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The Pig's Place at the Thanksgiving Table

11/17/2014

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When we think about Thanksgiving we immediately associate the meal with turkey, right? Of course the entire holiday revolves around the fantastically golden browned bird. But, I am here to to advocate the role that the pig plays at the Thanksgiving feast. And it might be where you least expect it. It’s in the pie! Or at least the pie crust…

That’s right. I’m talking about lard. Glorious, snow white leaf lard that will grace your table with the flakiest pie crust you've ever experienced. Lard is hardly ever considered anymore in the great crust debate because it’s so rare to find good, fresh leaf lard. Lard is specifically the fat rendered from a pig. Leaf lard, more specifically, is the delicate veiny fat that encases the organs - don’t get grossed out just yet. This is that fat that is rendered very slowed to produce that bright white, non-piggy smelling fat. Lard produced from pigs that are raised outdoors is packed with vitamin D, and is a superior form a fat. So, don’t be afraid to pick up that lard and use it in your crust!

Reminder: Orders for leaf lard should be placed by Monday, November 24th before noon for Pre-Thanksgiving delivery. Supplies are limited!

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Here is a basic lard based pie crust recipe that you can use in any number of pies, but since we’re talking about Thanksgiving, I’m attempting to make a pumpkin pie. I say “attempting” because full disclosure: I’ve never baked a pumpkin pie before. I’ve got the pie crust down, but this was my first pumpkin filling. Here it goes!

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A Hearty autumn soup

11/1/2014

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Autumn is in full swing and I’m beginning to get back into my weekly soup routine. When there’s a chill in the air, nothing is more comforting, or nourishing, than a steamy bowl of soup. I like to prepare a comically large pot of soup or stew on a Sunday night then have plenty of leftovers for lunches or lazy dinners later in the week.

Pork is probably my favorite protein in these sort of soul satisfying meals. It pairs so well with winter vegetables and grains. This particular soup recipe is a “pantry clearing” one. You can use a multitude of vegetables and whatever you have sitting in you kitchen cabinet. Stryker’s Sweet Italian sausage is the perfect foundation for just such a bounty of flavors.

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SAUSAGE KALE SOUP

Ingredients:

2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil, divided
Stryker Farm Sweet Italian Sausage
1 large yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic
½ cup sturdy red wine
3 stalks of chopped celery
A bouquet garni or fresh herbs: marjoram, thyme, parsley, oregano
3 chopped carrots
4 cups of pork stock
1 cup (or a can) of cannellini beans
1 cup of french green lentils
2 cups tomato puree
2 cups chopped kale
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Breadcrumbs:
A few pieces of “day old” bread
Dry Italian spices
olive oil

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Oktoberfest: Know your wursts

9/18/2014

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I've always been partial to Fall. I enjoy watching the changing leaves, revel in the cooling weather, and love to eat all things pumpkin flavored. But I also get excited for the annual harvest celebration of Oktoberfest. It’s practically the kick-off event to welcome fall, not to mention, one of the best food and drink events of the year. Although, “Oktoberfest” is a bit of a misnomer since it’s a 16 day festival that begins at the end of September and ends on the first weekend in October. This year it begins on Saturday, September 20th. 

Because it’s a German festival you are guaranteed plenty of beer, and plenty of pork! Pork is probably the unofficial meat of choice in German cuisine and is the star ingredient of most German wursts, or sausages. Back in the day, or in the time of the first Oktoberfests, sausages were so vitally important because they allowed butchers to make use of the whole pig; the meat, livers, blood, brains, all that good stuff. They were also a way to preserve the meat and have pork throughout the winter. Just as the fall was the time to harvest crops, it was also time to slaughter pigs and the butchers got to work making sausages, and thus, clearly a time to celebrate. Yay, pork! 

