What Is Heritage Pork? A Better Way to Raise and Eat Pork

I was at the local farmers market in May, picking up some eggs and greens, when I saw a cooler labeled “pasture-raised bacon.” I’d already started buying grass-fed beef, but I hadn’t really thought much about pork. So I grabbed a pack.

The next morning, I cooked a few strips. It didn’t just taste better. It felt like a totally different kind of food. Richer, more flavorful, and not watered down like the kind I grew up with.

A week or two later, I saw the same farmer, John, at the market and asked him what made it different. That’s when I first heard the term “heritage pork.”

He explained that the bacon came from Berkshire pigs, an old-world breed known for their marbling and slower growth. He talked about how commercial pigs are bred for speed, but heritage pigs are raised for quality. That conversation was a turning point. I’d spent so much time learning about sourcing bones and beef the right way, but I hadn't given pork the same attention.

That day started a new line of thinking for me. If I was going to learn about pork, I wanted to understand what made it different. That meant diving into pasture-raised pork, heritage breeds, and what it takes to raise meat that actually tastes like pork.

What Is Heritage Pork?

Breeds & History

Heritage pork comes from traditional pig breeds like Berkshire, Tamworth, Large Black, and Red Wattle. These pigs have been around for generations. Before industrial farming, these were the breeds most families raised on small farms. They’re known for their hardiness, their ability to thrive on pasture, and their deep, rich flavor.

Unlike commercial breeds raised in confinement, heritage pigs were bred to live outdoors. They grow more slowly and develop more marbling. Their genetics are rooted in quality and adaptability, not speed.

You’ll still find them today on local meat farms focused on quality and sustainability. Especially those focused on regenerative agriculture.

How It Differs From Commercial Pork

Most pork sold in grocery stores comes from hybrid breeds raised in confinement. These pigs are bred for fast growth and uniform size. The meat tends to be leaner, paler, and less flavorful. The system prioritizes efficiency over nutrition or animal health.

Heritage pork is the opposite. These pigs take longer to raise, but the results speak for themselves. The meat is darker. The marbling is real. The fat cap renders in the pan. It is pork the way it used to taste before everything was standardized.

If you have ever searched for “pork farm near me” or bought pork from a stand at your local farmers market, you may have already tasted the difference like I did.

Why I Think Heritage Pork Tastes Better

Flavor & Marbling

The first thing I noticed about heritage pork was the flavor. It tasted like pork should. Savory and rich. That depth comes from the marbling. Breeds like Berkshire (also called Kurobuta pork) are pized for their intramuscular fat. It melts during cooking and keeps the meat juicy.

Flavor starts with genetics, but it’s shaped by how the pigs live. When pigs can move, forage, and grow at a natural pace, the texture and complexity in the meat improve. You’ll taste the difference in every cut like I have, from pork chops to shoulder roasts.

If you’ve ever picked up bacon from a small local producer and wondered why it tasted better than the store-bought kind, this is why. It hasn’t been pumped with water. It hasn’t been bred for speed. It’s just real, farm-raised pork.

Animal Health & Lifestyle

There’s also a difference in how the pigs are raised. Heritage pork usually comes from farms where animals are allowed to live more naturally. They root, dig, and explore. Healthier pigs lead to better meat.

At Mission Farmstead, I'm not raising pigs right now. But if I do, they won’t run through the pastures. Pigs are too hard on open fields. I'd rotate them through the wooded areas instead, where they can forage and wallow the way they’re built to. That plan is still down the road, but if it happens, it will follow the same values that guide everything else here. Honest food, raised right, with respect for the land.

How I'd Raise Pork at Mission Farmstead

If and When That Time Comes

I’m not raising pigs right now. But if I do, they won’t go on open pasture. Pigs are too hard on fields. I would rotate them through the 28 acres of wooded areas instead. That’s where they can forage, dig, and live the way pigs are meant to. That plan is still down the road. If it happens, it will follow the same values I apply everywhere else on the farm. Honest food. Raised right. With respect for the land.

I wouldn’t confine them. No farrowing crates. No feedlots. No growth drugs. Just clean shelter, plenty of room, and local processing that keeps stress low. It would take more time. But that’s part of doing it the right way.

How I’d Sell Pork, If I Raise It

The farm is still in the early stages. I don’t have pork to offer right now. If I ever do, it will be sold directly through Mission Farmstead. No middlemen. No long supply chain. Just real pork in boxes. Chops, sausage, shoulder roasts, and bacon. Raised with care.

I may also show up at local markets in Goshen, Milford, or Loveland. That part is still undecided.

Until then, I recommend checking out a local farmers market or asking a butcher who sources from small family farms. That’s how I got started.

Final Thoughts

That pack of bacon from the farmers market opened my eyes. Not just to flavor, but to how far we’ve drifted from food raised close to home.

Heritage pork is part of that return. It is better for the land, better for the animals, and better for the people who eat it.

I’m not there yet at Mission Farmstead. But I’m working toward it.

I’ll keep sharing the story as it unfolds. If you are looking for pork that tastes like pork and reflects values that matter, I hope this helps you find it.