LARGE BLACK HOGS A RARE HERITAGE BREED HOG KNOWN FOR IT'S TENDER MOIST MEAT AND IT'S CALM DOCILE TEMPERAMENT TINY TEXAS RANCH (formerly known as Wolfe Mountain Farms) HARLINGEN, TX getgoin.net

Important update November 2009 by Kay Wolfe:

As most of you know by now, Ken had some serious health problems that made it appear we would no longer be raising animals.  But, God is good and we have moved the farm to south Texas where the weather is agreeing with Ken and farm help is readily available.

So, Ken and his favorite sows are back to working hard to save this wonderful breed of pig.  For those of you willing to travel to south Texas, we'll have some pigs ready for you the summer of 2010.  Just send us an email.       

The Large Black Pig is a true grazing pig perfect for sustainable agriculture's "pastured pork."  Once you experience the joy of raising such a docile pig on open pasture and taste the exquisite pork it produces, you too will be sold on the Large Black Hog.  Although the name "Large Black Hog" certainly describes this breed, it's not just a description, it's the registered breed name for this rare heritage hog.

Heritage Breeds

My husband and I have raised other hogs but have found the “heritage” breeds to be the easiest to raise and the best tasting. Heritage breeds are the many breeds of old time hogs used in Europe and early America such as the Large Black.  Of all the heritage breeds, the Large Black is our favorite.  They were selected for their taste, ease of rearing, and hardiness. These breeds are mostly foraging hogs in that they will glean a great amount of their feed from pasture vegetation. They are now rare and hard to find because they aren’t used by the commercial breeders since they are slower to mature.

The History of Large Blacks

The Large Black is believed to have been developed in the late 1800's from Chinese breeds brought to England.  They are of the "bacon" type, or meat producer, instead of the "lard" type common of that day.   They became known as the Devon or Cornwall pigs from their area of origin before becoming just the "Large Black."  By the 1900's the Large Blacks were spread throughout Britain in outdoor pork production operations.  They were favored for many reasons including their hardiness, mothering ability, milk production and prolificacy.  The Large Black is a very efficient pork producer because it can glean a large portion of it's food from grazing.  Unlike many breeds of hog, their black skin protects them from sunburn and enables them to live outdoors on open pastures. 

The Large Blacks were imported into the U.S. in the 1950's and again in the 1990's where they were breed by a hand full of breeders for the exquisite and unique taste of the Large Black's pork.  When processed at around 200 pounds, the pork is lean yet micro-marbled for a moist product on the grill or in the oven.  The texture of the pork is extra tender due to the short muscle fibers which has earned it a place in some of the most exclusive restaurants in New York and Europe.  Large Blacks are also famous for their excellent bacon.

The Large Blacks are aptly named large since they can reach weights upwards of 700 pounds.  They have long deep bodies with strong backs and are always solid black.  Their ears are large and hang forward covering the eyes and most of the face.  They are among the most docile and friendly breed of hogs alive today.  The pigs start out shy but soon bond with people to the point of following them around until they give in and scratch their bellies.  We have seen children play with the Large Blacks without a problem and have never had one make an aggressive move toward a person yet.  Our mother sows are protective yet tolerant of our gentle handling of their young.

Large Blacks Are The Breed For Today

Small farmers and sustainable agriculture enterprises are looking for a pig that can be raised outdoors and then pastured to produce a quality product for an ever increasing niche market.  The Large Black meets that need on many levels.  First, the taste and quality of this pork guarantees a steady stream of customers who are willing to pay a premium for all natural pastured pork.  Second, this hardy breed was created for outdoor pasture hog operations over a hundred years ago so they are perfect for the sustainable movement of today.  These hogs don't "root" the way most other breeds do as long as there is vegetation above ground for them to graze.  We never ring their noses and have had no pastures destroyed.

Third, the Large Black's slow and docile temperament makes them a joy to raise.  They are safe on family farms where they will gladly interact with children and other animals.  Unlike many breeds that can become aggressive, this breed seems to enjoy human contact and we have never had a Large Black turn on us in an aggressive or dangerous manner.  Temperament was the least of our concerns when we selected this breed but it has proven to be invaluable in the care and raising of this majestic hog.          

It's not too late

Many times we discover that progress is not progress at all, but by then it's often too late to go back.  Well, it's not too late for the Large Black, yet.  Most of us were not even aware of the changes to the hog industry until the change was complete.  We just knew that pork was economical and readily available at the local market.  It was only later that we began to notice that it had lost it's taste and worse yet, was full of chemicals.  There is a back lash taking place across America now where people are demanding tasty and safe pork again.  The Large Black can fill that need whether you want to raise your own meat on a few acres or want to raise natural pork to fill a local niche market. 

This amazing breed is listed as Critically Endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, of which we are a member.  Because of our love of this animal, we have made it our mission to keep this breed pure and help others obtain their own breeding herds.  We have a waiting list for our weaned pigs so call or email us today for information about the next availability.  All pigs come with registration papers. 

BUT WHY?

Recently, I came across a book on the history of the county which we were both born and raised.  The book included a picture of a farmstead teaming with what appears to be Large Black Hogs in open pastures.  By the time we came along, these hogs had disappeared from our county yet family members can still remember the hog simply known as the black hog mentioned by our fathers. 

I have heard it said that in the first half of our life we are like astronauts, racing toward the new and unknown.  By the second half of our life, we are like archeologist, digging for answers from our past.  We too are of the age to be archeologist and we now know why our fathers and grandfathers kept this wonderful breed of hog.   In fact, I recently heard a story of how the settlers let their hogs run wild until they were needed to feed the family.  The hogs of that time became so plentiful that the settlers built a rock wall to keep them out of the city.  The street along that wall became known as Wall Street.  Yes, the same Wall Street famous today in New York City.  

Come and visit Wolfe Mountain and you will see the passion we have for saving this rare heritage breed of hog.  We believe the Large Black breed is progress and we vow to do whatever we can to preserve them and put them to use doing what they do best.  Producing grass based pork!  

By Kay Wolfe