Our story
Silcott Springs Farm began as a hobby in 1995 with a couple Angus cattle. As our family grew so did our farm. We now have 150 cows and raise their offspring as replacement heifers or as grass fed beef cattle for farm to table beef. We now have 10 sows that raise corn fed Mulefoot pork. We also care for an assortment of goats as pets and Road Island Red laying hens.
“Mulefoot Pork Wins Blind Taste Test
3/6/2009 8:57:19 AM
By Hank Will, Editor-in-Chief
Tags: mulefoot hogs, pork, farms
I was disappointed to miss the event, but on January 26, 2009, more than 90 food professionals, chefs, food writers, and food connoisseurs converged at Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, VA, to participate in a blind-tasting which compared pork from eight rare heritage hog breeds and one commercially line.
This so-called Pig Pageant was sponsored by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Humane Farm Animal Care, Slow Food U.S.A. , and Ayrshire Farm, an eclectic group of organizations and individuals committed to saving heritage genetics, promoting a saner animal production paradigm and bringing flavor back to the table.
The pig breeds in question evolved to fit various regional and farming practices and some are known for producing plenty of lard, while others are naturally lean. For example, the Tamworth is a lean grazing pig shaped to produce plenty of bacon, while the Ossabaw Island is a feral breed that stores large amounts of fat for winter survival.
Once the results were tallied, the Mulefoot was on top, but with the exception of the Large Black, all heritage hogs out tasted the commercial breed. The specific results were as follows:
1. Mulefoot
2. Gloucestershire Old Spot
3. Red Wattle
4. In a tie: Tamworth and Guinea
5. Hereford
6. In a tie: Ossabaw Island and commercial
7. Large Black
According to Ayrshire Farm’s Large Livestock Manager, Don Schrider, this event was the largest comparison of pork breeds in North America to date and it successfully demonstrated that each of the breeds is valuable for the unique culinary experience it offers.
”
Our Mulefoot Pork & Angus Beef
We raise all our cattle and hogs in Loudoun county on privately owned property. All our animals are free range and have consistant access to vegetation and fresh water.
Angus cattle are a maternal breed that are exceptional mothers and provide high quality milk to their calves. We naturally breed our cows to a registered Angus bull and their calves are then grass fed and finished before processing.
Our Mulefoot hogs are a heritage breed of pigs that grow slowly and in doing so produce more fat creating a more marbled and flavorful cut of pork. There are approximately a couple hundred registered Mulefoot hogs in the world. These sows are great mothers farrowing 5-6 piglets. We wean our piglets around 6 weeks allowing for improved growth and extended nutrients from their mother. These piglets then are fed on a primarily corn diet in a free range vegetated and wooded pasture. Mulefoot hogs are very hardy and enjoy having free range of their natural environment.
Our story
Silcott Springs Farm began as a hobby in 1995 with a couple Angus cattle. As our family grew so did our farm. We now have 150 cows and raise their offspring as replacement heifers or as grass fed beef cattle for farm to table beef. We now have 10 sows that raise corn fed Mulefoot pork. We also care for an assortment of goats as pets and Road Island Red laying hens.
“Mulefoot Pork Wins Blind Taste Test
3/6/2009 8:57:19 AM
By Hank Will, Editor-in-Chief
Tags: mulefoot hogs, pork, farms
I was disappointed to miss the event, but on January 26, 2009, more than 90 food professionals, chefs, food writers, and food connoisseurs converged at Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, VA, to participate in a blind-tasting which compared pork from eight rare heritage hog breeds and one commercially line.
This so-called Pig Pageant was sponsored by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Humane Farm Animal Care, Slow Food U.S.A. , and Ayrshire Farm, an eclectic group of organizations and individuals committed to saving heritage genetics, promoting a saner animal production paradigm and bringing flavor back to the table.
The pig breeds in question evolved to fit various regional and farming practices and some are known for producing plenty of lard, while others are naturally lean. For example, the Tamworth is a lean grazing pig shaped to produce plenty of bacon, while the Ossabaw Island is a feral breed that stores large amounts of fat for winter survival.
