"Clean" Pork Producers (Organic / Grass-fed / Natural)

[realitybugll]

this thread can be moved into diet and health. It is not exactly about a recipe. I think I made a mistake, sorry.

I have been doing some researching, and I am confused. I'm hoping someone here knows about buying pork.

From what I understand, unlike cows, the wild, natural, diet of pigs or boars is not only grass, or not mostly grass.

Because of its digestive system, the wild pig must eat insects, acorns, other things, besides just grasses to survive. So in accordance with this what I found is there is no such thing as grass fed pork. In other words I cannot buy pork that is fed a wild, natural diet.

So I am concerned, because I am guessing that the pork I eat is probably fed grains, and specifically, genetically modified grains (corn and soy and maybe wheat-- I forget if this has a genetically modified variety or not).

From what I understand, grain fed animals are probably not good to eat, but I understand I may be wrong here...

Just now in writing this post, I did another search on google for "grain fed pigs" and ironically I found this one website:

http://www.texasgrassfedbeef.com/id78.htm

Our hogs are LEGITIMATE GRASS-FED (actually wild-raised) critters. Therefore our pork comes from the most "naturally-raised" pigs in the world! They are WAY BEYOND "PASTURED." Unlike some pork offerings from disreputable outfits easily found on the Internet (some so despicable they even copy our words verbatim on their Web sites), our pigs are not raised on feeds we provide. They literally forage at large eating what pigs eat -- which is virtually everything and anything that's in the natural wild world. Our pigs are not BIG. Sometimes they are quite lean, sometimes they are fat. The only time we feed our pigs is while they are being held just prior to being sent to processing. Then we feed them alfalfa -- a high quality green leafy plant. By the way, since nuts are very seasonal it only makes sense that pigs cannot be dining on acorns and such for more than a couple months a year. So, beware of folks who claim their pigs are raised on acorns. Not only are acorns highly seasonal, but in actual fact they are really not at nutritious as grass by any means.

Don't be fooled by phony advertising. We haven't found an offer of grass-fed pork on the Internet that is legitimate other than ours. Grass-fed pork is red-meat pork.

Maybe I found something here! And some of the pork products are not a bad price, 5 dollars a pound.

So I am actually in the middle of investigating this, but maybe I could order pork from here. I'm a few states away, but maybe this would be alright. I wonder if the pork is shipped frozen, or how that would work.

Another option would be for me to just stick to wild fish and grass fed beef. I could do this.

Also I am thinking that perhaps with lard itself, the diet of the pig might not matter so much, because fats are relatively simple molecules I understand, compared to proteins. Maybe lard that comes from a wild pig or a domestic one, is the same. I mean I suspect I am wrong because I know that grass fed cows contain more omega three fatty acids compared to grain fed cows...but this is just my thought.

edit: by the way there is something known as "wild boar meat" but this is actually the name of the pig variety and the name does not denote how it was raised. So I found "wild boars" are domestically raised for the most part. This is a little bit confusing, thought I'd mention it.

 

[Mr. Premise]

Yes, I think you want to look for pork that is "forage fed." Pigs like forests because they eat acorns, etc., so you're right, unlike cows, they wouldn't be purely grass fed. But supplementing the forage diet with alfalfa sounds like it would be very good for the healthfulness of it. Especially compared to grain feeding.

 

[anart]

Some of the pigs on that website actually look bony. Is that healthy? Perhaps it is - I don't know much about it, just looks like they're not grass fed so much as grass starved.

 

[realitybugll]

Yeah, that is an interesting fact. You definitely want some fat/lard on the pig. American pigs are very fat, but it probably is not good quality, wild pigs are probably pretty lean but the fat that they have on them is probably 'good'.

It just makes me wonder about our ancestors and how they would get enough fat. Well I am wondering what pigs do in the winter, maybe they do a type of hibernation and fatten up then... So wild animals aren't necessarily lean by default even though they struggle to survive, because they have to actively accumulate a lot of fat for winter time.

The site is still under investigation by me... or, the investigation is pending, and I am planning to get back to it.

 

[Hildegarda]

You definitely want some fat/lard on the pig. American pigs are very fat, but it probably is not good quality, wild pigs are probably pretty lean but the fat that they have on them is probably 'good'.

the opposite is true, from what I know. In the US, commercially raised pigs have been overbread to produce lean meat. This has produced a number of unintended consequences.

One is that these pigs are very high-strung, and the stress of butchering makes high amounts of lactic acid to be released in their bodies, which converts their already lean muscles into jellied pulp and ruins the meat. The other is that they have poor resistance to germs. Small farmers have a more diverse stock of pigs, and now some large farms are buying genetic material from them (sperm) to improve their own stock.

As for the taste, the free-foraging pigs will not be super-fat, but they will have more fat on them then the typical commercially raised one, and will taste more "rich". But I wouldn't call a free-foraging pig "grass-fed". Pigs are omnivorous. Besides grass, they will eat roots, bugs, small animals, etc.

