A Complete Guide to Cuts of Chicken

From aromatic, creamy curries to light summer salads, chicken is a versatile, nutritious meat that works wonderfully as the centerpiece for thousands of dishes across cuisines.  But you’re missing out if you’ve only cooked with chicken breasts or thighs. Plenty of other chicken cuts are packed with flavor–not to mention essential nutrients.  We provide ethically raised pastured chicken cuts of all types because we believe nothing should go to waste. That’s why we’ve curated this list to help you enjoy parts of the chicken you might have overlooked! We’ll discuss these cuts in more detail, explaining the unique flavor profile of each one. For inspiration, we'll also include some of our favorite mouth-watering recipes.  The Importance of Ethical, Pasture-Raised Chicken  Factory-farmed chickens are often raised in crowded conditions that may increase the risk of disease and stress. This non-natural environment also reduces the meat's nutritional benefits and gives it an inferior taste compared to ethically raised chickens.  That’s why we’re committed to delivering healthy, delicious, ethically raised chicken to our customers. Pasture-raised chickens are more nutritious because of the diverse, nutrient-dense diet they get through foraging on healthy farmland. In the warm seasons, our chickens roam in mobile coops that rotate daily to fresh, lush pastures. Their interaction with the land naturally fertilizes and helps regenerate the soil. When winter sets in, we transition our chickens to warm barns, protecting them from the harsh elements while maintaining access to pasture as weather permits. In addition, our chicken is free of GMOs, antibiotics, and hormones. Dark vs. White Meat As we explain the different cuts of chicken, you’ll notice that some–like thighs, legs, and drumsticks—are dark meat, while cuts like breast, wings, and back are white meat.  This is due to the difference in color from a protein called myoglobin, which stores oxygen in the chicken’s muscles. Certain muscles–like the legs–need more oxygen and blood flow than other parts, like the breast, leading to the difference in meat color.  While you may have heard that white meat is better for you, this isn’t the case. Although there are differences between the two, these generally come down to taste preference and the recipe you’re making: Protein content: White and dark meat have relatively similar calorie counts, although white meat is slightly lower and has more protein. Nutritional profile: White meat is rich in vitamins B12, B3, and B6, while dark meat has more iron, zinc, and B2.  Taste: The differences in fat between white and brown meat give these cuts different flavors. White meat is more delicate and mild, while brown meat is richer and more succulent. Types of Chicken Cuts Here, we’ll look at 11 of the most popular chicken cuts. Some may surprise you, but we encourage you to be adventurous and try new recipes.  1. Boneless Chicken Breast Boneless chicken breasts are a versatile, household staple across countries. This lean cut of white meat comes from the bird's chest and is packed with essential proteins. With its mild, succulent taste and quick cooking time, chicken breast works in a variety of recipes. One of our favorites is bacon-wrapped honey chicken breast.  Meat type: White Common uses: Salads, curries, sandwiches, stir-fries  How to cook: Oven bake, grill, poach, sauté 2. Chicken Thigh Try cooking with chicken thighs for a meaty, tender lunch or dinner. This succulent, juicy meat comes from the upper part of the chicken’s leg. Depending on your preference, you can buy this dark meat bone-in or boneless and skinless. With their rich, intense flavor, chicken thighs work wonderfully in slow cooker recipes, but you can also marinate them overnight then grill, saute with veggies, or bake them in the oven.  Meat type: Brown  Common uses: Casseroles, sheet pan dinners, barbecues, paellas How to cook: Oven bake, grill, sauté, slow cook 3. Whole Chicken Cooking a whole chicken can provide for several meals throughout the week, making it both practical and economical. With this delicious cut, you get both white and dark meat. You get breasts, thighs, drumsticks, back, and wings–perfect for a variety of taste preferences.  The best way to cook a whole chicken is to roast it. Try our whole roasted garlic chicken recipe.  Meat type: Both  Common uses: Roasts, plus leftovers used for sandwiches, salads, and stir-fries  How to cook: Roast 4. Chicken Drumsticks Another summer barbecue classic is the chicken drumstick. This succulent, dark cut of meat comes on the bone and is from the chicken’s shins. In addition to their savory, juicy flavor, chicken drumsticks are cost-effective and easy to cook.  