Once the results were tallied, the Mulefoot was on top, but with the exception of the Large Black, all heritage hogs out tasted the commercial breed. The specific results were as follows:
1. Mulefoot
2. Gloucestershire Old Spot
3. Red Wattle
4. In a tie: Tamworth and Guinea
5. Hereford
6. In a tie: Ossabaw Island and commercial
7. Large Black
According to Ayrshire Farm’s Large Livestock Manager, Don Schrider, this event was the largest comparison of pork breeds in North America to date and it successfully demonstrated that each of the breeds is valuable for the unique culinary experience it offers.
”
Our Mulefoot Pork & Angus Beef
We raise all our cattle and hogs in Loudoun county on privately owned property. All our animals are free range and have consistant access to vegetation and fresh water.
Angus cattle are a maternal breed that are exceptional mothers and provide high quality milk to their calves. We naturally breed our cows to a registered Angus bull and their calves are then grass fed and finished before processing.
Our Mulefoot hogs are a heritage breed of pigs that grow slower and in doing so produce more fat creating a more marbled and flavorful cut of pork. There are approximately a couple hundred registered Mulefoot hogs in the world. These sows are great mothers farrowing 5-6 piglets. We wean our piglets around 6 weeks allowing for improved growth and extended nutrients from their mother. These piglets then are fed on a primarily corn diet in a free range vegetated and wooded pasture. Mulefoot hogs are very hardy and enjoy having free range of their natural environment.
Our story
Silcott Springs Farm began as a hobby in 1995 with a couple Angus cattle. As our family grew so did our farm. We now have 150 cows and raise their offspring as replacement heifers or as grass fed beef cattle for farm to table beef. We now have 10 sows that raise corn fed Mulefoot pork. We also care for an assortment of goats as pets and Road Island Red laying hens.
“Mulefoot Pork Wins Blind Taste Test
3/6/2009 8:57:19 AM
By Hank Will, Editor-in-Chief
Tags: mulefoot hogs, pork, farms
I was disappointed to miss the event, but on January 26, 2009, more than 90 food professionals, chefs, food writers, and food connoisseurs converged at Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, VA, to participate in a blind-tasting which compared pork from eight rare heritage hog breeds and one commercially line.
This so-called Pig Pageant was sponsored by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Humane Farm Animal Care, Slow Food U.S.A. , and Ayrshire Farm, an eclectic group of organizations and individuals committed to saving heritage genetics, promoting a saner animal production paradigm and bringing flavor back to the table.
The pig breeds in question evolved to fit various regional and farming practices and some are known for producing plenty of lard, while others are naturally lean. For example, the Tamworth is a lean grazing pig shaped to produce plenty of bacon, while the Ossabaw Island is a feral breed that stores large amounts of fat for winter survival.
Once the results were tallied, the Mulefoot was on top, but with the exception of the Large Black, all heritage hogs out tasted the commercial breed. The specific results were as follows:
1. Mulefoot
2. Gloucestershire Old Spot
3. Red Wattle
4. In a tie: Tamworth and Guinea
5. Hereford
6. In a tie: Ossabaw Island and commercial
7. Large Black
According to Ayrshire Farm’s Large Livestock Manager, Don Schrider, this event was the largest comparison of pork breeds in North America to date and it successfully demonstrated that each of the breeds is valuable for the unique culinary experience it offers.
”
Our Mulefoot Pork & Angus Beef
We raise all our cattle and hogs in Loudoun county on privately owned property. All our animals are free range and have consistant access to vegetation and fresh water.
Angus cattle are a maternal breed that are exceptional mothers and provide high quality milk to their calves. We naturally breed our cows to a registered Angus bull and their calves are then grass fed and finished before processing.
Our Mulefoot hogs are a heritage breed of pigs that grow slower and in doing so produce more fat creating a more marbled and flavorful cut of pork. There are approximately a couple hundred registered Mulefoot hogs in the world. These sows are great mothers farrowing 5-6 piglets. We wean our piglets around 6 weeks allowing for improved growth and extended nutrients from their mother. These piglets then are fed on a primarily corn diet in a free range vegetated and wooded pasture. Mulefoot hogs are very hardy and enjoy having free range of their natural environment.