You will always find brown sugar.

Let me tell you my story, and I suspect there are many others out there with a story like mine. I am… well… what you might call a “fitness fanatic”. (Insert overly dramatic air quotes.) Sure, I may be a wee bit over the top. I will admit it. However, my health is of the utmost importance to me. Am I perfect? No. Am I always looking to be better than I was yesterday? Yep. That is my goal day after day. I want to be stronger, fitter, healthier today than I was yesterday. And, as long as I’m moving in that direction, I am pleased

With that said, I gave my diet an overhaul last fall. I went Paleo. “Paleo? What’s that?” you ask. Listen, I’m no expert, but Paleo, to me, means that I eat meats, vegetables, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch. I do not eat dairy, grains, legumes, or sugars. Eating Paleo is based on the Paleolithic era… hunters & gatherers. And, truly, no one can say for certain what they did/did not eat. However, for me, it is about getting back to real foods, fresh foods.

So, on my quest to go Paleo, I began to look at every. single. nutrition. label. Boy howdy, do you know what kind of junk we are consuming?!? Do you know that some form of sugar is in nearly EVERYTHING that we eat??? Wow! And, so many labels are chock full of ingredients that I cannot pronounce. This is not okay, right?

Here’s the deal… wouldn’t it be grand if we all raised, slaughtered, and processed our own meat in addition to growing the most lush vegetable garden for our own personal consumption? Sure it would. But, that’s not happening for me. Girl has a full time job. And some hobbies that aren’t farming & ranching. Oh, and a black thumb. So, I need the next best thing. I need to be able to go to the grocery store and buy some food that I feel good about putting in my body. I need to be able to go to the grocery store and find some paleo options. And, again, I suspect that I am not alone in this.

When I started Paleo, I was told that bacon is allowed so long as I find one made without sugar as sugar is a no no. Hallelujah! However, I very quickly found out that bacon made without sugar is a very elusive, mystical entity. So, I can have it, but I can’t find it? That is so wrong

Working for Pederson’s Natural Farms, I know their quality is the best of the best. I know their values align with mine when it comes to the raising of the hogs, as well as the nature of their “processing” or lack thereof. I’ve spent countless hours in the plant watching them work. I’ve asked them the questions I need answered. See… before I ever came to work for Pederson’s, I was the all natural, organic consumer. Before Pederson’s, I did my research. From a consumer standpoint, I knew what was going on in the world of natural and organic meats versus mainstream meat factories. So, without reservation, I asked them every question I ever had. And, without reservation, they answered every one of them and showed me all around.

I have concluded that the down home, honest to goodness folks that run Pederson’s Natural Farms are of the highest integrity. Haha. How’s that for an expert opinion? I understand that you all don’t know me, but I know me, and all the folks that know me know that I wouldn’t say that if it weren’t true. (What a mouthful, eh?!?

Incredibly long story a wee bit shorter… Pederson’s bacon would be perfect for the paleo gal should they omit the sugar. I mean, I’m not gonna lie… I would have been a traitor and settled for another brand of bacon if I’d found one that aligned with my values without any type of sugar. But, I didn’t find one. Ever. And, I’m glad. Settling is no fun.

Pederson’s Natural Farms, being the super awesome company that they are, listened to a few consumers including little ol’ me, and recognized the huge, gaping hole in the market. In fact, they had a consumer plea submitted on their website that read as follows: “Us health conscience eaters prefer the sugar out of our bacon. Please produce a product that contains NO SUGAR!! Your bacon is too sweet for our group of Paleo dieters. Would appreciate your consideration on the matter.” And, guess what!?! They (we?) value the varying and ever evolving needs of health fanatics and bacon lovers. They value the voice of one single consumer. I am thrilled that Pederson’s is in the position to provide this kind of superior product to nationally well known and loved markets at a price point previously unheard of for this kind of bacon. Seriously. As far as I know, there is only one other company making bacon like this, but it is only sold online, it is consistently out of stock, and the price is significantly higher if you can get it.

