Hugelculture Bed

[baymule]

Feral hogs are red meat. Boars can be real gamey to the point where the meat actually stinks. It just needs more spice and seasonings for sausage. LOL

Home raised hogs are red to reddish meat. Depending on what they eat. The more commercial feed, the lighter the meat.

Store bought pork, "the other white meat" is mass produced anemic stuff. Those hogs never see daylight, live out their lives on slatted floors over a lagoon of their own waste. They eat commercial feed. Safe, clean meat.

I am looking forward to raising our own pork. I'll start a thread on it when we get them.

 

[Nyboy]

Thanks bay

 

[seedcorn]

Feral hogs have all color meat. Because they are older, the meat is tainted with hormones. Thus the smell.

Hogs raised in confinement are neutered, grow extremely fast are barely over 4.5 months old when butchered. Because they get less exercise running from dogs/hunters, their meat is much softer. Because they are raised inside under strenuous guidelines, their meat can be cooked until white and is safe.

Hogs raised outside on bare ground will wallow in their own filth, pick up pests (read up on trichinosis and swine lice) and be older with tougher meat. It will also have a stronger taste that some prefer. I'm not one of them.

Both feral and ground raised swine need their meat over cooked to be completely safe. Commercial hogs were also genetically selected for white meat over some darker meat breeds-they are not anemic.

Great luck on new bed.

 

[baymule]

@seedcorn I figured you'd show up. LOL I've eaten lots of store bought pork. I'm excited to raise my own, and yes, I know about the parasite issue. It will be well cooked. I do that anyway.

 

[seedcorn]

No problem at all. Figured you knew risks. IF you want dark meat, pick from Duroc, Berkshire or Hampshire breeds. Stay away from any white breeds-Yorkshire or Landrace. Or any commercial hogs as they don't put on any back fat and will freeze in winter or sunburn in summer.

To get darker, tougher meat are you going to exercise the hogs? Allow your dogs to chase them? Few mud hog wrestling events? LOL

 

[bobm]

Bay vs. Hammie Hampshire in a mud wrestling championship event in TEXAS on Dec. 31 ... buy your tickets now, come one and all to the event of the year... wining ticket to get first extra big cut of pork from the hugelculture fire roast and a home made brew of white lightning in a gallon size jug from a failed attempt at home made apple cider in NY to take home. Buy your tickets now ... this will be the event of a lifetime ! The winning ticket holder must be present at this event to claim the prize of all prizes. YEeeeeee Hawwww !!! Bay's husband is not eligible to win the grand prize.

 

[Nyboy]

Pig roast at Bays worth the plane ride!!

 

[Smart Red]

Bay's husband already won the grand prize. He's got Bay!

 

[MontyJ]

Dew and I have had both Duroc and Landrace feeders. The only difference I noticed was the length of the ribs, and a slightly darker meat in the Durocs. The Durocs did get heavier in the shoulders too. The Landrace made for bigger and longer rib racks. Weight gain was about 3-4 pounds a day for both.

 

[Nyboy]

Weight gain 3-4 pounds a day sounds like me !!!!