Whether you grill drumsticks on the barbecue or roast them in the oven, you can get creative with herbs, spices, and marinades, from spicy cajun to sweet honey garlic.  Meat type: Brown  Common uses: Barbecues, sheet pan dinners How to cook: Grill, oven bake 5. Chicken Wings Like drumsticks, chicken wings are also incredibly cheap and versatile. This white cut of meat comes on the bone and is best cooked in the oven or on the grill, doused in your favorite marinade. While chicken wings can be a little messy to eat, they’re delicious: crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. For best results, brine and/or marinate your chicken wings overnight to infuse them with flavor.  Meat type: White  Common uses: Barbecues, sharing platters,  How to cook: Grill, oven bake, deep fry, air fry 6. Chicken Tenderloin Chicken tenderloin often gets confused with chicken breast, but the two differ slightly. While both are cuts of white meat, chicken tenderloin comes from a different part of the bird–a long, thin muscle on the underside of the breastbone.  This moist, tender cut of meat can be used interchangeably with breast in most recipes. As a side note, chicken tenderloins are a great option if you own an air fryer because they’re small and quick to cook.  Meat type: White Common uses: Salads, curries, sandwiches, stir-fries  How to cook: Oven bake, grill, poach, sauté, air fry  7. Chicken Liver A less common cut of chicken is the liver, an organ meat. This cost-effective part of the chicken has a tender, smooth texture and a rich, meaty taste. It’s low in calories and nutrient-dense, with high levels of iron, vitamin A, and vitamin B12. Because of its rich flavor, chicken liver is a wonderful centerpiece in warming stews and casseroles. Saute it with caramelized onions, bacon, and tender mushrooms, served alongside creamy mashed potatoes.  Meat type: Brown  Common uses: Casseroles, pate, stews  How to cook: Fried, oven bake, saute 8. Chicken Heart The heart is another part of the chicken that’s often overlooked, rich in iron and zinc. Chicken hearts are dark in color, with a rich flavor similar to chicken thighs.  Like chicken liver, juicy and tender chicken hearts work wonderfully in stews and casseroles or simply stir-fried with your favorite vegetables. Because this cut is so delicate, it’s quick to cook. You can have dinner on the table in just 15 minutes from start to finish! Meat type: Brown  Common uses: Casseroles, stews, stir-fries How to cook: Grill, oven bake, saute  9. Chicken Neck For a healthy, nutritious lunch or dinner rich in collagen, glucosamine, and calcium, try chicken necks. This dark cut of meat comes on the bone and has a rich, gamey flavor. Like chicken thighs, chicken necks are wonderfully versatile. You can slow-cook them to perfection, saute them with your favorite veggies, or marinate them and grill. Just be careful about overcooking! Since they’re small, chicken necks need much less cooking time than drumsticks and breasts.  Meat type: Brown  Common uses: Casseroles, stews, soups, stir-fries How to cook: Slow cook, oven bake, saute, grill  10. Chicken Back The chicken's back is the spine of the chicken. While you can’t eat chicken backs by themselves, these bones are the perfect base for flavorful, healthy chicken broths and soups due to their high collagen, protein, vitamin, and mineral content.  Try cooking them in a large pot with your favorite vegetables and spices, then slow cooking for a day to infuse your liquid with all the taste and nutrients. Meat type: N/A  Common uses: Casseroles, soups, broth How to cook: Simmer in water  11. Chicken Feet A popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, chicken feet have a delicate, mild taste, making them the perfect base ingredient for a variety of flavorful recipes. A great recipe to try is Dim Sum, which involves deep-frying the chicken feet before coating them in a glossy, decadent garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. What I find as the best use for chicken feet in our house is to add more richness and consistency to our homemade chicken broth. Chicken feet are high in gelatin, which helps add thickness to your broths. Meat type: Dark Common uses: Casseroles, stir-fries, appetizers, broth How to cook: Saute, boil, braise, deep fry, simmer  Order Your Ethical Pasture-Raised Chicken Today!  Now that you know about these 11 cuts of chicken, you can elevate your meals! We hope this guide has inspired you to experiment with different parts of chicken. Ready to cook? Order your ethical pasture-raised chicken now.