If you thought there was only one kind of wurst, well, you’d be mistaken. Below are just a few of the more common pork wursts...
1. Bratwurst
The most well known of the wursts. Perhaps the best of the wurst? (Pun intended). Bratwurst is a sausage made from finely minced pork and beef. It’s usually grilled and served with sweet German mustard and a piece of bread or hard roll. Stryker Farm offers a tasty Beer Brat made with local Weyerbacher beer. Check out our recipe for grilled brats and fresh cucumber salad.
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2. Frankfurter or Bockwurst
What we generally call a “hot dog” originated in Frankfurt, Germany and is made from pork and flavored with salt, pepper and paprika. It is traditionally boiled and eaten with Bock beer and mustard. Our Stryker franks are 100% pork. You can find a recipe for homemade franks and beans, here.
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3. Landjäger
Landjägers are small dried sausages made from pork, beef, lard, and sugar and spices. It is air dried and resembles a mini salami or jerky stick.
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www.nueskes.com
4. Leberwurst
Leberwurst, or Liverwurst, is usually made from pork with some pork liver. Unlike most wursts liverwurst is spreadable and usually served over rye bread with mustard and raw onions.
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www.schallerweber.com
5. Weisswurst
Weisswurst (white sausage) is from Southern Germany made with bacon, veal and flavored with parsley, onion, lemon, and cardamom. This sausage is boiled and eaten without the skin but with sweet mustard, beer and soft pretzels.
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www.wikipedia.com
6. Blutwurst
Blutwurst, or blood sausage, is made with congealed pig blood and also contains fillers like meat, fat, bread or oatmeal. It is sliced and eaten cold, on bread.
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www.wurstsorten.com
Now you can step into any Oktoberfest tent this fall with your newly learned wurst knowledge and eat like a pro. Prost!

Posted by: Jackie Botto
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Why Eat Heritage Breed Pigs?

8/18/2014

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As Americans, we’re faced with a lot of choices when it comes to our health and diet. And for those of us who choose to eat meat, most often it’s convenient to buy the cheapest and most accessible cuts to cook at home. For the longest time, I would patrol the price-cut “yellow sticker” meat section and stock my freezer with that because I thought I was being a savvy shopper. I had no idea where the meat come from or how it was raised and slaughtered. I just thought I was getting a good deal, but ignorance is bliss! I had no idea what I was missing out on...

What exactly does “heritage breed” mean? It’s more than just having historic agricultural significance. The term applies to livestock breeds that have been raised for hundreds of years before the industrialization of agriculture. They used to be the pigs that all small farmers raised. As soon as we started to “mass produce” pork, those breeds became unsuitable for those conditions, and new hybrid breeds of pigs were favored. A heritage breed pig will differ from a conventional breed in that they were bred for longevity in a free range environment. Pigs are natural foragers and flourish with plenty sunlight. Their stock is sturdy, but slower to grow. And, maybe most importantly, they’re bred for taste! The meat is sweeter and the fat is more flavorful which is due to their living conditions and diet. Conventionally farmed pigs are raised in uncomfortably close quarters, are fattened with a high grain diet, then forced grow quickly for a faster turnaround. Because the meat is not particularly flavorful, much of the pig is unacceptable for consumption, and is wasted. Wasted.

However, every bit of a free range heritage breed pig can be eaten, and can be the most mouth watering piece of pork you’ve ever tasted. Nothing is wasted! The blood? Blood sausage. The liver? Pate. The bones? Pork stock. Even the head is used, and contains arguably some of the most tender and tasty bits of meat. We can eat the WHOLE pig. That’s something you just can’t do with conventional breed pigs. Now most us will never want or need to cook up a pig head or kidneys, and that’s just fine. But, never fear, because those cuts will find there way into someone’s kitchen. So for me, that’s the most important reason to buy and eat heritage breed pork.
After I educated myself on the differences between heritage breeds and conventional I couldn't go back to my “yellow sticker” ways. Now I feel a responsibility when I choose what meat I eat. It’s a privilege, and I want to eat and cook accordingly!

Posted by: Jackie Botto

Sources:

Livestock Conservancy site
The Nourishing Gourmet
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Pasture Farrowing 101

8/14/2014

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Here at Stryker Farm we raise pigs "farrow-to-finish" which means that we raise breeding stock as well as butcher hogs. This type of operation is  not very common because it requires a lot of time and careful management but it gives us the advantage of having complete control over the quality and quantity of heritage breed pork we produce.  

The most difficult part of farrow-to-finish is the farrow, which is when the pigs are born. For the first 3-5 days a piglet is very vulnerable to dying from crushing, cold, infection and predators. A dead piglet is a big financial loss for a farmer so most "modern" farms take the risk out by using indoor farrowing crates. These crates are designed so sows can only stand up and lie down and therefore are less likely to step or roll on the newborn piglets. Although these crates are successful at preventing piglet death they have animal welfare drawbacks.

Here on Stryker Farm we do not use farrowing crates, rather we let sows give birth outside or in bedded shelters. At first, we struggled with keeping piglets alive and lost nearly 50% of litters. This was not only discouraging but our profitability went down the drain. Over time we learned how to better manage the sows and by following the guidelines below we've been able to lower our piglet mortality rate to around 15%.

