Nature’s Aerators

Heirloom hogs eagerly root up the soil at John and Duskie's farm in Forestville.

I was about to mow a fallow pasture at Macbryde Farm, when I noticed that the soil had been compacted by years of livestock grazing. John and I decided to let the hogs in to root it up instead of mowing. They immediately started turning over the sod, looking for worms and other food sources. This turning of the soil will reduce runoff and allow us to grade and re-seed the pasture. Each day, these hogs eat expired produce from Bovolo like fennel and melons, and should be succulent when they are harvested in about a month.

Duskie and John won first place last weekend at Cochon555 Napa. “Cochon 555 is a one-of-a-kind traveling culinary competition and tasting event–five chefs, five pigs, five wine makers–to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs.” They prepared an entire hog with dishes like Pigs Head Cowboy Beans, Pig Heart Pork Bun, and Bacon Waffles.