Why Kunekune?

Not All Pork Is Created Equal

In a world where most pork is produced from commercial pigs bred for rapid growth and maximum efficiency, Kunekune pigs offer a completely different approach.

Originally from New Zealand, Kunekunes are a heritage breed known for their gentle temperament, ability to thrive on pasture, and exceptional pork quality. While commercial pork production focuses on lean meat and fast turnaround, Kunekunes are prized for flavor, sustainability, and a more natural way of farming.

For us, choosing Kunekunes was about more than meat. It was about finding a breed that is enjoyable to raise, kind to the land, and capable of producing outstanding pork.

Superior Pork Quality

Many people are surprised by the difference the first time they try Kunekune pork.

Commercial pork is typically bred to be very lean, producing a mild flavor that many consumers are familiar with. Kunekune pork, on the other hand, develops more natural marbling throughout the meat, resulting in:

• Richer pork flavor
• Better tenderness
• Increased juiciness
• Beautiful marbling
• Exceptional bacon and sausage

The extra intramuscular fat helps the meat stay moist during cooking and creates the kind of old-fashioned pork flavor many people remember from generations ago.

Raised the Way Pigs Were Meant to Live

Kunekunes are one of the few pig breeds that genuinely excel on pasture.

Unlike many commercial breeds that require significant feed inputs and intensive management, Kunekunes are exceptional foragers. They enjoy grazing grasses and exploring their environment while still benefiting from a balanced supplemental diet.

Pasture-raised pigs can:

• Express natural behaviors
• Never have to live in close proximity to their manure
• Enjoy fresh air and sunshine
• Live with more space to move
• Contribute to healthier soil ecosystems

We believe healthier animals lead to higher-quality food and a better farming experience for everyone involved.

Gentle, Friendly, and Fun

One of the biggest reasons we love Kunekunes has nothing to do with pork.

They're simply enjoyable animals to be around.

Kunekunes are known worldwide for their calm, friendly personalities. Many owners describe them as more like oversized dogs than traditional farm pigs. They are curious, social, easy to work with, and genuinely seem to enjoy interacting with people.

Whether we're moving them between paddocks, doing health checks, or simply spending time in the pasture, they make daily farm life more enjoyable.

Some pigs can be intimidating.

Kunekunes tend to be companions.

Kinder on the Land

One reason many small farms choose Kunekunes is their lighter environmental footprint.

Because Kunekunes are natural grazers, they tend to root less aggressively than many commercial breeds when properly managed on pasture. This helps preserve vegetation and reduces damage to fields and paddocks, reduce soil erosion and the amount of fertilizer input required. Their gentle nature also allows safe grazing around young trees - permitting healthy shelter belts around the paddocks to provide wildlife food and habitat as well as reducing the farms overall water requirements.

Their grazing habits can:

• Help maintain pasture growth
• Reduce soil disturbance
• Support rotational grazing systems
• Promote healthier ground cover

Rather than turning fields into mud lots, well-managed Kunekunes can become an important part of a sustainable pasture program.

Lower Feed Requirements

Feed is one of the largest environmental and economic costs in livestock production.

Kunekunes are unique because they can obtain a meaningful portion of their diet from grazing and forage. While they still require appropriate supplemental nutrition, their ability to utilize pasture effectively can reduce dependence on high-input feeding systems compared with many conventional production breeds.

For us, that means:

• Less reliance on imported feed
• Better use of existing pasture
• A more natural production system
• A farming model that aligns with our sustainability goals

A Heritage Breed Worth Preserving

Every Kunekune raised helps preserve a unique heritage breed with a rich agricultural history.

Supporting heritage livestock helps maintain genetic diversity in agriculture and protects breeds that might otherwise disappear from modern farming systems and ultimately supports food system stability and disease resistance.

When you choose Kunekune pork, you're not just buying pork.

You're supporting:

• Small-scale farming
• Heritage livestock conservation
• Sustainable agriculture
• Responsible land stewardship

Why We Chose Kunekunes

We didn't choose Kunekunes because they were the fastest-growing pigs.

We chose them because they fit our values.

They are gentle to handle, enjoyable to raise, respectful of the land, efficient pasture animals, and they produce exceptionally flavorful pork that we're proud to share with our customers.

Simply put, Kunekunes help us farm the way we believe farming should be done.