During my hour-long drive hauling hogs to the butcher to this past Sunday, I got to thinking about the importance pigs played in our history. It wasn’t all that long ago that folks would get excited about the first freeze. Not because of skiing or sledding, but because of the slaughter. Every homestead had a pen of fattened hogs awaiting the drop in temperature because, before refrigeration, folks had to wait until temperatures plummeted to replenish their meat supplies (an overnight freeze being necessary to quickly lower the carcass temperature). Modern innovations have allowed us to process hogs year-round, but it’s important to keep these things in mind in order to honor those that came before us, and the hogs that help make it happen.
Pigs traveled to the New World with the early explorers. Ever since then they’ve played a major role in the development of this nation, providing a multitude of benefits to early settlers and modern homesteaders alike. Hogs were preferred for their ability to convert kitchen scraps, whey, and other agricultural byproducts into delicious meat that is easily preserved. Whereas cattle prefer to move in larger herds and require a larger amount of land, a small homestead could raise a few pigs on a tiny parcel. Equally important to the meat was the fat, and hogs have plenty of that. There was once a time that hogs were selected by how much fat they produced. It wasn’t until petroleum was widely used that hogs were bread more for meat than for fat.
Fat was an essential and versatile component to the farm. Before the advent of seed oils, lard was the primary cooking oil in the kitchen. But there’s more to fat than food. Did you know that homesteaders would use pig fat for lamp oil? And let’s not forget lubricants - mixing a bit of lard up with some fine clays (or even flour) would provide ample lubrication for axles and shafts. Still today you’ll find hand crafted soaps made with fat. If you're old enough to remember The Beverly Hillbilly’s; you’ll likely recall seeing Granny out stirring the lye into a giant cauldron in the back yard - she was making soap. I can’t imagine why she’d need that much soap, but it allowed her ample time to cuss at Jethro. Fats are also still being used in salves and ointments. Molly’s favorite face cream is called Farrow Life which is made almost exclusively with lard.
Here at the farm, pigs play a crucial role in our ecosystem. They're busy little workers, breaking up the cow pies and getting the soil ready for seeding – and, let's be honest, they're just downright fun to have around. We raise Red Wattle hogs - a heritage breed originally found around the Piney Woods of Texas. They are named for the unique wattles that hang from their necks, not to mention their rich red color. Red Wattles are known for being tough as nails and fantastic mothers. They're great foragers, grow quickly, and have a knack for staying healthy. Plus, they're mild-mannered and hardy, which makes them a perfect fit for our farm.
So, next time you're enjoying some juicy pork chops or crispy bacon, give a little nod to the hard-working pigs that made it all possible. See you at the market!