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The Deep Roots and Rich Diversity of Heritage Pig Breeds

Today, you get a little history lesson from your farmer. 🙂 While our family proudly includes Heritage in the name of our pork, it isn’t just a fancy name. It’s an indicator of the pork's quality, nutrition, and history – not to mention the farmer’s ethical breeding practices. Let’s explore the history of heritage pig breeds in more detail, so you can make an informed choice about pork when you shop. The Definition and Importance of Heritage Pigs  By definition, a heritage pig breed is one with deep historical roots. These breeds have been around for hundreds of generations. In fact, the first pigs were brought to America by Columbus in 1493.  Back then, pigs came in distinct colors, sizes, and shapes – the pink pig with a curly tail that comes to mind today didn’t exist.  Heritage pigs were allowed to roam on pastures and woodlands. Their diet didn’t include antibiotics, GMOs, or growth promotants. Farmers carefully bred the best for their hardiness, health, and ability to adapt to outdoor environments. The result was delicious, sustainable pork rich in nutrients and vitamins. Fast forward to the Industrial Revolution – pig farming changed drastically. Industrial operations were developed to house, feed, and harvest pigs more efficiently than small family farms. To maximize profits in this system, animals were bred for rapid growth and size.  Today, it’s still the same… Most grocery store pork is no longer heritage. It comes from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), where pigs are kept in overcrowded conditions, farrowed in small crates, and crossbred with little thought to hardiness and quality.  Seven Sons and our partner farms continue to champion the ethical rearing of heritage pigs. Like our forefathers, we prioritize the health and ethical care of our animals. Our heritage pigs are free to roam, play, and thrive – and we never use antibiotics or GMOs.  Diet of a Heritage Pig: Back to the Roots Not only do heritage pigs grow in vastly different conditions than factory-farmed livestock, but their diet is also vastly different. Industrially raised pigs are often fed diets limited to corn and soybeans, which are cheap and easy to produce at scale.  On the other hand, our heritage pig breeds are fed a mix of oats, barley, and other non-GMO grains including corn and soy. But best of all, and a key difference, is that the hogs are able to regularly forage for starchy roots and grubs, and all the colorful vegetation on our open pastures. We pasture raise our hogs and let them roam freely, interacting with the land in their natural and instinctive way. Combined with stress-free rearing, this creates richly colored, juicy meat with a wonderful, buttery flavor.  Exploring the Diverse Pig Breeds Now, we’ll dive into some of the most popular heritage breeds, looking at their history, characteristics, and flavor profile. Berkshire Pigs Berkshire pigs get their name from their place of origin: Berkshire, England. They’re one of the oldest heritage pig breeds alive today, with roots dating back to the 17th century. These animals have a distinct black coat with white markings on their snout, tail, and hooves. They have short legs and large bodies and can weigh up to 500-600 lb at full size. Flavor-wise, the Berkshire pig is renowned for its rich marbling, intense savory flavor, and melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. Red Pig Breeds Next, we’ll look at three of the most well-known red pig breeds: Tamworth, Red Wattle, and Duroc. Like the Berkshire, the Tamworth originates from England, with historical references dating back to the 1800s.  The Tamworth is active, long-legged, and lean, with an auburn coat and long snout. The meat is dark in color, with a nutty, sweet, and succulent flavor. The Red Wattle, a hardy breed, was first recorded in US history books in the mid-1800s. This breed also has a dark auburn coat and distinctive wattles on both sides of its neck. The meat is pinkish-red in color, and has a succulent, earthy flavor.  Lastly, there’s the Duroc. The Duroc dates back to New England in the 1800s, and is thought to come from Africa originally. These large, compact pigs have a mahogany coat, and can weigh anywhere from 700-900 lbs. In terms of flavor, the cuts of pork from this breed are deeply marbled with a rich, bold, and juicy taste. (There’s a reason you’ll find a number of Duroc in the Seven Sons Farm ecosystem.) ;) Spotted The most well-known spotted heritage big breed is the Gloucestershire Old Spot pig, which, as the name suggests, originates from Gloucestershire, England. This breed has a white coat with black spots.  When it comes to taste, the meat from this breed has a sweet, juicy flavor profile that’s perfect for pork chops or roasting. Hampshire and Other Heritage Pigs The Hampshire hog is the oldest American breed of pig, first written about in the 1790s. This breed has a distinctive coat: primarily black with a white ring across its shoulders and front legs. The meat is known for succulence and tenderness. The Environmental Footprint of Heritage Pig Farming Switching to heritage pasture-raised pork is better for your health, the welfare of the animal, and the environment.  At Seven Sons, our heritage hogs play a vital role in nurturing our environmental ecosystem. We use regenerative grazing practices, shepherding our pigs from one section of pasture or forest to another to support soil health, carbon sequestration, and improve biodiversity. The result is tasty, nutritious pork that supports environmental sustainability and promotes animal well-being. I hope you learned something today, and enjoyed the history lesson. Ready to taste the difference? Shop our pasture-raised heritage pork today.

