Our pigs act as a disturbance agent on the farm, and that isn’t just when they break out of their fence and get into the garden! We use these strong (and strong-willed) creatures to break up the ground in preparation for reseeding more diverse pastures. They also help clean up all the fruit that falls from the orchard trees, breaking insect pest cycles while enjoying themselves immensely.
We call our pigs ‘heritage mutts’ because they’re a cross of several breeds: Berkshire, renown for fine marbling, Tamworth, known as the Irish Grazer, and Mulefoot, a hardy breed that thrives outdoors. These heritage breeds are prized by chefs for their superior flavour, and as farmers we value their hardiness, intelligence and foraging abilities.
Our pigs are certified organic and raised outdoors beginning when they are only weeks old. We rotate them quickly around the farm using portable electric fencing, controlling their impact and ensuring that they always have access to fresh pasture. It’s important to us that our pigs are able to fully express their natural pig behaviours — wallowing in mud, foraging for dandelions, digging up the tastiest roots, and making nests under fruit trees. We supplement the pigs’ foraging with certified organic feed we mill ourselves on the farm using grains and legumes purchased from farms in the North Okanagan and Washington State.
The goodness of the pigs’ life, and their organic, pasture-based diet is evident in the quality of the meat and the sweetness of the fat. Get ready for the best pork chops of your life, and don’t you dare leave that fat cap on your plate… trust us, it’s good for you.
Spray Creek Ranch 