Pederson’s is not messing around with this. The ingredient list is short and sweet, and I can pronounce and recognize every ingredient. I’ve watched them make bacon. I’ve photographed it. I’ve written about it. We’re talking real smoke in a real smokehouse. Want to see and read how the bacon is made? Check it out HERE.

I just love Pederson’s and everything that they embody. Guess what!?! I’m not the only one looking to be better than I was yesterday. I have watched Pederson’s grow, evolve, and look to improve day after day, week after week, month after month since I’ve been on board. There is never anything remotely close to a sacrifice in quality, standards, integrity, or character as they seek to make the best better! Keep an eye on us! I have a feeling there is even more goodness coming!

Bacon Cooking Instructions

• Broil and pan fry in the conventional manner.

• Microwave:  Place sliced bacon between paper towels in a baking dish.  Cook approximately one minute per slice.

• NOTE:  Heating times may vary according to individual units.  

Pederson’s Bison Cooking Instructions

• Bierwurst:  From a thawed state, warm your grill to a medium heat and cook for 3 minutes on each side.   Best accompanied with red cabbage, seasoned flat green beans, dusseldorf mustard and your favorite beverage.  For more cooking tips, videos and suggestions go to www.pedersonswenzel.com

• Polish – Good anytime!  Breakfast, lunch or dinner.  From a thawed sate, warm your grill to a medium heat and cook for 3 minutes on each side.  To steam or sauté, bring ¼ inch of water to a boil in a frying pan, add sausage, turn heat down to medium and cook 5-10 minutes.  For more cooking tips, videos and suggestions, go to www.pedersonswenzel.com

• Jalapeno – From a thawed state, warm your grill to a medium heat and cook for 3 minutes on each side.  Slice it or dice it and add it to your favorite omelette or your favorite pot of beans.  To steam or sauté, bring ¼ inch of water to a boil in a frying pan, add sausage, turn heat down to medium and cook 5-10 minutes.  For more cooking tips, videos and suggestions, go to www.pedersonswenzel.com

• Green Chile – To steam or sauté, bring ¼ inch water to a boil in a frying pan, add sausage, turn down heat to medium and cook 5-10 minutes.  Slice diagonally and add to steamed veggies of your choice.  For more cooking tips, videos and suggestions, go to www.pedersonswenzel.com

Pederson’s Pork Sausage Cooking Instructions

• HEATING SUGGESTION:  Heat sausages until the internal temperature registers 165°F on a meat thermometer or until sausages are steaming hot.  Cooking times are estimates and may vary slightly.

• GRILL:   Grilling adds great taste to these sausages.  Just fire up the grill.  Make sure you start with a good, even, medium heat.  Grill sausages over medium heat 12 to 15 minutes, turning sausages frequently to brown evenly.  Enjoy with your favorite side dishes and beverage.

• MICROWAVE:  Place sausages on a microwave safe plate and cover with a paper towel.  Microwave on high (100%) power 45 to 60 seconds for 1 sausage, 2 ½ to 3 minutes for 3 sausages, or 5 to 6 minutes for the entire package, rearranging sausages midway through cooking.  Exact cooking times will vary with the microwave oven.

• SAUCEPAN:  You’ll love the natural moist flavor of these sausages when you use steam to heat them.  Place about 1 inch of water in a 3-quart saucepan.  Place a perforated, collapsible steamer in the saucepan, cover and heat to boiling.  Add sausages, cover and steam 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to stand 10 minutes.

Pederson’s Chicken Sausage Cooking Instructions

• GRILL:   Grilling adds great taste to these sausages.  Just fire up the grill.  Make sure you start with a good, even, medium heat.  Grill sausages over medium heat 12 to 15 minutes, turning sausages frequently to brown evenly.  Enjoy with your favorite side dishes and beverage.

