WHY MEISHAN?
….is a question we get a lot!
We are the first farm in Montana to raise these wrinkly, floppy-eared, friendly pigs. We were drawn to the Meishan because of their gentle natures and heritage breed status, but there is much, much more to love about this endangered breed.
Meishans are quite possibly the oldest breed of domesticated pig in the world, with records showing pigs of this type in the Taihu region of China going back 5,000 years.
They are a “landrace” breed, meaning that for generations in China the breed was selected on production characteristics, not just looks. Meishans were also selected for their docility, as they were kept close to homesteads and were integral to historical gardening and crop growing techniques in the region. This “landrace” selection also developed their high fertility, excellent mothering skills, and natural resistance to parasites and diseases, making them ideal for small, regenerative farms and homesteads.
Meishans are highly prolific, having an average of 13-15 piglets per litter where most other swine breeds have 8-10. Our personal herd averages 13-18 piglets per litter and showcase the outstanding natural mothering ability of these pigs – our mommas are never confined to crates, farrow (give birth) loose, and rarely lose piglets to rolling or crushing accidents. They are gentle with other animals and humans alike—our chickens roam freely among the pigs, while our boar lives happily with three sheep companions when he is not with sows. We handle our pigs daily and they love a good ear scratch and belly rub. Because of their calm nature, we are present during each farrowing and handle piglets from the time they are born.
From an eating standpoint, Meishan pork is of the highest quality—a micro-marbled, succulent red meat pork.
Because our pigs have free access to pasture, they build strong muscling that balances their muscle to fat ratio. It cooks best low and slow and brings a complex, tender flavor to every cut. Meishan back lard, or “banyou,” was considered a delicacy in their home region of China and is stellar in traditional baking techniques. Their lard renders at a lower temperature and is much milder in flavor and smell compared to typical pork lard. As another result of living on pasture throughout their lives, their back lard also absorbs and holds vitamin D, making it the original vit D supplement!
Most importantly, we’re proud to be a part of the conservation effort for this endangered breed, bringing awareness and a practical use that will sustain the longterm future of the Meishan.