So excited to participate in my first "pork share"! I found this opportunity through the local chapter of Slow Food USA. The basic concept is that a group of people come together to buy a whole pig direct from a farm, then it's arranged for the pig to be butchered, and each person who buys a share gets a bunch of fresh pork direct from the farm.
We bought our pig from Fogline Farm, a farm near Santa Cruz that prides itself on its sustainability. They sell veggies through a CSA, and eggs, chickens, hogs and jams direct to consumers and through farmers' markets (around Santa Cruz / Monterey). I've had a chance to visit the farm and chat w/ the farmers - Johnny, Caleb, Jeff . It's inspiring to see these young, passionate guys dedicate their work lives to growing such good, delicious, healthy food.
I purchased 12 lbs of pork for $100 - the shares I got consisted mostly of pork chops and pork belly, with a couple lbs of stew meat and a large shank. Given the quality and cuts of the meat, my instinct is that it's a pretty decent price for local, pastured pork. And regardless of the price, it feels really great to support a local, small-scale, sustainable farm. Given the lack of good options near me to purchase local, pastured pork, I might make this a regular thing.