 

[realitybugll]

the opposite is true, from what I know. In the US, commercially raised pigs have been overbread to produce lean meat. This has produced a number of unintended consequences.

From what I have been reading, that seems to be the case. I read that there was a change sometime in the fifties or sixties, a low fat movement , and so the pigs became much less fat, and same with the meat on the shelves.

Also I was reading because the meat is lean it is less flavorful so it is injected with a flavor solution (water, salt, and something other stuff.)

On another note, when you are buying lean meat, you are getting less calories. not just because a gram of fat contains 9 calories and a gram of protein 4, but because muscle tissue is about 70% water, depending on the meat. And this number lessens for cooked meat, but it would depend on the temperature and the time--and still not by much usually. This surprised me! I actually get a lot less calories then I thought.

 

[go2]

Some of the pigs on that website actually look bony. Is that healthy? Perhaps it is - I don't know much about it, just looks like they're not grass fed so much as grass starved.

Those hogs are a wild breed. They are tall and thin in comparison to the more domesticated breeds. My family raised Hampshires, Yorkshires, Durocs, and Poland Chinas. Those breeds have a good amount of fat and hardiness needed for the small farm hog producers. We raised the hogs in outdoor settings, where they grazed on mangels, alfalfa and clover with ground corn as their main food. We even did our own butchering for the family table.

Today, the hog industry is vertically integrated with most hogs raised in confinement. These confinement hogs are bred for controlled conditions and would die if they had to forge for food. Their low fat percentage would make it difficult to survive bad weather outdoors. Confinement raised hogs are fed antibiotics, growth hormones, and high protein corn and soy based food. They have to grow to market size in about 6 months as they can't live much longer due to the horrific conditions of confinement over pools of hog waste. It is cruelty to animals. I have seen these huge operations and will not eat conventional pork on ethical grounds not to mention the meat's inferior nutritional and flavor quality.

It is possible to find small producers who raise hogs with a varied diet and in humane conditions. I get my pork from a small farmer who finishes his hogs with hazelnuts and corn. They range outdoors for grass and legumes. The flavor is delicious, compared to the bland, watery confinement fed pork. You can view the swine breeds here. They are beautiful, intelligent animals and deserve mankind's humane treatment and appreciation.

 

[anart]

Today, the hog industry is vertically integrated with most hogs raised in confinement. These confinement hogs are bred for controlled conditions and would die if they had to forge for food. Their low fat percentage would make it difficult to survive bad weather outdoors. Confinement raised hogs are fed antibiotics, growth hormones, and high protein corn and soy based food. They have to grow to market size in about 6 months as they can't live much longer due to the horrific conditions of confinement over pools of hog waste. It is cruelty to animals. I have seen these huge operations and will not eat conventional pork on ethical grounds not to mention the meat's inferior nutritional and flavor quality.

I added pork to my diet last year and anything other than organic pork causes inflammation. I tried 'regular' pork once and I found it to be inedible, the flavor was horrible compared to the organic pork (labeled 'humanely raised' - though how does one really know?).

 

[go2]

Hi Anart,

I buy pork from a farmer who sells at the local farmer's market. He invites customer's to visit his farm. That is how I know the quality and conditions.
Check out the link to pictures of the many breeds of hogs. They are nearly are diverse as human beings.

 

[rrraven]

oooooh the tibetan pigs are so cute I can imagine having one of those as a house pet only 35kg not much bigger than a medium dog
:) :)

 

[T.C.]

I've started getting my meat from a small organic farm, 20 miles away. It seems that the price of organic pork feed has gone through the roof. The supermarket I got my organic pork mince from stopped selling it, which is how I found this farm.

The woman there explained to me that they too have had to stop getting organic feed for the pigs because the meat was astronomically expensive, but she pays an extra £70 a time on her pork feed to legally ensure that it is non-GM. The pigs are fed on silage and, unfortunately, grain, but they are free range, rare breed and happy.

Compared to the grey/white crap they sell in the supermarket labelled "pork mince", it's a no-brainer.

Their lamb and beef is organic, because, as you say, they are grass fed.

If you can, try to find a farm that you trust and make a monthly run to buy your meat; keep it in the freezer till you need it.

 

[Courageous Inmate Sort]

I've been looking around for organic pork in the last few weeks and first of all found out that is very difficult to know where the meat came from and how the animals were fed. So far the best I could get was fresh bacon, that is, without sodium nitrate and other chemical preservatives. But still no idea of how the pigs were raised.

Searching on the internet I found what is called "open air" (or "plain air") production, which seemed to be a more humane way of raising the pigs. However, the pigs are raised in "open air" (actually inside a small fence) until they are at a stage where they should start gaining more weight and then are transferred to the usual confined environment.

Moreover, although "open air" production does not allow GMO foods, they seem to use various kinds of grains and residues. One of the things that does not seem to be very good is the use of what is called "chicken bed" (cama de frango, in Portuguese), which is made out of feathers, excrement, and what is left over from chicken feed. This same "open air" system seems to be used in other countries too, since I found a reference that stated it was "imported" from France.