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A Complete Guide to Pork Cuts and How to Cook Them

Pork is a versatile meat rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a great addition to a healthy diet, and you can cook it in various ways. Which cut of pork you choose and how to cook it, depends on a few things.  Before deciding which cut is right for you, consider the source. Pasture-raised, heritage breeds produce more flavorful pork with better nutritional content[1] than standard grocery store products.  But can you tell the difference between pasture-raised pork and industrially produced pork? Yes! Our pork is firm and darker pink in color (indicating the animal was pasture-raised). Pork meat that is pale in color, soft, or damp was most likely factory-farmed. As a bonus, all our pork is sugar-free and free from GMOs, nitrates, and antibiotics. Now that we’ve sorted that out, let’s talk about the different pork cuts!  1. Bacon  Bacon is a breakfast staple for a reason, and it’s our #1 selling product of all! These thin slices of pork are quick to cook–making them a great, tasty breakfast, lunch, or dinner option! We recommend frying, baking, or grilling your pork bacon until it turns dark pink and the fat is crispy around the edges. Bonus: You don’t need to stop at breakfast with your bacon. Wrap a tasty filet mignon, top your favorite hamburger, or make bite-sized pieces to mix in with oven-roasted Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or Cobb salad. 2. Pork Sausage Another breakfast staple – pork sausage – is made of cuts from the shoulder and loin of the pig. We season our sausage with black pepper, red pepper, rosemary, and sage to give it a rich, hearty taste.  For the healthiest option, grill or oven-bake your sausages until browned and cooked through–or fry them in a skillet for 10-12 minutes. Then, serve with eggs, in a breakfast sandwich, or with a side of sweet potato hash. 3. Ham Ham comes from the hind leg of the hog. Our heritage ham roast is brined and smoked by artisan butchers for a melt-in-the-mouth texture and subtly sweet flavor. Unless they say they’re ‘fresh,’ hams usually arrive pre-cooked, but you can still work some magic through crusting, seasoning, then oven-roasting them. Our recipe for maple glazed ham is a family favorite.  4. Bone-in Pork Chops Bone-in pork chops are a premium cut sourced from the loin of the pig. They’re renowned for their marbling, tenderness, and depth of flavor, making them a tasty centerpiece for any dinner party.  Pork chops are also versatile. You can marinate them and then toss them on the grill, sautée, or oven-roast them with herbs and spices for added flavor. And they’ll be ready in under an hour from start to finish! You can keep it simple by topping with your favorite BBQ sauce or try one of these pork chop side dishes. For something that will wow your guests, try our recipe for pork chops with pear sauce. 5. Ground Pork Cut primarily from the shoulder and hind sections, ground pork is the perfect base for meals across cuisines: Italian meatballs and pasta sauces, French casseroles, soups or stews, and much more. How you cook your ground pork will depend on what you’re making.  6. Baby Back Ribs  Baby back ribs come from the back and loin of the pig. They’re smaller and meatier than their spare ribs, and quicker to cook. You can use a dry rub or glaze with your favorite seasoning, then bake or barbecue until the meat easily pulls away from the bone. 7. Pork Shoulder Pork shoulder is a hearty, flavourful cut of meat perfect for slow cooking, smoking, or roasting. We love putting it in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours, along with garlic, onion, and spices. When the pork shoulder comes out, it’s juicy and tender, falling apart with a touch of the fork. 8. Tenderloin Pork tenderloin is a long, boneless cut of meat from the loin muscle that runs along the pig's backbone. This cut is mild in flavor and tender, so you can cook it in a variety of ways.  Try pork tenderloin prepared in the slow cooker with a creamy garlic sauce for a simple mid-week dinner. Our pork Wellington recipe is sure to impress for a show-stopping dinner. 9. Pork Crown A pork crown is created by tying a whole bone-in pork loin into a circle. It’s a crowd-pleasing recipe perfect for a family gathering or dinner party. The best way to cook it is to roast it. First, rub it with garlic and herbs, then let it marinate overnight. The next day, roast it in the oven for 1.5-2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. 10. Pork Butt Despite what the name indicates, pork butt comes from high up in the shoulder of the pig. This cut is known for its marbling and depth of flavor, and it’s usually smoked or roasted to make pulled pork.  As with pork shoulder, you’ll want to rub the pork butt with your chosen seasoning before slow cooking in the oven, smoker, or slow cooker for 6-8 hours (depending on the size of your cut). Once it’s cooked, cut the skin off and shred the meat. You can serve it immediately or let the pork marinate overnight so it soaks up more flavor. 11. Pork Loin  Pork loin is a rich, flavorful cut of meat that comes from any part of the loin section. It’s larger and juicier than pork tenderloin, making it ideal for roasting, grilling, or braising.  For a quick, tasty meal, you can cut your pork loin into steaks and fry them in butter or an oil of your choice for 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, you can prepare pork schnitzels with just a couple of extra steps. 12. Pork Belly “Candied” Pork belly is a popular restaurant dish for a reason. When cooked to perfection, this juicy, tender cut of meat will melt in your mouth. You can see Blaine’s take on Alton Brown’s Seared Pork Belly here. What Will You Go For? If you’re wondering which of the different cuts of pork is best for your needs, the answer is all of them! It all depends on what you’re making.  Whatever you fancy, you’ll taste the superior quality of heritage pork products from our regenerative-focused family farm. Choose from a variety of sugar-free, heritage, pasture-raised pork cuts, delivered to your door. Footnotes1. https://practicalfarmers.org/research/fatty-acid-comparisons-of-grain-and-forage-fed-pork/