• MICROWAVE:  Place sausages on a microwave safe plate and cover with a paper towel.  Microwave on high (100%) power 45 to 60 seconds for 1 sausage, 2 ½ to 3 minutes for 3 sausages, or 5 to 6 minutes for the entire package, rearranging sausages midway through cooking.  Exact cooking times will vary with the microwave oven.

• SAUCEPAN:  You’ll love the natural moist flavor of these sausages when you use steam to heat them.  Place about 1 inch of water in a 3-quart saucepan.  Place a perforated, collapsible steamer in the saucepan, cover and heat to boiling.  Add sausages, cover and steam 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to stand 10 minutes.

Ham Cooking Instructions – click here for a great photo blog tutorial by Brittany Hayes! 

Boneless

• 1.Heat oven to 325°F.
• 2.Remove ham from packaging and place in a large baking pan.
• 3.Add 1 cup water to the pan.
• 4.Cover the pan securely with foil.
• 5.Bake the ham 20 minutes per pound. The optimum serving temperature is
• 140°F.
• 6.If using a glaze, apply half of the glaze 30 minutes before the ham is
• done baking.
• 7.Continue baking, uncovered, 30 minutes.
• 8.Save the remaining glaze to serve with the ham.

Bone-In

• 1.Heat oven to 275°F.
• 2.Remove the ham from the packaging and discard the bone guard. Place
• face-down in a large baking pan.
• 3.Add 1 cup water to the pan.
• 4.Cover the baking pan securely with foil or cover with roasting pan lid.
• 5.Bake 15 minutes per pound or until the ham is warm. The optimum serving
• temperature is 140°F.
• 6.If using a glaze, apply half of the glaze 30 minutes before the ham is
• done baking.
• 7.Remove the ham from the oven and remove the foil.
• 8.Raise the oven temperature to 425°F.
• 9.Spread the glaze mixture over the entire ham.
• 10.Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until glaze is
• browned.

Basically, I’ve never asked myself why someone would offer a particular product or what conversations must have been had about this product leading up to it’s launch. Who does? Okay, okay… unless you work in the food industry. And, even then… maybe you randomly got tossed into the food industry, but you’re really just a photographer? Kinda like me. Even then you don’t think about these things. At least, I don’t.

As a refresher, I am a “creative type”. I’m sure the words “creative type” immediately force some sort of stereotype to the forefront of your thoughts. And, yep! I’m sure that’s me. Overly emotional? Check. Scatterbrained? Check. Dramatic? Check. Insanely awesome? Check. Enough about me.

So, when I’m asked to photograph the happenings at Pederson’s Natural Farms, I pretty much just look at it as work. It’s a job to be completed. I mean, I’m photographing people making bacon. It’s a process. Period. I kind of relate photography for Pederson’s to a college speech class. (Just stay with me here.) There are four main types of speeches, right? One of which is the demonstrative or instructional speech. No one really gets hyped up about the demonstrative speech day in speech class because… well… it’s not all that exciting. It is what it is. Step by step. The idea of going to Pederson’s to photograph production generates the same feeling that I have about demonstrative speech day. Meh. It’s okay but definitely not thrilling. (Aren’t my metaphors top notch?)

Anyway, let me lay a little bit of ground work here other than the ground work I’ve already laid. That stuff was all about me. Ha! The ground work coming up is the pertinent stuff. This is the short version: Pederson’s Natural Farms is now providing a line of fresh beef products exclusively to Whole Foods Market stores nationwide. Pederson’s processes and packages the beef products, which are designed to utilize the whole animal, and customers can now find them at Whole Foods Market stores.

How or why did this come about? Whole Foods Market is continuously looking for ways to promote environmental stewardship and reduce waste. That said, it goes without question that Whole Foods Market seeks to utilize the entire beef in a fashion that supports and aligns with their core values. Let’s face it… all beef cannot be a ribeye or t-bone. Bummer. So, what to do with the more obscure cuts? Prior to now, these cuts were most often used for ground beef.

