$125 · Calicocean Piglets

These are a new breed of pigs, created from heritage breeds and developed specifically for this region. Calicocean Hogs ("Calicocean" is the words "calico" and "ocean" pushed together - the piglets are calico in colour - and they are crossbred from a rare "marine" pig) are primarily based from an Ossabaw Island Hog which possesses a "thrifty" gene making it about 1.5 times more food efficient than a modern pig - that's feed two thirds as much food and get the same growth - exciting! Our pigs grow more slowly than modern pigs. While a modern pig will complete its initial growth spurt by seven months in age, Calicocean Hogs will be closer to a year before they finish their "teenage growth". Still, for a local small-scale operation more concerned with costs than the timeline, these pigs are excellent. They are good foragers and with enough space can find third of their dietary needs with their nose in the ground - less feed again. So, instead of raising a 200 pound pig in six months indoors, with a little patience and pasture (or forest), you can get close to a 400 pound pig after a year without spending much more on feed. Furthermore, they have an affinity for marine food, so fish and seaweed are good feed. The meat is red and even ruby in colour, more like beef than commercial pork. The Ossabaw is prized for flavour and is a first choice for upscale charcuterie people. In crossbreeding, we have reduced the very fatty Ossabaw to a medium fatty pig while increasing its size. Pigs will eat much of your kitchen waste, garden waste and yard waste. Their manure is great fertilizer too. Also, pigs can clear land for you - uprooting stumps and unearthing rocks. An alder patch can become an orchard or a garden without using big machinery. These piglets were born at the end of July and will be ready for new homes by October. You can feed them the fall bounty two years, if you can wait that long. Still by Christmas, these pigs will offer a hundred pounds of food each. Our piglets are run loose outside, and are already learning from their mothers to forage and trust humans - being friendly and curious not aggressive. Farm tours available by appointment. Minimum of two piglets. Deposit required. For more information, call 250 285 3328, or email.