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What Is Heritage Pork? All About Heritage Pig Breeds

Here’s a little-known fact: the picture of pigs we’re all accustomed to today is nothing like the heritage breeds that first came to America hundreds of years ago.  Most of today’s pigs are the product of industrial farming practices. They’re bred not for their caliber, but for mass production. The origin of heritage pig breeds dates back thousands of years, and they’re renowned for their hardiness, nutritional content, environmental benefits, and sustainability.  History and Characteristics of Heritage Pigs Pigs have been part of the agricultural world since ancient times. Until the Industrial Farming Revolution, these animals lived on open fields and pastures—a far cry from the uniform ‘pink’ pig we know today.  They came in distinct breeds: the long-legged auburn Tamworth, the ebony-coloured Berkshire, and more.  Farmers carefully selected the best of these heritage pigs for breeding, with the idea of nurturing hardy, robust animals with strong immune systems and tasty, nutritious meat.  At Seven Sons, we cross-breed our Heritage pigs like the ones pictured above with modern varieties for a balanced combination of hardiness traits and a fat/flavor profile. Most pork you find in supermarkets comes from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).  Unlike heritage breeds, factory-farmed pigs aren’t so much bred for quality as they are for QUANTITY. The pigs are unfortunately farrowed in small crates and often given antibiotics to combat the diseases that inevitably develop in such crowded conditions.  Not only is the industrial approach unkind to the animals and the planet, but also results in loss of hardiness, natural immunity, maternal instincts, and an inability to sustain diverse weather conditions. For instance, our hogs happily and healthily thrive on pasture even during winter: Why Buy Heritage Pork? Once you try heritage pork, you’ll immediately taste the difference compared to factory-farmed meat. Heritage pork is renowned for its intensity of flavor, juiciness, marbling, and tenderness. It’s nothing like the bland, dry pork you often get at the grocery store.  Heritage pork is also nutritionally superior because heritage breeds are pasture-raised with plenty of space to roam and play. Their lives are stress-free and spent in a natural environment, making for healthier, happier animals.  In addition, we never use GMOs, antibiotics, or growth promotants – all of which reduce the nutritional profile of the meat.  Lastly, ethically sourced meat is better for the planet. Pigs play an essential role in promoting plant diversity because their rooting and foraging practices encourage soil activity. When farmers take a regenerative grazing approach to farming (rotating animals on the pasture to help with natural pest control and biodiversity), they’re working to restore soil health and build healthy ecosystems that sequester more carbon.  Ready to taste the difference? Shop our range of pasture-raised heritage pork today.