Side note: Upon high school graduation, when you’re asked where you see yourself in 15 years, I never ever, ever, ever would have imagined that I’d find myself talking about cuts of meat. This is just nearly a foreign language to me. Ha!

So, those in the food industry know that these cuts of meat can fulfill a higher calling than ground beef. The problem, however, is that the average folk (me!) have NO idea what to do with something called chuck pectorals. Listen… I have an idea of what part of the cow this is but only because I work out. See? How in the world am I going to know what to do with that?

The goal, then, is to offer the highest quality natural beef in economical cuts other than ground beef. These fresh beef products must be easy to cook, insanely delicious, and impossible to mess up. The results of making this happen? Expanded value options for consumers, reduced waste across the board from production to consumption, and a delicious meal.

Prior to being approached by Whole Foods Market, Pederson’s had hoped to begin producing a preseasoned, fresh meat line. Thus, the Pederson’s research and development team had already been diligently working on concocting and perfecting several superb dry rubs. What the average folk (me, until recently) may not know about Pederson’s Natural Farms is that they’ve got some serious expertise and some seriously distinguished palates responsible for creating their flavors.

So, when Whole Foods communicated their ideas to Pederson’s, Pederson’s was able to hit the ground running lickity split. Thus, this new product development process has moved along rather quickly. We’ll skim over the early parts of the process. Basically, the dry rub flavors were selected and perfected. The particular cuts to be offered were settled upon. The label design was concepted, created, and approved. What’s to be done next?

You guessed it! It’s demonstrative speech day! (You probably didn’t guess that.) It’s time to focus on the step by step. Keeping the goals in mind, how is this going to be prepared and packaged? In other words, how exactly are the Pederson’s team members going to be cutting this meat? How thick? How much dry rub will be used? How much will go in to each package? Thus, a date was scheduled for a team of Whole Foods Market meat experts led by Becky Faudree, Associate Global Meat Coordinator, to spend the day in Hamilton, Texas, at the Pederson’s Natural Farms Plant.

And, this is where I enter the equation. I’m supposed to be there to photograph this party. “Pay attention,” I’m told, “to what’s being said so you can write about it later.”

So, I’m thinking not only do I have to photograph a demonstrative speech, but I will then have to write a demonstrative speech, too? But, alas! It turned out to be WAY more fun than a demonstrative speech! What ensued in that meat production plant on that day intrigued me, educated me, and solidified and grew my respect for both Whole Foods Market and Pederson’s Natural Farms.

As we all (probably around 20 of us) gathered into the refrigerator a perfectly climate controlled area of the plant dedicated (that day) to cutting beef, they wasted no time getting down to the nitty gritty. There before us, on a chilled stainless steel cutting station, sat pounds upon pounds of fresh chuck pectoral. The first decision to be made? Should the pectoral be cut into several smaller pieces or left in one big piece? Immediately (and quite honestly, surprisingly to me), the conversation turned to the consumer. What would be easiest for the consumer to handle, to cook? After much discussion, it was decided that one large piece would be best. After all, a larger piece is easier to grill.

Now that the basic decision has been made on the size, it’s time to discuss the actual method of trimming and cutting the beef. Keeping in mind that Pederson’s is famous for bacon, cutting beef is a new experience for the plant team. They’ve certainly mastered working with a pork belly, but pork belly and beef pectoral are two very different beasts.

Cutting meat is an art. I’m serious. You don’t just start taking a knife to it and think everything’s going to be okay. And, that is an art in which I am not proficient… or even a novice. I, along with the Pederson’s plant team, learned a few things about cutting meat that day. The Whole Foods folks demonstrated the best way to trim the meat and cut it into the correct size for packaging. What stuck out to me most during that conversation was when one of the Whole Foods meat experts mentioned that the meat should be cut across the grain. Yes, we’ve all heard that, haven’t we? But, what I never in a billion years would have thought about is that if it is cut across the grain in production, the consumer will naturally follow the same line when cutting the beef after it’s cooked. So, even if you’ve never been told to cut meat across the grain to make it more tender, those things have been thought about FOR you.

