2024 Shares - AVAILABLE, READY OCTOBER 2024
Our hogs are fed a special finishing diet; we replace a large portion of their feed with locally gathered filberts and often add acorns. Gathering nuts is not our kids favorite chore, but they know it makes great bacon and that seems to be all the motivation they need. Well, that and an occasional stop for a milkshake.
Acorn finished pork is a centuries-old tradition that has been handed down from the Mediterranean region of Europe. The practice of finishing hogs on acorns followed European settlers to North America and is regaining popularity today due to its many benefits. Inspired by the Pacific Northwest, we added filberts to the mix. Filberts begin to ripen in September and, because of their high oil content, are difficult to store properly to avoid the nuts from becoming rancid. Since our hogs feast on filberts throughout September and often October, the pork they produce is truly a seasonal good; like all seasonal goods, it is only available once a year.
Finishing hogs with mast (the nuts of forest trees that have accumulated on the ground) provides increased flavor to the fat and meat – both have a slightly sweet and nutty, very clean flavor. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat” and the same is true for the animals that produce the meat you enjoy. Your pork from Millennial Acres will have a lot more flavor than store bought meat. Our hogs do not produce your typical “other white meat”. Nut, or mast, finished pork is darker red and well marbled with fat as oppose to the extreme leanness of factory raised pork. Intriguingly the fat from mast finished hogs is healthier; it has a higher ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat due to the nuts consumed by the hog. Because the fat melts at a lower temperature, it seeps into the meat while cooking, essentially basting the meat, making a tender and very juicy pork chop!
Our hogs are cared for by the entire family, kids included, and are very personable. They often make us laugh with their antics in their muddy wallow, which we keep wet with our special piggy sprinkler.
Pricing:
Hanging Weight: 269 lbs. – Millennial Acres charges $7.00/lb. and butcher charges $0.85/lb. for cutting/wrapping
Millennial Acres Charge: $1,883.00 (269 lbs. x $7.00)
Butcher Charge: $228.65 (269 lbs. x $0.85)
Total Cost: $2,111.65
Whole Share Take Home Weight: 188.30 lbs. (~30% lost from hanging weight of 225 lbs. through cutting/wrapping by butcher)
Whole Share Total Cost: $2,111.65
Half Share Take Home Weight: 94.15 lbs.
Half Share Total Cost: $1,055.83
Please note that that the hanging weight used in this example is approximate; each animal is an individual and hanging weights can and do vary. Our average hanging weight is 269 pounds. The butcher charges a base fee for cutting and wrapping, there will be additional charges for curing, smoking, sausage or bratwurst. In addition, the butcher charges a mobile slaughter and disposal fee. Please confirm all pricing with the butcher.
Our hogs are fed a special finishing diet; we replace a large portion of their feed with locally gathered filberts and often add acorns. Gathering nuts is not our kids favorite chore, but they know it makes great bacon and that seems to be all the motivation they need. Well, that and an occasional stop for a milkshake.
Acorn finished pork is a centuries-old tradition that has been handed down from the Mediterranean region of Europe. The practice of finishing hogs on acorns followed European settlers to North America and is regaining popularity today due to its many benefits. Inspired by the Pacific Northwest, we added filberts to the mix. Filberts begin to ripen in September and, because of their high oil content, are difficult to store properly to avoid the nuts from becoming rancid. Since our hogs feast on filberts throughout September and often October, the pork they produce is truly a seasonal good; like all seasonal goods, it is only available once a year.
Finishing hogs with mast (the nuts of forest trees that have accumulated on the ground) provides increased flavor to the fat and meat – both have a slightly sweet and nutty, very clean flavor. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat” and the same is true for the animals that produce the meat you enjoy. Your pork from Millennial Acres will have a lot more flavor than store bought meat. Our hogs do not produce your typical “other white meat”. Nut, or mast, finished pork is darker red and well marbled with fat as oppose to the extreme leanness of factory raised pork. Intriguingly the fat from mast finished hogs is healthier; it has a higher ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat due to the nuts consumed by the hog. Because the fat melts at a lower temperature, it seeps into the meat while cooking, essentially basting the meat, making a tender and very juicy pork chop!
Our hogs are cared for by the entire family, kids included, and are very personable. They often make us laugh with their antics in their muddy wallow, which we keep wet with our special piggy sprinkler.
Pricing:
Hanging Weight: 269 lbs. – Millennial Acres charges $7.00/lb. and butcher charges $0.85/lb. for cutting/wrapping
Millennial Acres Charge: $1,883.00 (269 lbs. x $7.00)
Butcher Charge: $228.65 (269 lbs. x $0.85)
Total Cost: $2,111.65
Whole Share Take Home Weight: 188.30 lbs. (~30% lost from hanging weight of 225 lbs. through cutting/wrapping by butcher)
Whole Share Total Cost: $2,111.65
Half Share Take Home Weight: 94.15 lbs.
Half Share Total Cost: $1,055.83
Please note that that the hanging weight used in this example is approximate; each animal is an individual and hanging weights can and do vary. Our average hanging weight is 269 pounds. The butcher charges a base fee for cutting and wrapping, there will be additional charges for curing, smoking, sausage or bratwurst. In addition, the butcher charges a mobile slaughter and disposal fee. Please confirm all pricing with the butcher.