At Real Food Garden, we never set out to be pig farmers. In fact, both of us were once committed vegetarians, driven by environmental and ethical concerns around industrial meat production.
So when we started keeping pigs, it had to be on our own terms, with the goal of producing the highest-welfare, most environmentally beneficial pork possible. And several years in, we’re proud to say: it’s working.
We now produce pork that’s loved by families and top chefs alike, while improving soil, reducing food waste, and supporting biodiversity. Here’s how we do it.
Pigs That Live Proper Lives
Our pigs are outdoor bred and reared, free to roam, root, play and simply be pigs. This style of farming is sadly rare in the UK, but we think it should be the norm. Fresh air, sunshine, and mud – not metal bars and slatted floors.
They interact with people, birds, insects and the land every day, and they’re healthier and happier for it. They rarely need medical treatment and grow at a natural pace, which also improves the quality of the meat.
We keep traditional native breeds, especially Tamworths, which are perfectly suited to outdoor life. They’re tough, hardy, and slow-growing. In fact, our pigs live up to 50% longer than intensively reared ones. You can’t rush a pig like this, and that’s exactly the point.
Farming With Nature, Not Against It
At Real Food Garden, pigs aren’t a bolt-on, they’re integrated into our whole farm system. We’ve used them to prepare veg beds instead of a plough, saving fossil fuels while enriching the soil with their manure. When they move on, we plant the area with crops that support bees, birds and soil life.
We now regularly spot swallows collecting mud for their nests from the pigs’ wallows, and bird species that have found their niche living alongside the pigs.
Even their diet is part of the system. A large part of what our pigs eat is the unsaleable veg we grow on our two-acre market garden – turning waste into flavour-packed protein. That’s food that might otherwise be composted or lost entirely. Well done, pigs!
Soya-Free and Slower-Grown for a Better Planet
Pigs still need protein and carbs to grow, and in conventional systems, this comes from soya, often imported from deforested regions. But we’ve chosen a different path.
We feed our pigs a soya-free blend, reducing our environmental footprint and keeping our pork out of destructive global supply chains. It’s another reason our pigs take longer to reach maturity, but for us, sustainability is never a race.
Conservation Grazing: Pigs With a Purpose
Inspired by the potential of pigs to actively improve ecosystems, Amelia took the idea even further.
Some of our pigs are now used for conservation grazing on sites across Mid Cornwall. Working in partnership with landowners, we use their natural behaviours, (rootling, wallowing, munching) to:
- Reduce bracken and rushes so native wildflowers can return
- Improve wet grassland habitats for pollinators and birds
- Create ephemeral ponds used by amphibians, invertebrates and wildlife
They’re not just farming companions, they’re ecological engineers.
Low Food Miles, High Welfare
When the time comes, our pigs are slaughtered and butchered just five minutes away at a trusted, local, family-run abattoir. It’s a short journey, meaning less stress for the animals, and another way we support the rural economy and skilled local jobs.
Because we sell direct to customers like you, nothing is wasted. We use the whole animal, not just the bits that fit neatly into a supermarket plastic tray.
Why It Tastes Better
This is pork from pigs who’ve had a full life, a healthy diet, and no rush to grow. The result is flavour that stands out: a richness and depth that only comes from time, care, and good living.
That’s why families keep coming back, and why even Michelin-star chefs tell us: it’s the best pork they can get.
Order Pork From Real Food Garden
We produce pork in small, seasonal batches and it sells out fast. If you’d like to try it for yourself, check out our Meat Boxes page to see what’s currently available, or sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when the next batch is ready.
We believe pork can be a force for good – for people, for wildlife, and for the planet. Thanks for supporting a different way of farming.