Teen Finds Niche Market With Acorn-Fed Pigs

2019 - Volume #43, Issue #3, Page #08

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If you dine at Proof, a Mediterranean restaurant in Des Moines, you may find pork chops with a Spanish-style flavor on the menu.
    “My pigs are fed acorns once or twice a day,” says Emily Harold, 17, owner/producer of Natural Oak Pork. “Even when it’s cooking you can smell the difference. There’s flavor in the fat, and when you eat acorn-fed bacon it’s very rich and buttery.”
    Harold’s father told her about acorn-fed pork when she was looking for a niche market to earn money to support her hobby of showing pigs and goats.
    She chose the heritage breed of Berkshires as they are very feed-efficient, have good marbling, and thrive on acorns. She buys gelded male pigs that are about 50 lbs. in September after show season and raises just a few at a time based on orders. This past winter she raised seven Berkshires to about 300 lbs. The pigs live inside a building with access to the outdoors.
    Harold buys all the feed including non-medicated ground feed with corn/soybeans and vitamins and minerals that is always available to the pigs. A couple of sources provide the acorns, which have been boiled, dried and bagged.
    “I feed them whole, caps and all. The pigs spit the shells on the ground, and we use them for compost,” Harold says.
    Most of the pigs are sold in halves or wholes for a premium price ($900/whole). Harold takes them to the locker to have them butchered, then delivers the meat to customers up to 3 hrs. away. When there is extra meat she sells $100 packages with a variety of cuts. To market she calls or emails potential clients and has gotten business through word-of-mouth from her repeat customers.
    Harold hopes that after attending college for agricultural communications, she can raise hogs as a sideline. For now, her brother, Kyle, who has helped her, will be a freshman this fall and will continue the business.
    “Natural Oak Pork is a great way for me to learn valuable skills, manage money and be responsible for its success,” Harold says.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Emily Harold, Natural Oak Pork, 1213 Plato Rd., West Branch, Iowa 52358.

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Teen Finds Niche Market With Acorn-Fed Pigs HOG EQUIPMENT & IDEAS If you dine at Proof a Mediterranean restaurant in Des Moines you may find pork chops with a Spanish-style flavor on the menu “My pigs are fed acorns once or twice a day ” says Emily Harold 17 owner/producer of Natural Oak Pork “Even when it’s cooking you can smell the difference There’s flavor in the fat and when you eat acorn-fed bacon it’s very rich and buttery ” Harold’s father told her about acorn-fed pork when she was looking for a niche market to earn money to support her hobby of showing pigs and goats She chose the heritage breed of Berkshires as they are very feed-efficient have good marbling and thrive on acorns She buys gelded male pigs that are about 50 lbs in September after show season and raises just a few at a time based on orders This past winter she raised seven Berkshires to about 300 lbs The pigs live inside a building with access to the outdoors Harold buys all the feed including non-medicated ground feed with corn/soybeans and vitamins and minerals that is always available to the pigs A couple of sources provide the acorns which have been boiled dried and bagged “I feed them whole caps and all The pigs spit the shells on the ground and we use them for compost ” Harold says Most of the pigs are sold in halves or wholes for a premium price $900/whole Harold takes them to the locker to have them butchered then delivers the meat to customers up to 3 hrs away When there is extra meat she sells $100 packages with a variety of cuts To market she calls or emails potential clients and has gotten business through word-of-mouth from her repeat customers Harold hopes that after attending college for agricultural communications she can raise hogs as a sideline For now her brother Kyle who has helped her will be a freshman this fall and will continue the business “Natural Oak Pork is a great way for me to learn valuable skills manage money and be responsible for its success ” Harold says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Emily Harold Natural Oak Pork 1213 Plato Rd West Branch Iowa 52358

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