Why We Let Pigs Be Pigs: About Ethical, Pasture-Raised Pork

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August 31, 2025

Eating grass, digging in the dirt, exploring their pasture, being social – this is how our pigs express their piggyness.

When I watch them out in the fresh air, using their noses to root around, lounging in their wallows, or just hanging out together, I can’t help but smile. It’s one of the biggest differences between how we raise pigs and how pigs are raised in most commercial settings, and it’s obvious.

Their noses are made to dig, their skin can absorb vitamin D, and their bodies are meant to run and frolic (yes, they really do frolic). I think I understood this in theory before we started farming, but after spending time with them, observing them every day, I feel so much more strongly about giving pigs the chance to just be pigs.

“But Don’t Pigs Need to Sweat?”

I've seen a few posts on social media lately, and had a couple of customers ask about whether pork is safe to eat because pigs “don’t sweat” and therefore can’t get rid of toxins.

Here’s the deal: pigs don’t sweat, it’s true. That’s actually why we provide them with a wallow. This helps them cool down and protects their skin from sun exposure. And yes, they really enjoy it.

But sweating isn’t the only way animals manage toxins. Just like you and me, pigs have a liver and kidneys, which do the job of filtering and clearing out what the body doesn’t need. If sweating were the only way to detox, then fish and chickens wouldn’t be safe to eat either, yet they are.

What They Eat Matters

To me, the more important conversation is actually about what pigs are eating.

Pigs raised outdoors on pasture (or in the woods) have a more natural, varied diet, which helps keep the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in their fat lower than in pigs raised in confinement. They get to express their natural instincts to root and forage, and that impacts both their health and the quality of the meat.

In addition to pasture access, our pigs are fed a non-GMO feed that’s free from corn, soy, and flax (same goes for our chickens). This helps keep PUFA levels even lower, and supports our goal of raising animals in a way that’s both ethical and nourishing.

Why We Do It This Way

We’re working on sharing more info on all of this, such as why we feed what we feed, why we care about PUFAs, and why we raise our animals the way we do.

If you're curious to dig deeper, the ladies at Nourish Food Club (U.S.-based) have done a great job laying out the science behind PUFAs and why it matters in the meat we eat. You can check out their work here.

Wild Meadows Farm

Blog: On The Farm

Grey County

Durham, Ontario

Pasture-Raised Pork

From Pasture to Price Tag: Understanding the Rising Cost of Meat

I consider myself very fortunate that I rarely go to the grocery store (we have one in our backyard, and for the things we don’t have here, Rebecca is usually the one who goes). When I do find myself there, though, I usually linger in the meat aisle to take a look at the prices. For the record, when we set prices for our products, we do not consider prices in stores or those of competitors. We determine prices based on our costs, plus a markup that we know will keep our doors open and the business sustainable. I do, however, find observing grocery store prices interesting and telling of what the commodity meat system produces and how it is priced. Just a few years ago, I often thought to myself how amazingly inexpensive meat was at the grocery store. Products like ground beef, chicken, and many pork cuts were so cheap. More recently, prices in stores are definitely up across the board. While our prices are still higher (and justifiably so, due to the quality of life our animals experience and the quality of meat our customers receive), the difference isn’t as great as it used to be. So why have grocery store prices increased so much? 1) Inflation is affecting everyone.Inflation is affecting everyone, including farmers, butchers, transport companies, and even grocery stores. Out-of-control money printing, higher energy costs, higher taxes, and wages that don’t keep up are a recipe for higher food prices—and for the general public to feel the strain financially. 2) Supply and demand are out of whack.Several factors, such as drought in the West, an aging farmer population, and higher beef prices (which discourage farmers from maintaining breeding stock), are leading to a lower cattle “inventory” in North America. That means fewer calves and a lower overall population, reducing supply. No one really knows when beef prices will come down, but the best-case scenario appears to be early 2028, based on what I’ve heard. Traditionally, chicken and other less expensive proteins have helped replace beef as prices rise. While it’s true that more people are choosing chicken as an alternative, beef demand has remained strong despite higher prices. Additionally, increased demand for chicken, combined with population growth and Canada’s restrictive production system (supply management), is projected to raise chicken prices by 25% in 2026. 3) Demand for meat isn’t slowing down.Experts often claim that more people will turn to “alternative” proteins as prices rise, and perhaps this is true for some. But you can’t beat the real thing, and I believe most people understand this. The public outcry over news that cloned meat could enter the supply chain without labelling is a good indicator that people do not want their food tampered with. So while I believe our products exist on a different playing field than their commodity and mass-produced counterparts, it’s interesting to observe how markets are changing and to track how these shifts may impact our customers and our business. Thanks for following along, and I hope you find my insights into our food system useful.

Why We Let Pigs Be Pigs: About Ethical, Pasture-Raised Pork

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From Pasture to Price Tag: Understanding the Rising Cost of Meat

Food Debates Are Getting Wild – Here’s Why It's A Good Thing

Cloned Meat? Never on Our Farm!

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