In order to get local, pasture raised pork to customers at the farmers’ market we have to follow a process. Like it or loathe it, it’s what we have to do regardless.
I am a small farm so I only aim to help feed my community. But let’s face it, we can see from the list below why many others don’t jump on board.
(And don’t even get me started about access to chicken and turkey.)
Here’s my checklist every year:
🐷order the piglets from our small farm supplier in January (we don’t keep breeding stock)
🐷drive 2 hours to go get them in April
🐷THE PIGLETS MUST BE TAGGED AND REGISTERED WITH PORK NS
🐷THEY ARE DEWORMED
🐷TAKEN CARE OF EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH LOVE, FEED, WATER, BEDDING
🐷EVERY THURSDAY I TAKE THEM PRODUCE SCRAPS FROM OUR LOCAL GROCERY STORE
🐷BUTCHER MUST BE BOOKED IN EARLY
🐷A PERMIT TO SELL THE MEAT AT MARKET MUST BE OBTAINED FROM DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT
🐷WE MUST PREPARE TO LOAD THEM ON A TRAILER AT LEAST A FEW DAYS BEFORE
🐷WE HAVE TO TRAILER THEM ONE HOUR (ALIVE) TO A NS DEPT OF AG APPROVED BUTCHER
🐷CUT SHEETS AND WRAPPING INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN
🐷PICK UP THE MEAT AND ARRANGE IT IN FREEZERS
🐷WAIT FOR THE HAMS, BACONS TO BE CURED
🐷WAIT FOR THE SAUSAGES TO BE MADE
🐷KEEP YOUR BUTCHERING RECEIPT IN CASE OF MARKET INSPECTION
🐷COOLERS ARE PACKED EVERY WEEK FOR MARKET
🐷COOLER TEMP IS REGULATED AND MUST BE MAINTAINED AT MARKET
In Nova Scotia you are able to sell pork frozen from farm gate but to sell at a farmers’ market or storefront you need to have a Premise Identification Number, and it has to be butchered at a government approved facility. We don’t have one in our county so we have to travel an hour to Yarmouth to Chebeque Livestock.
I dislike the stress it puts on the animals to trailer but I try really hard to make it as peaceful and quick as possible for the pigs.
I bring the trailer up early and park it near the fence so they are used to it. Some people feed them on the trailer but this also doubles as a horse trailer and I don’t want them to rimrack it.
You can read more about how we raise pigs here : https://yellowbrickroadfarm.ca/2022/06/09/raising-pigs/
On loading day, we use metal livestock panels to make a chute to corral and seperate if necessary, donuts and cider to entice them and if we have trouble sometimes a bucket over the head, steering them backwards on or off the trailer works well. This isn’t a one woman job usually, although occasionally it’s been me and two teenagers.
If it’s hot, it’s best to do this rather early morning or evening to avoid more stress on the animal. I give myself lots of time.
So why do I do this ? Why put my old body and beautiful spirit through all this to feed a small amount of people ?
It’s not to be a martyr or “oh look at how hard my job is “.
I truly do love raising pigs as an animal. I grew up eating pigs we raised and butchered, it’s a part of who I am.
And depending on what your idea of success is, I’m good at it.
A little bit of it is stubbornness. I don’t want to be told I can’t do it.
A whole lot of it is protectiveness over our food supply. Ninety five percent of pork produced in NS is produced by large hog farms.
However, the majority of the pork consumed in this province is grown by contracted farms owned by Olymel. It is shipped in on Sysco, Gordons, or OH ARMSTRONG from Quebec. Olymel. a company currently plaqued with plant closures and lagging behind competition from the meat packing majors such as Carghill. And worldwide, China basically owns the pork market, with over 50% of global pork production.
I tell you all this to encourage you, not depress you.
Because it can be done. There are people like me all over this fair province. You will find them in farm markets, independent grocery stores, and here in our small town anyway, the Oak Park ESSO.
You can find more in your area here : https://buylocal.novascotia.ca/
It is a lot of work and every time we load pigs, my husband inevitably asks “Why Jennifer …WHY do you do this ? “.
But he knows the unbelievable taste of fresh, pasture raised pork, the security of a full freezer and stable meat prices, so it’s purely rhetorical.
Otherwise I would just raise pigs and slaughter them on farm, fill our freezers, sell a live finished pig to offset our costs, or a few halves or whole sides and be done. I did that for 15 years. It’s tempting.
But we have been growing our local farmers’s market, and the values that go along with it in this fast food culture world, and I am committed to putting my money where my mouth is, as we say ‘round here.
People are often blown away by the difference in taste of our pork. I often say I’m not doing anything extraordinary but rather the food bar has been lowered so far down I think people have forgotten how simple, good food can taste.
Local meat producers are an underground thing in our municipality. It’s a big fishing community and government mistrust runs rampant. It’s mostly well placed given the rise of monopoly type seafood producers edging out small fishermen who have to go big or go home. Sound familiar ? It’s aligns well with the recent farming trends of small farms and agri-business.
It wasn’t always like this-like most of the western world, each community grew what they ate, fed each other and there were independent grocery stores dotting the windy, rocky shores all over our province.
I am encouraged by people who are questioning the lie they are told about large scale agriculture feeding the world. Commodities don’t feed the world.
People support small farms, not only for the wonderful diversity of food but also because of the values they represent.
I meet people all the time who believe farmers should make a living wage, and food cost should reflect the true cost-environmental, local commerce, the humane treatment of workers and animals- of what it takes to produce it and that’s so encouraging.
It is said the most prosperous communities are judged by their ability to feed themselves.
Let’s get at it.
Love Jenn xx
