Five days a week I try to walk. Sometimes life gets in the way. Be it too cold, too hot, rainy or I just don't feel like it. Lately my neighbour and I have been doing quite well.
These walks are almost always a good experience full of the beauty of nature and our sharing of ideas and thoughts.
Some days we talk about our gardens other days about what we have been cooking or family things. Then there are days that we just speak of the beauty around us.
Most often the walk is the same five kilometres, but occasionally we mix it up a bit just for the change of scenery. Occasionally, we stop along the way to notice a change that has occurred over the past few days or admire the sunrise. Those amazing sunrises;
where the sky is on fire stop us in our tracks and we are forced to admit how lucky we are.
There are somedays we talk about world events and the things we would change if we were in charge. While we think we have some solutions to the worlds problems, we are both certain we would not like to tackle the job.
This morning one of the conversations was about pigs. There is a relatively new farm in the area that are raising Berkshire pigs. I have heard that they are an excellent pig for their meat quality. This I found out through a Québec program my husband and I watch each week "La Semaine Verte". Apparently it is the choice of pigs used in upscale restaurants in Montréal and other large cities in Canada and the U.S.A. According to what I have read about it, "Berks" are a Heritage pig that is smaller than the preferred Yorkshire pig grown here in the area. This got me thinking about pigs. Why is one more popular than another. Apparently there are several reasons.
It should be noted that most farms have pigs for various reasons. They are easy to raise and will eat just about anything making it easy to dispose of food that otherwise might go to waste. This makes the return on a pig quite good. They produce a good amount of meat, control grass growth by grazing, eat just about anything and they are smart and generally friendly.
The following was taken from the UPPA (Utah Pork Producers Association)
"The Yorkshire breed is known as the "Mother Breed" because Yorkshire sows characteristically farrow and raise large litters of pigs. Yorkshires are large-framed hogs, particularly in length, which allows them to be marketed at heavier weights without loss of efficiency. The Yorkshire barrows, in years of National Barrow Show records, average more than 32 inches in the carcass contest, consistently longer than any other breed and even longer than crossbreds. A five-year boar test station average of Yorkshire boars when taken to 240 pounds, gained an average of 2.07 per day with feed efficiency of 2.55, tops in both categories for all breeds."
These walks are almost always a good experience full of the beauty of nature and our sharing of ideas and thoughts.
Some days we talk about our gardens other days about what we have been cooking or family things. Then there are days that we just speak of the beauty around us.
Most often the walk is the same five kilometres, but occasionally we mix it up a bit just for the change of scenery. Occasionally, we stop along the way to notice a change that has occurred over the past few days or admire the sunrise. Those amazing sunrises;
where the sky is on fire stop us in our tracks and we are forced to admit how lucky we are.
There are somedays we talk about world events and the things we would change if we were in charge. While we think we have some solutions to the worlds problems, we are both certain we would not like to tackle the job.
This morning one of the conversations was about pigs. There is a relatively new farm in the area that are raising Berkshire pigs. I have heard that they are an excellent pig for their meat quality. This I found out through a Québec program my husband and I watch each week "La Semaine Verte". Apparently it is the choice of pigs used in upscale restaurants in Montréal and other large cities in Canada and the U.S.A. According to what I have read about it, "Berks" are a Heritage pig that is smaller than the preferred Yorkshire pig grown here in the area. This got me thinking about pigs. Why is one more popular than another. Apparently there are several reasons.
It should be noted that most farms have pigs for various reasons. They are easy to raise and will eat just about anything making it easy to dispose of food that otherwise might go to waste. This makes the return on a pig quite good. They produce a good amount of meat, control grass growth by grazing, eat just about anything and they are smart and generally friendly.
The following was taken from the UPPA (Utah Pork Producers Association)
"The Yorkshire breed is known as the "Mother Breed" because Yorkshire sows characteristically farrow and raise large litters of pigs. Yorkshires are large-framed hogs, particularly in length, which allows them to be marketed at heavier weights without loss of efficiency. The Yorkshire barrows, in years of National Barrow Show records, average more than 32 inches in the carcass contest, consistently longer than any other breed and even longer than crossbreds. A five-year boar test station average of Yorkshire boars when taken to 240 pounds, gained an average of 2.07 per day with feed efficiency of 2.55, tops in both categories for all breeds."
Yorkshire pigs
As the name suggests the Yorkshire pig was developed in York shire county in England. The first ones appeared in America around 1830. They were not always as popular as at one point lard fetched the same price as muscle so hogs were not raised for meat.
They gained national prominence starting in 1940 and between 1957 and 1972 Yorks really took off.
Yorks are known for their mothering ability, are large and long, white with upright ears. They are noted for their bacon, ham which tends to be fairly lean.
They gained national prominence starting in 1940 and between 1957 and 1972 Yorks really took off.
Yorks are known for their mothering ability, are large and long, white with upright ears. They are noted for their bacon, ham which tends to be fairly lean.
Berkshire pigs
From the shire of Berk and said to be discovered by the army of Oliver Cromwell, the Berkshires appeared in America around 1823.
They are black with white spots and quite often have stockinged feet. They also have short perky ears, a short snout and tend to be smaller than the Yorkshire pig.
They are a hardy pig with marbled meat, fatter than the Yorkshire but also small in stature. In recent years they have become the pig of choice for upscale restaurants causing the meat sell at a premium.
The following was taken from the UPPA (Utah Pork Producers Association)
"The Berkshire breed is the only genetic source in the swine industry that has a value-based premium based on known superior pork quality. Berkshire pork has been scientifically proven to have better color, texture, marbling, ultimate pH, and water holding capacity -- all known factors to better eating quality and making pork the meat of choice. Several packers are paying substantial premiums for Berkshire market hogs. A simple management choice -- the selection of purebred Berkshire genetics with a properly transferred pedigree will open the door for new profit opportunities that can't be found anywhere in the entire pork industry. Today's Berkshires have been bred to be strong in the profit areas -- either maternal or as a terminal sire. Berkshire premiums can be realized in any operation -- large or small, and represent a great opportunity to keep family farm pork operations viable for the future. "
They are black with white spots and quite often have stockinged feet. They also have short perky ears, a short snout and tend to be smaller than the Yorkshire pig.
They are a hardy pig with marbled meat, fatter than the Yorkshire but also small in stature. In recent years they have become the pig of choice for upscale restaurants causing the meat sell at a premium.
The following was taken from the UPPA (Utah Pork Producers Association)
"The Berkshire breed is the only genetic source in the swine industry that has a value-based premium based on known superior pork quality. Berkshire pork has been scientifically proven to have better color, texture, marbling, ultimate pH, and water holding capacity -- all known factors to better eating quality and making pork the meat of choice. Several packers are paying substantial premiums for Berkshire market hogs. A simple management choice -- the selection of purebred Berkshire genetics with a properly transferred pedigree will open the door for new profit opportunities that can't be found anywhere in the entire pork industry. Today's Berkshires have been bred to be strong in the profit areas -- either maternal or as a terminal sire. Berkshire premiums can be realized in any operation -- large or small, and represent a great opportunity to keep family farm pork operations viable for the future. "