The Mangalica (also spelled Mangalitsa or Mangalitza) is a Hungarian breed of pig, prized for its incredible Pork! Acorn Bluff describes it like this…
Mangalitsa hogs are bred and raised for flavor and great tasting meat (we at Acorn Bluff especially love pork chops and bacon from our hogs near Iowa City). They are raised in the traditional manner, and brought to market often through artisan butchers. This combination of techniques explains why Mangalitsa pork is more expensive, but also why it is oh so worth it. Mangalitsa is considered to be the world’s best tasting pork
The Berkshire Pig is a British breed of pig. It originated in the English county of Berkshire, for which it is named. It is normally black, with some white. Nicolosi Fine Foods describes it as …
A heritage breed pig. With a long history that goes back some 300 years in England, this black-and-white pig is highly regarded for juicy, tender, and flavorful pork which is heavily marbled with fat.
Mmm, Mmm, Good!
Now, imagine what would happen if You combined the two!
Juicy, Marbled, and Beautiful Fat adds Flavour!
Wait! What? Fat! Isn’t Dat Fat Bat For You!?
Fat from Woodland Pastured Pork is, according to Hampshire.edu …
Less saturated fat, more heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats Studies show the nutritional value of pork from pastured pigs that consume grass and forage is higher than pork from conventionally-raised pigs.
Our, Briden Farm Pigs produce pork that is an incredible combination of both Mangalica and Berkshire and is ethically raised, given the best possible life, except for that one bad moment! We allow our Pigs to express their Piginess on a combination of Woodland and Grass Pastures where they are regularly moved to new ground on a regular basis. Generally moving to a new “salad bar” every week to two weeks! Freshness, Happiness, and a blend of healthy pastures and outstanding goodness, in both the life of the Pigs, and the Pork!
Look at the Colour, Imagine the Sweetness, and Taste the Goodness!
We challenge You to try it! But first You’ve got to buy it!
After a pretty mild Winter, Nova Scotia has been hit with a major Winter Snow Storm! More snow in one Weekend than All Winter! Compared to other areas like Halifax, and Cape Breton, where they declared a State of Emergency, we got off easy here in Bear River.
However, after a pretty decent Saturday, We got hit over night as the Temps dropped and the snows moved in. Leaving our Berkshire Sow, Lara, and her three daughters out in the cold. So to speak. It also used up most of the battery on our Solar Power Electric Fencer. Thankfully, even in these conditions Lara and Her Gals respected the fence and stayed in their pasture. Although they were waiting and glad to see me when I got there today!
Pigs really are incredible creatures, and while they only need minimal shelter to weather storms, it was a bit much! They were ready to get out of the elements, but we’re also patiently waiting for me when I got to them today. They, as they most always do, faithfully followed me back up the hill from their pasture to the Barn.
Once inside they were, of course, happy to eat, but they weren’t shivering, nor were they overly food aggressive. Pigs are always happy to eat, and always at least a little too excited and somewhat aggressive when they are presented with Food. So, even though, as the video shows, the tips of their hair was covered in snow and mostly ice, they weren’t really as bad off as I thought they might be! Thankfully.
See, Lara’s daughters are part Mangalitza, also spelled Mangalitsa, or Mangalista, and they have woolly hair that covers them and help keep them warm. Pigs also have a layer of fat under their skin that helps act as insulation.
What happens, even with Lara who’s a Berkshire Pig, is they grow a somewhat thinker coat in the winter. This helps, as the heat from their bodies keeps the hair closest their bodies dry and the ice forms on the tips. Even when faced with cold temperatures, I think it was about -7°C or 20°F over night, with mixed precipitation. While They’re usually not out in that, the best laid plans of mice and men, and apparently pigs, often go awry! To loosely coin a phrase from Bobby Burns in His poem, “To a Mouse“.
Anyway, by the end of the day all were back in the Barn and as warm as Pigs in a Blanket! Well… Almost! 😉
We challenge You to try it! But first You’ve got to buy it! 