The first lesson we learned was to use a good sow. A good sow must be calm and careful when lying down. She must have instincts to make a comfortable nest for herself and her piglets. She must be protective of her litter but not mean. She needs to have ample nipples and produce a good amount of milk. She needs to be healthy and have desirable genetics to pass on to her offspring.

We also learned to adapt to current weather conditions. During the warm months, April-September, we allow the pigs to farrow outdoors.  Generally this just means we put a bale of straw under a tree and let her do her thing. Sometimes we will set up a metal port-a-hut with bedding to provide even more protection from the elements. When the weather is extremely hot, over 90 deg F, we make mud puddles near the sow's nest so she can occasionally get muddy and cool off .

We also realized that privacy is important. Sows like to farrow in a secluded, private place where other pigs won't bother them or their piglets. When we put port-a-huts or straw bedding out in the woods we space them far apart so that every sow has her own space and there are no territorial disputes. 

So there you have it, a brief introduction to pasture-farrowing. It might seem like a lot of work but we wouldn't have it any other way!

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Eleanor - The Friendliest Pig At Stryker Farm

8/2/2014

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Eleanor coming over to get her belly rubbed.
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Eleanor doesn't mind being used as a pillow.

Here at Stryker Farm we have a pig named Eleanor. Eleanor is a gilt (unbred female pig) and about 7 months old. she has a shiny red coat with white markings on her face. What sets Eleanor apart from all our other pigs is her love for humans. While most other pigs cautiously keep their distance, Eleanor runs up to say hello (with a grunt). being the "ham" she is has captured the attention and loyalty of the farmers at stryker and has earned a spot as a farm MASCOT and pet, instead of being destined for the freezer. 

When Eleanor is not eating she enjoys wallowing in the mud with her pasture mates, as well as exploring. however her favorite thing to do is to get a belly rub from the farmers, just like a dog she will roll over and show her belly to anyone willing to get a little dirty and scratch it for her. she is truly a unique addition to the barnyard here at stryker farm. 

Next time you come for a visit, say hello to Eleanor!


by Anna Clem

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Pigs are like people

1/5/2014

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Pigs are a lot like humans. They have a emotions, personalities and are intelligent. (Rivaling some people, but I won't name names.) Some pigs are so smart that I literally can't butcher them. They just won't jump on the trailer to go to the butcher no matter how much food I tempt them with.

I can understand why many vegetarians and vegans are ethically opposed to eating pork and other meats.  Due to factory farming and the demand for cheap protein, animals often do no get the respect they deserve from people.

As a livestock farmer, I try my best to give my animals a happy, stress-free life. That's the only way I can justify butchering them in the end. For this blog entry I thought I would document some pig behaviors to show you just how complex and interesting pigs can be.

Social Hierarchy and Aggression

Pigs have a social hierarchy. Their social rank often gives them priority to eat, drink and breed before other pigs. In this scene, two sows are battling to determine who is the boss. It ends quickly with no blood shed.

Pigs have a sense of humor

Pigs do a lot of funny things to entertain themselves. In this clip, a sow is enjoying a "bubble bath."

Pigs enjoy a Good Back Scratch

Many people keep pigs as pets. Some people even keep them in their house! This is a clip of Henry the friendly pig that we accidentally domesticated. He's every bit as friendly as a dog.
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Farm Beginnings

12/14/2013

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Stryker Farm began from nothing more than a recurring classroom daydream. It was 2009 and I was attending Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. Instead of listening to my professors I was doodling in my notebook, planning out my future as a livestock farmer. My education was not in agriculture and there were no farmers in my family, but that didn't matter. I was on a mission to teach myself everything there was to know about livestock husbandry and meat production.
         So in spring of 2010 I returned to the 47 acre property that I called home in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. The land was rocky with rolling hills and a thick undergrowth...perfect for pigs and goats! At first, my decision to be a farmer wasn't popular among friends and family. I was told countless times, "You can't make a living doing that!" It took a while for everyone to realize that I couldn't be talked out of it.
          I began by purchasing 6 pigs and 3 goats. The first fences were built by hand out of rusty t-posts and old galvanized wire. After a few months of hands-on experience I was hooked and there was no turning back. In the winter of 2010 I acquired 19 gilts and 1 boar. In the spring of 2011 I acquired 40 goats. Stryker Farm was born!
        Stryker Farm continues to grow with the support of the local food movement. Our goal is to provide full transparency for those who want to learn more about their food and it's origins.
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    Nolan Thevenet

    -Owner of Stryker Farm.
    Better known as the pig whisperer.

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