OUR ANIMALS
We get asked a lot, how can you kill an animal you raised. Yes, it is very hard to take a life, and it should be, but it is also incredibly rewarding to be able to feed nutrient dense meat to the community and to do it in a way that regenerates the land, protects nature and preserves these rare heritage breeds. It is hard to explain, but providing healthy meat that had a great life with their family groups, living free in nature fills us with pride. We know that all food and clothing has blood on it. Nothing we consume or wear, whether it be plant or animal, arrives on our plate or in our closet without consequences to life on earth. We know tilling annual mono crops kills more beating hearts in one harvest season than what is processed on our small farm. We value the reverence and responsibility for all life. When you buy from a local small-scale farm you are avoiding the high cost of cheap food.
Bobo
KING OF HOUGH HERITAGE FARM
Bobo is our senior purebred registered Berkshire boar. He was born on September 15, 2014 and came to Hough Heritage Farm as a little piglet. He is rare in that most farms don't keep senior pigs after 4-5 years of age. Bobo will stay on this farm and enjoy his life as long as possible. His arrival to the farm started in the backseat of my Honda CRV in a dog crate but he soon busted out and ended up riding shotgun in the front passenger seat for most of the drive. Bobo was the size of my Shih-Tzu when he arrived. He is now over 1000 lbs, 4 feet tall, and 8 feet long. He is truly a gentle giant. Baby goats and piglets use him as a jungle gym while he naps. Pigs achieve their adult weight at the age of 5 so while heritage breed pigs grow to 250 lbs by 7 months of age, the age of processing, it takes a lot longer to grow to their adult size. This is why so many people are surprised when they see Bobo, a 1000 lb adult boar, as they are used to seeing pigs at the processing age of 7 months, or 250 lbs.
Berkshire Pigs
Berkshire Pigs are one of the oldest breeds of pigs from England, they come from the county of Berkshire. They are friendly, curious and wonderful parents, often raising their young in collective family groups. The gestation period for pigs is just under 4 months and they nurse their young for 3-4 months. We let the sows naturally wean their own litters.
Berkshire pork, prized for juiciness, flavour, and tenderness, is pink-hued and heavily marbled. Its high fat content makes it suitable for long slow cooking and high-temperature cooking.
A lot of people claim to sell Berkshire pigs because they are such a popular breed but a purebred Berkshire is black with 6 white markings; a white splash on the snout, 4 white socks and a white tip on the tail. Berkshires also have upright ears. If you don't see these distinct features then it isn't a Berkshire pig.
We raise purebred registered Berkshires because we believe in preserving these rare heritage breeds.
Icelandic Sheep
The Icelandic sheep is descended from the Northern European short tail breeds and was brought to Iceland by the Vikings in the middle ages. The vigor, hardiness and variety of uses for these sheep made them a cornerstone of the Viking settlement and later development of Icelandic culture. The first importation into Canada occurred in 1985. Genetically the Icelandic sheep is the same today as it was 1100 years ago. It is possibly the oldest and purest domesticated breed of sheep in the world today. - Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers Ltd
The Icelandic is a medium sized, stocky, horned sheep. They produce a thick light fleece in a variety of colours. The fleece is double-coated, with a long outer coat (tog) which gives protection from snow and rain, and a fine inner coat (þel) which insulates the animal against the cold. The ewes are seasonal breeders and generally breed in October or November and lamb 5 months later in March. Traditionally they are grass fed and the lambs grow to 32-41 kg in 4-5 months and produce a good, lean carcass. The meat has a fine grain and distinct, delicate flavor. The meat of the Icelandic sheep is considered a gourmet style of meat.
Lowline Cattle
Originating in Australia, Low line cattle were developed as a smaller version of the Scottish Black Angus. Low Line cattle produce high quality meat. Low line cattle are extremely hardy, naturally polled, black in color, and small framed. At all stages of their growth they are about 60% of the size of normal beef cattle. Lowline cattle mature early. They are easy calving and docile. At birth calves average 40 to 50 pounds. Lowline are extremely efficient grass feeders and can even be finished on grass. They exhibit rapid early growth. Carcasses yield high, with reduced fat but greater marbling. Cuts are smaller which is attractive to the health conscious consumer.