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Sustainable Pork: Ethical Choices for Informed Consumers

At Seven Sons, we understand that our customers want to make healthy, ethical, and sustainable food choices, and we’re here to help. Sustainable agriculture isn’t a marketing ploy. It’s a way of operating deeply embedded into everything we do. Through rigorous protocols, we stand by our commitment to heal the land, ensure the humane treatment of our animals, and provide our customers with the highest-quality meat. Many pork brands manipulate food labels for products like bacon, sausage, and pork tenderloin with terms like natural or humane. This is known as greenwashing, which is dishonest and makes these products seem more green than they really are. Regenerative-focused farms like ours make it possible for conscientious consumers to enjoy pork without compromising their values. Let’s explore how we raise sustainable pork today. Seven Sons' Commitment to Sustainable Pork Sustainable pork production, for us, means taking care of our pigs through responsible stewardship of the land, ethical treatment of the pigs throughout their lives, humane harvesting, and environmentally sound waste management. Here’s a closer look at the protocols we follow:  Sustainable Land Practices Pigs are emotionally and cognitively intelligent creatures that thrive when given lots of green space to roam, root, play, and rest. However, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) confine pigs in small gestation crates too small for them to even turn around. Our hogs are raised on open green pastures where we follow regenerative grazing practices. Here are a few pics of life for hogs on our farm, including a selfie with Blake, the 1st son. Every 30-60 days, Bruce (the 6th son) and the farm production team move our pigs from one section of pasture or forest to another, where they root and browse on nutrient-rich soil. This process helps to build the animals' health and resilience while enhancing the carbon sequestration ability of the soil, preventing manure and parasite load buildups, and tackling environmental degradation. Using regenerative agriculture techniques, we prevent the need for environmentally harmful synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides on our pastures. This alone is a reason many customers decide to start buying from our farm. But, there’s a lot more value we bring to the table to produce heritage pork and other proteins sustainably. So, let’s continue. Ethical Practices in Pork Production Sustainability and ethics go hand in hand. We care for our animals, and that means we care for the environment they live in.  Social Living Conditions From the beginning of their lives to harvesting, we put our animals’ well-being first. Our sows give birth in outdoor farrowing/birthing huts or indoor community farrowing shelters. By ensuring piglets spend more time with their mothers, litters are spread out, giving sows more time to recover. Once our piglets are weaned, they typically weigh around 45 pounds and return to roam the pastures, where they can live and root freely, with no threat of alterations, such as teeth or tail clipping, and no nose rings.  Years ago, we once operated a conventional factory hog farm. So we know from direct experience that alterations like these are standard practice to prevent injuries and to prevent animals from cannibalizing each other in crowded conditions.  Humane Harvesting When it comes to harvesting, we keep ethics front of mind. We humanely harvest our animals at small, family-owned abattoirs that we’ve established incredible working relationships with for over a decade. We ensure our animals are comfortable with provisions for water and space to rest. To avoid unnecessary stress or panic, we render our livestock immediately unconscious by stunning them.  Not only is our approach kinder, but the meat is better. Calm animals before harvesting have less lactic acid in their muscles. Higher levels of lactic acid (associated with stress) cause muscles to contract and reduce the tenderness of the meat. In addition, studies show pasture-raised animals can have much higher proportions of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals than conventionally-raised hogs.  Natural, Healthy Diet: Free of Antibiotics  To further ensure quality and hardiness, we focus on heritage pork breeds—this means we don’t need to administer antibiotics or growth promotants. Instead, we raise our animals naturally with wholesome nutrition, resulting in ethically-sourced meat that’s better for your health and the planet. Industrial farming practices often include the preventative use of antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection in animals raised in confinement. Overuse of antibiotics is a public health concern that contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance, essentially antibiotics becoming less effective over time. Addressing Environmental Concerns Many consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the carbon footprint of the meat products they consume. Pork can be part of a sustainable diet – you just need to be intentional about where you buy it from.  The sustainability of pork depends heavily on the processes and practices farmers follow during the agricultural lifecycle.  While regenerative farming practices are proven to improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, practices like over-tillage, overgrazing, and mono-cropping degrade soil health – harming the environment. Waste Management in Pig Farming Another sustainability concern consumers have regarding pork is what pig farms do with waste.  Lagoon systems to manage waste like manure and urine are common practice for CAFOs, though not all use them. These systems collect and store the waste in large, open-air pits or ponds, which release dangerous pollutants into the air and groundwater. To mitigate these risks, farms like ours use sustainable manure management practices. By rotating animals outdoors continuously and keeping them in low-density groups, we enable even manure distribution while reducing the likelihood of high concentrations of manure buildup.  Plus, when our hogs are provided shelter (like you see above) during extreme winter weather, we combine manure with sources of carbon bedding like straw or wood chips. As long as manure is combined with enough carbon, it won’t leach. In addition, we maintain ecological equilibrium by regularly seeding our pastures with specific plants that are ideal for metabolizing nitrogen. Sustainable Pork vs. Other Meats When looking to live a sustainable lifestyle, you might be wondering what meat is best. It’s less about the type of meat and more about how the farm produced it.  For example, all beef has a misunderstood and ill-informed reputation for having a negative environmental impact, the mass production of fatter cows, and overcrowded and unhealthy conditions at CAFO feedlots. If you’ve been following us for any time at all, you know that's utter nonsense and it’s possible to produce beef sustainably like we do. As our good friend says,” It’s not the cow, it’s the HOW.” That being said, most pork (and chicken, too) continues to be produced unsustainably. The challenge for pork brands moving toward sustainable pork production is that most of a hog's diet must come from grain feed rations, most commonly a mix of corn and soybeans.  For pork to be produced sustainably, for the long term, the entire pork community need to remain diligent in focusing on sourcing non-GMO grains. More specifically, we need to source non-GMO grains from crop farmers focused on regenerative soil-building practices that sequester carbon, reduce water runoff, increase water infiltration rates, encourage biodiversity, and reduce dependency on any fertilizer and chemical inputs. When you purchase pork, beef, and chicken from regenerative-focused farms like Seven Sons, you can be confident that you're making the most sustainability-minded choice.  Order our delicious, pasture-raised sustainable pork today, and play a part in shaping the sustainable farming industry of the future. 