On a brighter note, this weekend I visited my family (Easter holiday here in Brazil) in the countryside and my mother told me she has a friend who raises pigs for her restaurant. Unfortunately she did not have details about the production method but it seems it is a very small family business and since the restaurant is all about roasted and other pig dishes maybe they care about how the pigs are raised, given the effects on the taste of the meat. If this turns out to be true it would be worth the eventual trip to have some "clean" bacon and lard. Next time I will plan a visit to the farm and restaurant.

 

[gottathink]

New Zealand pork is a pretty good bet for a reasonably healthy and ethically raised meat.
You can learn more about free-range and free-farmed pork on the website.

They are fed a mix of grains and cereals for energy, plus sources of protein such as dairy by-products, and soya bean meal, along with vitamins and minerals. Pigs are also excellent recyclers of by-products and left-overs from the human food chain, such as bread, dairy and vegetables from supermarkets that would otherwise go to landfill.

Growth hormones are not used in New Zealand pork production. While PST (porcine somatropin) is registered for use in New Zealand under veterinary supervision, the New Zealand pork industry took a stance against its use in 2002. When farmers send their pigs to processing, they sign a declaration that the pigs have not been given PST.

Antibiotics are not used routinely – only under veterinary supervision when needed for a sick pig and to maintain and enhance pig health and welfare.‍

 

[grini]

For folks in Croatia and EU I found this farm:

Sin Ravnice

Sin Ravnice

sinravnice.com

Sin ravnice | Viljevski Cret

Sin ravnice, Viljevski Cret, Osječko-Baranjska, Croatia. Gefällt 5.414 Mal · 63 Personen sprechen darüber · 27 waren hier. Na imanju sina ravnice @domagojvida rastu OINK poslastice od crne slavonske...

www.facebook.com

For the HR delivery is done by GLS, and abroad by DHL.

On our farm, pigs have completely different lives than on traditional intensive farms.​

When they are not in the barn, they roam freely in our pasture. They eat natural feed that we produce ourselves. All this directly affects the quality of the meat.

We cultivate our fields for growing corn, barley, wheat, field peas, pumpkins and clover with our own machinery, and there is always plenty of feed for growing pigs. From late spring to autumn, pigs also eat wild meadow grass, and in winter their diet is enriched with turnip.

 

[meadow_wind]

I'm going to start a thread where people can list their findings regarding local organic pork farms.
I've done some research for farms near the Montréal region that raise either organic or natural pigs and are selling whole pigs or 1/2 pig.
I've discarded farms that were further than a 2h drive (although maybe some of them offer free shipping).
There are 3 farms that I'm still waiting for a more detailed answer.

Rheintal is organic but only 25% fodder. Their price is quite good for organic meat.
St-Vincent is organic and is 80% fodder, but their price is the highest of all.
Ferme Rosa is not certified organic but is free-range and supplemented with veggies. And they have been transparent with their info on their 1st email. And only 10% GMO.
Domaine Horizon is not certified organic but is free-range and supplemented with veggies. His customers seem very happy from the FB page comments. We talked on the phone and he said he would call his supplier to gather more info regarding his cereal feed. He confirmed that "non GMO" is not one of their criteria... I'm a bit disappointed to hear that. I've asked twice for a more detailed grain and fodder composition without success. They have the lowest price, but the lack of transparency makes me think twice.


Here is my Excel file:

Farm Name	Organic	$/lbs	$/kg	Alimentation
Rheintal	yes	5.55	12.20	3/4 mixed grain (mixture of oats, wheat, peas, corn and soybeans) and 1/4 fodder (grass and hay).
Valens	Naturel	?	?	(waiting for a response for more than a week)
Beaurivage	no	?	?	100% vegetable grain
St-Vincent	yes	13.18	29.00	20% grain and 80% fodder.
				(waiting for a response for more than a week)
Domaine Horizon	Naturel	3.75	8.25	walk in the pasture and in the woods
				Non-organic grain feed/his supplier was unable to confirm about GMO (corn and soya part of the composition) + Fodder
				(I've asked twice for more details and he's being vague. Still waiting for a response)
Ferme Rosa	Naturel	8.00	17.60	walk in the pasture and in the woods
				Grains: 70% wheat (non-GMO), 10% canola (non-GMO), 10% soy (GMO), 10% minerals.
				Fodder: mixture of clover (non-GMO) and timothy (non-GMO).
				Can't tell the ratio they eat because of unlimited access to grain and fodder. When they have vegetables, they eat all the vegetables before consuming the rest.
Porcherie Ardennes	Naturel	?	?	maïs, soya et blé : 50% OGM

Farms that do not offer Pork or do not sell directly to clients:
- Ferme Le Crépuscule
- Dubreton
- viandesdelaferme.com
- Ferme fée et fougère: We do not sell any animals in carcasses, only in individual packages, our production being really limited.