Piggies in the Forest

Molly Moore | August 1, 2011

By Jillian Randel

The pigs at Buffalo Creek Farm are spoiled with open space to forage and nest. Photo courtesy of Bill Jones.

The pigs at Buffalo Creek Farm give a whole new meaning to the term hog heaven.

Located in central Virginia, this family-run farm operates on one concept: because pigs are descendants of wild boar, they are healthier and happier when they roam freely through the woods.

Owner Bill Jones never has more than 200 pigs wandering over his 76 acres of pasture, ponds and creeks. Buffalo Creek also does not have the pollution problems other pig farms have. Jones believes this is the result of maintaining a low hog population density.

Jones offers forest-fed, hormone-free and antibiotic-free meat and believes his pigs are healthier because they forage in a natural way, unlike feed lot pigs that are crammed into small pens.

“Some people like to buy our pork because it tastes better and a lot of people like the fact that it is humanely raised,” said Jones. “They feel that if it has been raised the way it has then it is a better quality product.”

Buffalo Creek Farm sells pork at Arganica Farm Club, Relay Foods and the farmers’ market in Charlottesville, Va.

To learn more about the farm, visit forestfed.com.