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Defending Beef and the Humble Cow

Have you noticed that ALL beef and cattle commonly receive undue and unwarranted criticism? Maybe you've noticed it yourself while scrolling Facebook or Instagram, watching the mainstream media, or in passing conversations around town. Now, there certainly are truths to claims about the negative environmental impact of cattle and beef being mass-produced fatter and faster at overcrowded industrial, CAFO feedlots. But that is NOT true of all cattle.

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Navigating pastured poultry challenges

If you’ve followed us for long, you know that we’ve been working through some significant challenges that have threatened our ability to continue offering chicken to our customers. That said, we’re not giving up; instead, we plan to double down our efforts with significant investments and new collaborations for 2024 and beyond. This blog post is longer than usual, but because trust and transparency are a high priority to us, I invite you to read along to stay informed. Before diving into the updates, let me first explain the gravity of the challenges that small-scale pastured poultry farmers are up against.

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What Is the Best Cut of Steak? The Ultimate Top 10 List

Wondering which cut of steak to serve at your next meal? Not all cuts are right for every occasion. Read our handy guide on the Top 10 Best Cuts of Steak!

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3 Ways Grass-fed Butter is Superior to Grain-fed Butter

Saturated fat will clog your arteries, at least that is what we have been lead to believe. But new studies are showing that consuming saturated fats from grass-fed cows is actually good for your health. Butter is a great source of saturated fats, so here are 3 ways grass-fed butter is superior to grain-fed butter.

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Spare Ribs vs Baby Back Ribs: What's The Difference?

Do you like your pork tender and lean, or meaty and flavorful? Read more to find out all the differences between these delicious types of rib.

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Response to mRNA Vaccines

Due to recent news articles about using new mRNA vaccines for cattle, our team and family have received numerous emails and phone calls about this topic. I invite you to read the blog post below, where I've posted my research and answers to commonly asked questions.

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Farm Life Show (Ep. 13) - Can Regenerative Farming Feed the World?

In today's episode, Blake and Blaine Hitzfield provide some REAL talk about the food system, the opportunity for farmers and consumers to impact the food system, and begin to unpack the question "Can We Feed the World with Regenerative Farming?"

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