What's a KuneKune? A girl, a farm and heritage breed hogs

FoodCrush

The bacon trend might be dying down, but great tasting pork is always in high demand. But how do farmers deliver that full flavor while paying heed to animal welfare and sustainable farming practices? Among the options: raising heritage breed hogs on pasture. On this week’s podcast we talk with Nikki Barr, a Kettle Range Meats employee and young farmer who raises heritage breed Kunekune pigs (pronounced “cooney cooney”) at Pike Creek Meats, a small-scale 10-acre farm at Somers Farm and Prairie, an innovative 160-acre property in Kenosha, Wisconsin. During our chat, we talk with Barr about her journey to agriculture, her motivation for raising Kunekune hogs and the overall importance of supporting the heritage meat production industry. Along the way, we explore the unique qualities of Kunekune hogs, the challenges and joys of raising pigs, the benefits and pleasures of eating heritage pork and we glean insights into the agricultural realm through the lens of an ambitious young female farmer.