Simple things in life please me, I suppose. I realize that this is not earth shattering information. However, the fact that these companies are thinking about you or me throughout every step of the process… that impresses me. The following statement is quoted directly from Whole Foods Market’s core values:

“Our customers are the most important stakeholder in our business. Therefore, we go to extraordinary lengths to satisfy and delight our customers.”

A lot of companies say things like that. Sometimes, though, I’m left feeling like they’re just blowing smoke up my skirt or, in this case, up my hair net. So, when a company is behind closed doors, and every word that is spoken and each decision made aligns with those values? I call that integrity, and there is no quality that earns my respect or loyalty faster.

And, that was just the beginning. In talking about trimming the meat, there was a lot of discussion about necessary fat versus excessive fat. You’ll be pleased to know that you won’t be paying for excess fat when you buy these fresh beef products. Sometimes when I buy things like… oh… boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I feel like I’m paying far more than I should seeing as I have to trim off all sorts of yuckiness before it’s edible. Not the case with Whole Foods and Pederson’s.

Moving on to other things that impressed me. Here is another statement taken directly from Whole Foods Market’s core values:

“We see the necessity of active environmental stewardship so that the earth continues to flourish for generations to come.”

A big part of that for them is waste reduction. So, take a look at this chuck pectoral:

See that perfectly good piece of meat hanging off the side there? Well, that piece of meat needed to be cut off to align with the standards decided upon for the beef chuck pectorals. But listen… the Whole Foods Market meat expert that was handling that particular piece of meat was not about to cut it off until he knew what would be done with it. “If I cut this off, what’s going to be done with it?” he asked. And, ultimately, it will be used in another fresh beef product in this line: Grillers. It’s called the “No Meat Left Behind Initiative.” Okay… it’s not really. I made that up. Ha!

Really, though, I was impressed. This line of products has been well thought out. These folks know what they’re doing! Remember the goals above? Accomplished! They’ve definitely expanded the value options for consumers. Rather than all of this meat being turned into ground beef, we’ve now got some other beef options that are not steak and not an enormous cut like a brisket.

Which brings me to the second goal. Waste reduction. Here’s what I think is SUPER cool about this fresh beef project. All of this beef is being used in production, yes. No doubt. But, what impresses me about Whole Foods Market and Pederson’s is that they sought out ways to reduce waste on the consumer side, as well. Say you’re a family of four, and you’d like to have some brisket. Typically, your options would be to go buy the quantity you need already prepared, or you could buy an enormous $30 brisket that could feed your family of four for a year. So, you’ve spent more than is necessary, and you’ve got tons of leftovers. And, I don’t know about you, but if I’ve got a TON of something left over, I may eat it once or twice, but I’m over it after that. It’s waste. This fresh beef chuck pectoral is really very similar to a brisket. (I didn’t know that. I was taught that. And, a taste test confirms. Ha!) The biggest difference? It’s sized perfectly for a family. Clever.

The third goal mentioned above? It must be easy to cook, insanely delicious, and impossible to mess up. I can attest to the insanely delicious part. It’s insanely delicious in part because it’s already perfectly seasoned for you. I need that. I do okay if I’m sticking with good ol’ standbys like salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc. But, when I want something a bit more flavorful, a bit more impressive? Eh. I tend to either overdo it or underdo it with the seasonings. With this, I don’t even have to bother. Yes!

I think I can do this, y’all! I think I can cook up one of these pectorals and be the talk of the house… at least for that one night. This “just another demonstrative speech work day” turned out to be pretty awesome. I left with some serious enthusiasm and passion about Whole Foods Market, Pederson’s Natural Farms, and fresh chuck pectorals. Who would have guessed? A big ol’ high five goes to Whole Foods Market and Pederson’s Natural Farms for developing this awesome line of fresh beef products!