From the Canadian Beef Breeds
Heritage Poultry
Hough Heritage Farm raises Beltsville Small White Turkeys.
The Beltsville Small White was developed to fill a clearly identified consumer need. In the early 1930s most turkeys raised in the US had dark colored plumage, were medium to large in size and had a narrow breast without substantial meat. A 1936 survey found that 87% of home consumers wanted a bird weighing between 8 and 15 pounds. They also wanted a bird that was meaty, well-finished and free from dark pin feathers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture research center at Beltsville, Maryland, therefore, began a breeding program to create a bird that would answer the consumer demand for a bird that would fit apartment sized refrigerators, small ovens, and small families. Researchers developed the new Beltsville Small White variety from a genetic foundation that included the White Holland, White Austrian, Narragansett, Bronze, and Wild Turkey. Beltsvilles had good reproductive qualities, including the ability to mate naturally, and so could be selected, bred, and maintained by small-scale producers. In contrast, Broad Breasted White turkeys generally required artificial insemination for reproduction.
Young Beltsville turkey hens weigh 10 pounds and young toms weigh 17 pounds. The plumage is white, with the head red to bluish white. The beard is black, the beak is horn colored, and the eyes are dark brown. Today the Beltsville Small White is quite rare so we are committed to preserving this heritage breed.
Oberhasli Goats
The Oberhasli is a dairy breed developed in the mountainous cantons of Bern in Switzerland.
Oberhasli goats were first imported to the United States in the early 1900s, though it was not until 1936 that purebred herds were established and maintained. In 1977, the breed name Oberhasli was adopted, and registration records were separated from the Alpines.
The Oberhasli is alert in appearance with a friendly, gentle disposition. Mature goats are medium in size. Bucks range in height from 30–34", and does 28–32", with weights of 100–150 pounds. While the does are a dependable source of milk, bucks and wethers are also useful as pack animals because of their strength and calm demeanor. Some goat packers prefer Oberhaslis because they are said to be less fearful of water and other trail obstacles than are other breeds. Oberhasli does can stay in milk for up to 2 years.
The breed’s color pattern is called chamoisee. Goats are brown, with hues between light tan and deep reddish brown, and have black points. Two black stripes from the eyes to the black muzzle give a distinctive facial appearance. The forehead is nearly all black, and black stripes run from the base of each ear to a point just behind the poll and continue along the neck and back to the tail as a dorsal stripe. The Oberhasli has a black belly and light gray to black udder. The legs are black below the knees and hocks and the ears are black on the inside.
Llamas
Hough Heritage Farm is lucky to have a guard animal in the form of Britany the rescue Llama. What are the differences between Llamas and Alpacas?
Their ears: Alpaca ears have short spear-shaped ears while llamas have much longer, banana-shaped ears.
Their size: Alpacas generally weigh in at around 150 pounds while llamas can get as heavy as 400 pounds. At the shoulder, an average alpaca stands between 34 and 36 inches, while a llama generally ranges between 42 and 46 inches.
Their faces: Llamas have a longer face; an alpaca’s face is a bit more blunt, giving them a “smooshed in” look.
Their purpose: For more than 5,000 years alpacas have been bred for fiber (and in Peru for meat as well), while llamas have been bred for the same amount of time as pack animals and meat.
Their hair: The alpaca produces a much finer fiber than the llama. The alpaca also produces more fleece than its larger cousin and in a much greater variety of colors. Llamas also generally do not have as much hair on their head and face as alpacas do.
Their dispositions: Alpacas are very much herd animals, while llamas are more independent minded. Alpacas also tend to be a bit more skittish than llamas, which are often used as guard animals for alpacas, sheep, and other small livestock.
