Sunday, February 28, 2010

ABOUT RAVEN & BOAR

Raven & Boar is a small family owned farm in Northern Columbia County. We raise each small herd of pigs with care on our own open pasture and forest.

Ruby and Sather Duke founded Raven & Boar in 2009 and are also the principles of hivemindesign, designing and manufacturing furniture and interiors since 2000.

When they moved their business from Brooklyn to East Chatham in 2008, the Duke’s also set the simple goal of raising and growing as much of their own food that they could on the land surrounding their house and studio. Sather and Ruby are both avid gardeners and cooks and it seemed inevitable that they would strive to have the best tasting pork possible. The next step was making this high quality pork available to a select group of buyers. Partnering with the local award-winning Old Chatham Sheep Herding Company to use the whey from their sheep's milk cheese and yogurt as the primary source of food for their pigs (in the tradition of Italian pig farmers) makes for a unique flavor and texture to the meat. The pork from pigs fed whey as their primary diet is naturally more marbled, and is especially excellent for charcuterie. The meat also holds more moisture, and doesn’t dry out as easily in the pan or oven like some other pork products.

Raven & Boar’s pigs are fed whey soaked grains, grass, vegetables, fruits and naturally foraged roots and acorns. We do not crowd our pigs or use antibiotics or hormones and rotate them seasonally with grass fed lambs, which keeps them all healthy and happy while also providing a fertile bed for next years garden.

Raven & Boar seeks to continue partnerships with local businesses such as the Old Chatham Sheep Herding Company and Hand Hollow Farm CSA to not only create a delicious product but to provide high quality meat to local residents and restaurants.

Whole and half pigs and whole lambs are available when pre-ordered by April 15th. Our animals are USDA processed and are made available September through December.