The Divine Swine

The Divine Swine—Let’s Honor This Amazing Animal

The history of the pig (Sus domesticus) is quite a story. Arguably the first domesticated animal for meat production, archaeological evidence points to domestication between 13,000 and 11,000 years ago.

Pigs: The Four-Legged Humans

Pigs are monogastric omnivores that share an incredibly high similarity to humans. I often call them four-legged humans when discussing the pigness of the pig among friends. Much like humans, pigs are highly adaptable to many climates and environments. They are also highly intelligent animals, quite capable of foraging on many different foods.

It is for that reason that many early explorers carried pigs with them from Asia and Europe while exploring new lands. Explorers often released pigs to live, breed, and build up a readily available food source for their return.

Misconceptions About Pigs

Pigs are dirty:
Some of the cleanest animals on the planet. They cake themselves with mud to protect against sunburn, cool off, and reduce pathogens on their skin. Humans take mud baths for skincare—borrowing a tradition from our swine relatives.

Pigs are destructive:
Well, can’t really argue with this one. Pigs love to root and can turn soil over quickly, disturbing the land in pursuit of grubs, worms, and the latent seed bank in the forest floor. However, when managed properly, this disturbance can benefit the ecosystem.

Nutritional Powerhouse:

• Pigs metabolize many nutrients and minerals the same way humans do.
• Properly raised, pastured pigs are rich in vitamins D, A, & E.
• Pastured pork has a balanced omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid profile, making it a true superfood.
• Salt-cured pork can last for years without refrigeration.
• Fresh pork requires no aging and can be enjoyed immediately.
• Using a scalding/scraping process, the skin remains intact, making pork ideal for curing and aging.
• Pigs help the land by tilling soil, removing dead material, reducing fire risk, and aiding in decomposition.

Also… Bacon! Need we say more?

The Problem With Industrial Pork

Roughly 98% of the pork raised in the US today comes from confinement operations. The animals are overcrowded, fed poorly, and never get access to sunlight.

Industrial pork is still better than processed cereals or junk food, but we can do much better. Just 100 years ago, nearly every American household was familiar with lard. Did you know that Procter & Gamble dyed Crisco white to resemble lard?

Raising Healthy Pigs

To raise a healthy pig:

• Keep them on land, not in confinement.
• Give them fresh air, sunshine, and soil to root in.
• Feed them a variety of foods. Avoid GMO grains and soy for better fat quality.
• Rotate pastures. Ideally, pigs should not spend more than 8 days on the same patch of land.
• Manage waste properly. Unlike confinement operations with toxic manure lagoons, pastured pigs fertilize naturally.

Lead with Lard

Here at Farrow, we choose to lead with lard. We raise pigs the right way and ensure no fat goes to waste. These incredible animals deserve respect for all they contribute—both in food and ecological benefits.

The Swine is Divine, and the Lard is Hard.