Welcome! My name is Stacy Dudley, Director of Marketing for Pederson’s Natural Farms.  If you aren’t familiar with Pederson’s, let me introduce you. The foundation of our brand is built on delivering a premium, all natural and organic product that consumers can trust. Our company mantra is “Food you feel good about feeding your family”.

That said, Pederson’s is not simply a logo. We are not simply a product. We are far more than that. We are a group of real people who strive towards the same goals of honesty, integrity, and good stewardship. Those things are the heartbeat of our company. From plant workers to research and development to our president to shipping and receiving to everything in between, our values pulse through each individual.

We understand the importance of having one of the best research and development teams in the industry.  When we are challenged with new products, new ideas, and new needs, we not only meet expectations, we surpass them. We surpass them because we are able to rally our entire company together to turn around customized solutions that work. It is these sorts of successes that make Pederson’s Natural Farms a superior all natural and organic meat producer.

What are we getting at here? Well, we’d like to introduce you to our latest line of products. We count this as one of our successes. We count this as one of those things that makes us exceptional.

Click here for the No Meat Left Behind Blog about the launch of our all natural beef line!

email:  stacy@pedersonsfarms.com with questions

So, now for the second leg of the amazing and beautiful hog farm tour! I mentioned in my last BLOG that I was going to title this BLOG “Happy Hogs Still Shit”, and I am a man of my word.  Let’s get to the point of that statement right away as I want you all to know it really has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that the first baby hog I handled took a dump right down my side into my pocket! What a shifty little critter to figure out how to manage a feat like that, right?!?

Well, as all honest women usually have to do, I must as well admit it was my fault! Poor little booger had been laying in the corner of the pen sound asleep after getting a belly full of momma’s milk and all the sudden got picked up and squeezed right on the belly! I mean, I just didn’t take time to slow down and consider the situation because he looked so cute and peaceful. I just accidentally rushed things a little too much for the little guy, and, therefore, I got just what I deserved: a lesson. After all, that is what I was there for, right?!? Anyway, that lesson stayed with me all day…

So, I learned my first lesson about hogs in the first 2 minutes of the tour, and it seemed like the lessons kept rolling in at the same pace. Let me tell you about the life of that little piggy.

• A few days before the piglets are due to be born, the mom is moved to a special room. It’s kinda like a maternity ward at a hospital.
• She has her own pen that she only shares with her piglets with straw and extra heat lamps for warmth.
• She needs a really hearty diet to provide as much milk as the piglets can drink. (This is a common shortcoming of farms, which usually hand feed their farrowing rooms Because of that, they can’t keep up with how much a sow needs to eat to grow big healthy babies.) She gets her own feeder designed so she can fix up her own porridge by adding dry feed and water to create the consistency she likes. You can see a variety of individual preferences as you watch different moms at work fixing their breakfasts.
• The vegetarian dry feed consists of ground corn (grown right on the same farm) mixed with soybeans for protein, vegetable oil, and vitamins.
• When it’s time to give birth, the farmer is on hand. Sometimes the sow needs assistance with the birth. A litter of 12+ piglets can take a long time! Other times, the farmer just makes sure the babies get to a warm spot.
• They live with their moms until they are 4 weeks old, and then they are weaned (moved out of the house). Afterward, they are housed with other piglets the same age and size so there isn’t much fighting in the finishing barn (where they grow up).

I learned that every time a sow has a litter, it is called a parity. So rather than tracking how many years old she is, they say how many parities she is… and, by the time they have a couple parities, they get to be quite large animals. I wanna say those sows are big gals with low centers of gravity, and I never pictured a hog being intimidating, but they were. Luckily, all these girls were happy and let me get right out in the pen with them and socialize. It was almost like they saw the green horn from a mile away and decided to take it easy on the ol’ boy!

I learned that the hogs on this farm were loved by the people that work there, and that the hogs are super smart, as well.

Come back next time for the third installment of the hog farm tour BLOG series… “Need to brush your hair?”

Later,

The Cooking Cowboy