Why I Love Being A Pig Farmer
October 1st marks the beginning of National Pork Month, which makes it the perfect time to reflect on why I love being a pig farmer. Growing up, I didn’t know I wanted to be a pig farmer. In fact, I didn’t want to be a farmer at all. I was raised in a farming family, but I was always more of the indoorsy type. I liked to color and play house. My brother and sister were more of the farm type- climbing trees and running around the hayloft. It wasn’t until college that I decided agriculture was for me.
I remember the exact moment I made that decision. I was standing in my art school dorm in Chicago making a cheeseburger for dinner. In the middle of discussing where my box of burger patties came from, my roommate exclaimed, “wait, that meat is from your own cows?” Well of course. Where else would it come from? That was the whole reason grandpa and dad raised cattle- to put meat on our table. It never occurred to me that there are people out there who don’t know any farmers, or who think all food originates at the grocery store. I decided shortly after that night that I wanted to move back home and get involved in agriculture. After graduating from college with a degree in Ag Business, I met William and my pig farming story began.
MY START WITH PIGS
William grew up raising pigs, and for nearly four years now, I have had the privilege of raising pigs alongside him. Though I’ve only been a pig farmer for a short time, I have found that there is so much to love. From day one care helping piglets get off to the best start, to feeding and caring for our pigs, to putting delicious pork on the table, we are always striving to be the best farmers we can be. Our number one priority is to work hard to ensure we provide consumers with a safe, quality food product.
SHARING OUR FARM WITH YOU
As I continue to learn and grow as a pig farmer, it is important for me to be open and honest about how and why we raise our pigs. We are faced with many decisions as farmers, and every choice we make must have the pigs’ utmost care in mind. We understand many consumers have questions about where their food comes from. How do we house our pigs? What do we feed them? Do we give our pigs antibiotics? Why do we use farrowing crates? Not only do we try to answer all of these questions, but we also open up our farm and invite friends to come see first-hand how we raise our animals.
Making those connections with consumers is my favorite part about being a pig farmer. The pork we provide to consumers is the same pork we feed to our own families. You can feel confident that the food you feed your families is safe, and was raised with care. In honor of National Pork Month, I encourage you to make a connection with a pig farmer. Ask questions, and maybe even make a visit to the farm. Oh, and don’t be afraid to add a little extra pork into your weekly dinner menu. We pig farmers will thank you!
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