Pastured Pork from Nettle Valley Farm
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we have whole and half hogs available to reserve.
The Basics
We raise happy hogs on lush, diverse pastures on our farm just outside of Spring Grove, MN. You can reserve a whole or half hog, have it processed to your specifications in October/November (chops or roasts? brats or italian sausage? and so much more!), and feast all year long. (All our hogs are USDA processed at Burt's Meats in Eyota.)
Our pigs live the good life! We are obsessed with pig happiness and proud of it. They have plenty of room to roam and play and fresh water to drink. They feast on clover, grasses, nettles, grazing kale, small grains, sunflowers, chicory, and whatever else their snouts can find in our diverse annual and perennial pastures.
In addition to grazing, our pigs eat a Certified Organic field peas and barley ration. It's corn, soy and fishmeal free! This makes their fat firmer than corn/soy fed pigs. It also means a delicious, clean taste plus higher CLAs and a better Omega 3:6 ratio.
2023 Pricing
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Whole hogs: $6.50/# hanging weight + processing fee
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Average whole hog total: 150-160# of pork depending on processing, $1550
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Breaks down into roughly $1300 for the pork + $250 for processing
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Bottom line: About $9-11/# of packaged product, depending on your processing choices
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Half hogs: $7.50/# hanging weight + processing fee
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Average half hog total: 70-80# of pork depending on processing, $900
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Breaks downs into roughly $750 for the pork + $130 for processing
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Bottom line: About $10-12/# of packaged product, depending on your processing choices
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Frequently Asked Questions
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When will my pork be ready?
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October-November. Your pork will be ready about two weeks after the harvest day depending on processing.
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Do you offer home delivery?
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Yes! Delivery to customers in the Twin Cities area and within about 150 miles of Spring Grove is $75.
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I don't need home delivery -- where do I pick up my pork?
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You can pick up your pork at either our cold storage location that is just minutes off of Hwy 52, north of Rochester, MN OR on our farm just outside Spring Grove, MN.
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What comes with a half or whole hog?
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Short answer: SO many delicious things! About 70-80# of delicious porky treats with a half hog and 150-160# with a whole hog.
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This number varies with the size of the hog and your processing choices.)
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Long answer: you have a ton of options but never fear! Our online custom cut sheet will walk you through all of your processing options.
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The standard bone in cuts include:
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3/4" thick pork chops (2 per pack)
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Bone in shoulder roasts
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Belly BACON! :)
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Jowl bacon
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Bone in ham (cured and smoked)
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Hocks (cured and smoked)
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Spare ribs
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Plain ground pork
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Lard
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Bone broth bones
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Skull for head cheese.
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The standard boneless cuts include:
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3/4" thick boneless pork chops (2 per pack)
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Boneless shoulder roasts
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Belly BACON! :)
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Jowl bacon
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Boneless ham (cured and smoked)
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Hocks (cured and smoked)
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Spare ribs
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Plain ground pork
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Lard
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Bone broth bones
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Skull for head cheese.
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Custom cut options include seasoned ground pork or brats (pick one for half hogs, pick 2 for wholes), pork steaks instead of shoulder roasts, loin roasts instead of pork chops, fresh (not cured and smoked) hams/belly/hocks, and more.
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Can I visit Nettle Valley Farm?
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You are welcome to visit our farm in the beautiful Driftless area of MN! We'll also post frequent pig updates on our Facebook page and Instagram feed so you can watch them grow.
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How do I custom order my cuts?
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When it's time to order cuts in September, we'll send you our easy-to-use online custom cut ordering form.
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You can decide everything from how thick you'd like your pork chops to sausage flavors to whether you'd like bacon or uncured side pork for DIY culinary endeavors.
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How much freezer space will I need?
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For a half hog, you’ll need about 4-5 cubic feet. Another way to picture this is 2 large fabric grocery totes packed full and overflowing just a bit.
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For a whole hog, you’ll need about 8-10 cubic feet. Another way to picture this is 4 large fabric grocery totes packed full and overflowing just a bit.
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For comparison, the empty freezer compartment of a new, average-size, home refrigerator is about 4.8 cubic ft.
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Are your hogs certified organic?
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No. The pea and barley feed the pigs eat is Certified Organic but we haven't been able to find a source of certified organic feeder pigs. We use many organic and "beyond organic" practices.
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Do your pigs receive hormones or antibiotics?
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We never use sub-therapeutic antibiotics, hormones, growth promoters like ractopamine or unnecessary drugs -- yuck.
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We focus on preventative medicine and a low stress, healthy environment. When a pig does become ill, we treat our pigs like we treat ourselves: natural remedies whenever possible, antibiotics when that's the best tool in the toolbox. We use conventional medicine under the guidance of our local veterinarian.
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Questions?
Give us a holler for more info on how to fill your freezer with happy meat raised with love!