207-491-9408
RoadsEndMaine@gmail.com
Farming for a Better Tomorrow
Pastured
Pork
Something to Talk About
The main course: A Conversation Piece
Our pasture raised pork brings a new conversation to the dinner table. The surprising flavor, not easily matched by any industrially farmed pork, is likely to inspire even the most elite taste buds at the table. We offer a variety of cuts which pair sweetly with our own Road's End Farm Birch and Maple Syrups.
Farming for a Better Tomorrow:
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Not only is our pork delicious, but you can feel good knowing that our pigs were humanely raised on our farm in Canton, Maine. Our pigs are raised on pasture and forest during the warm seasons and in the winter, they are housed in natural lighting. We utilize our pig's natural rooting instincts to aid in pature restoration projects. This helps them live a natural lifestyle and it helps us to improve our land! Our pigs are raised in a group setting to promote social well-being. During farrowing season, our sows are given a private enclosure to promote natural nesting instincts. Here at Road's End Farm, we work to make our hogs happy. Why? Not only because we know that happy hogs taste better, but it is important to us that our hogs enjoy their time with us. We are teaching our children to respect and appreciate them for the critters that they are along with the food they provide us with. When you purchase a Road's End Farm pork product, you are supporting farming for a better tomorrow.
Pork Products for Purchase:
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Currently booking reservations for March, 2023 harvest dates. Order now to secure you spot and have delicious pork for the rest of the year!
Pork may be purchased as a pork share (15-25lbs of cuts), a half pig, or a whole pig. A share is packaged with a variety of cuts, however we do our best to accommodate special requests. Half and Whole pigs are processed by a custom butcher, meaning the customer has the opportunity to select which cuts they prefer. For those who may need assistance with cutting instructions, Road's End Farm is happy to help guide you through your selections.
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Here are some thoughts shared by our customers:
"For us, it's really easy to go out to the freezer and plan our meals for the week."
"A whole pig is more than we can eat, so we love to share it to our children and grand children."
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When purchasing your pork product, please select a harvest date for filling your order.
Examples of cuts are shown below. Note, for half or whole pigs, cut selections are limited to what may be physically capable of harvesting from a single critter. For shares, cuts included are based on availability.
Pork Cut | Pork Share | Half Pig | Whole Pig |
|---|---|---|---|
Rack of Ribs | No | Yes | Yes |
Ground Sausage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ground Pork | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Canadian Bacon | No | Yes | Yes |
Bacon | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Fat/Organs | No | Yes | Yes |
Back Bacon | No | Yes | Yes |
Fresh Ham Roast | No | Yes | Yes |
Fresh Ham Steaks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Smoked Ham Roast | No | Yes | Yes |
Smoked Ham Steaks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Shoulder Roasts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Shoulder Steaks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Country Style/Spare Ribs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Loin Roast | No | Yes | Yes |
Loin Chops | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Whole and Half Pig - How it Works:
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Upon placing a reservation for a critter, we offer two payment options: pay in full at time of order or pay half now and half at pick-up. This purchase is for the live animal delivered to the butcher. It does not cover butcher fees. Road's End Farm will schedule a date with Castonguay Meats (or other butcher) to process the critters and will inform customers of the date. Road's End Farm will deliver live animals to Castonguay Meats located at 238 Gibbs Mill Rd. Livermore, Maine (or other butcher). A cut sheet will be provided to the customer to fill out which specifies how the customer would like Castonguay to cut the carcass. Castonguay Meats will contact customers once cuts are ready for pick-up. Separate payments made to Castonguay Meats and to Road's End Farm are due at time of order pick-up. Customer is responsible for paying butcher fees. For a complete list of Castonguay Meats Pricing, please click the button below.
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Please see below explanation of cut yields from a pig purchase. Yields are based on averages, actual yields will vary.
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Description | Half Pig | Whole Pig | $ for Pig | Est. Butcher Fee $/Lb | Est. Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average Hanging Weight | 100-125 Lbs | 200 - 250 Lbs | 2.89 | $1.25 | $4.14/lb |
70% Cut Yield | 70 - 87.5 Lbs | 140 - 175 Lbs | 4.13 | $1.25 | $5.38/lb |
Flavors from Forage
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Ever heard the expression 'you are what you eat?' Well, the same is true for the piggies! Our pasture & forest raised pigs are full of flavor that is a product of the forages they eat. This is because of their amino acid profile.
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Here are a couple of guest interactions we've had at the farm that say just how surprising the flavor impact is when compared to factory raised pork:
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"I thought you said we were having pork for dinner?" "That is a pork steak." "I thought it was BEEF!"
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"This is the only pork I've ever not wanted to trim the fat off, it's delicious!"
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Healthy Pigs
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We strive to have the healthiest pigs possible. We promote natural foraging instincts by raising our pigs outdoors. This also exposes them to the ground, and thus important vitamins and minerals. Natural lighting is a key factor in our animal enclosures. By giving our pigs ample paddock space, they are able to take part in their instinctive cleanliness practices which reduces bacterial exposure.
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When it comes to breeding, we try to maximize our sows' comfort by providing space that is conductive to instinctive nesting. This then reduces adverse birthing affects from stress and promotes a healthy start for the piglets.
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Nutritional Information
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When compared to factory-raised animals, pasture raised animals are able to produce meats with better fats because their diet consists of forages containing lower ratios of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids, thus producing a healthier meat product.
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Fun Fact: A single tablespoon of lard from pasture raise pigs contains 1,000 IU of Vitamin D.
(McAuliffe, Liam. (2023). Top 6 Whole Foods High in Vitamin D. DoctorKiltz. https://www.doctorkiltz.com/foods-high-in-vitamin-d/)
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The below information was paraphrased from Food Animal Concerns Trust (2021). The Nutritional Benefits of Pasture-Raised Pigs. www.foodanimalconcernstrust.org.
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Pasture Raised Pork produces BETTER FAT QUALITY and INCREASED NUTRIENTS with:
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"Less saturated fat, more heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats."
This promotes lower LDL and total Cholesterol.
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"Lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fats."
Omega-3's are less inflammatory than Omega-6's.
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"Higher levels of protein and Vitamin E."
"Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals."
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Description | Pasture Pork v. Conventional |
|---|---|
Vitamin E | 2x More |
Protein | 8% More |
Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio | 60% Lower |
Omega-3 Fats | 2.4x More |