A couple of months ago a colleague told me about a Berkshire Pork farmer who was based in Missouri. It was said that this pork has been sold to some leading Chef’s in the industry; some of those Chef’s being Mario Batali, and Nate Appleman. Normally I don’t go for a product just because it is endorsed by a respected Chef, but this was certainly enough to peak my curiosity. I got the man’s number and left a message. His name was Mark Newman, and he returned my call within 24 hours (always a great sign). We began to talk about pork (particularly his), and what my needs would be. I placed an order and low and behold the man showed up in our kitchen two weeks later with some of the best looking product I ever seen. The Bellies, Loins, and Shoulders, had the deepest red flesh, along with caps of beautiful pork fat. Oh the thoughts of gastronomic debauchery poured in to my head

 

We got to talking and Mark is clearly a man that is passionate about sustainable farming, and his product. When asked if we could come down and join them for the day just to see the farm, and how they do things. We were told that were welcome any time.

 

 So a few weeks ago my Sous Chef Andy and I took a long road trip to a town called Myrtle which is right on the Missouri – Arkansas boarder. The purpose of this trip was to meet up with Mark and Rita Newman of Newman farms, and see first hand what made there Berkshire pork so incredible.

 

What exactly were they doing to produce such a succulent piggy?

 

I found the answer to be complex, while keeping with a consistent theme.

 

After a four hour car ride south and taking in the Missouri country side, we finally arrived to the Farm. We were greeted by Mark’s wife Rita, who told us were to find Mark, and asked if we would stay for lunch. Andy and I, both enthusiastically answered “Yes!”

 

We made our way down to the shed and meet with Mark. As we stood in his shop he showed us some other products that he offers, and talked about trends in the restaurant industry, as well as how some of those trends carry over in to his industry of Pork Production. The “Nose to Tail” movement has become quite prevalent in the restaurant industry as well as “Pork-centric” restaurant concepts. According to Mark the demand for the porterhouse cut of the pork has decreased drastically and when asked what he thought would be the next big part of the pig to sell; he predicted the intestines, to be used for Chitterlings.  I found this to be the most interesting; I love Offal as much as the next cook, but I honestly have not had any great experience with Chitterlings, but clearly Mark has. I guess time will tell on this one.

 

As we headed toward Mark’s car we offered a cold beer to take with us for the tour. Mark explained that seeing as how it was a Sunday afternoon and we were in part of the Bible belt, “we are probably the only three drinking with in a thirty mile radius.”

We hoped in Mark’s Jeep, or as he called “The Ghetto Blaster” and the tour began. As I looked to my left there was a high powered 270 caliber riffle in the front seat. When I asked Mark about the rifle he went on to state that he had a theory about Chefs fascinations with fire arms. I suppose seeing as how I brought the subject up he had a point. However the more that I started to think about it, who doesn’t like the thrill of shooting guns, but I digress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We pulled up to the first of many pens, and when I say pen I mean a large pasture where there are approximately 5 to 6 sows per acre of land. Each Sow has their own hut, and this allows the pigs to be able to roam freely and not be cooped up next to one another on a constant basis. By allowing the pigs to live separate lives the Newman’s are able to drastically reduce the chance of infection and disease from being spread, this in turn eliminates the needs for antibiotics. The hogs are rotated to different plots of land every other year so that the soil and grass can recover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pen was filled with Sows that had just farrowed (had babies). I can’t tell you how much Andy and I smiled and laughed at the sight of the little piglets running around with their mommies. It was very much like watching litter of puppies playing with each other. While in the pasture all of the sows were in the middle of feeding on a mixture of corn and soy, but there was one in particular that hightailed it back to her hut were her young were. As soon as we approached her home she made us aware of her disapproval with a very deep and menacing growl. Mark acted as though this was normal behavior and walked right up to her and did his “Hog Whisperer” thing. I was content to observe them from several feet back. We finally made it to a hut that had a littler of new piglets in it, as soon as we poked our ugly heads in the piglets all huddled up with one another in the corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made our way back to the jeep and went on to another pen. This one was full of sows that were about to reach market weight. As soon as we entered the pen we peaked the pigs curiosity, I would swear that they were just as interested in observing us as were them. As we stood there they started to crowd around us and pose for some great photos and one of them came up and gave me a kiss on the back of my left calf. When I took a look there was a smudged mud print of a pig snout. When we looked at Mark he told us that pigs are indeed very curious by nature, and that is why they can be so dangerous. He later went on to describe the tusks that are on the boars and how when they open and close their mouths they are constantly sharpening them. I joked with Mark that we had made our whereabouts known to our friends and family. All joking aside Hog Farming is serious business and not to be taken lightly. I could not help but think about the way that Mason Verger (played by the very talented Gary Oldman) met his end in the movie Hannibal. Or even the part in Snatch where Brick Top (Alan Ford) explains the expression “Greedy as a Pig”. The sad fact is that serious injuries have occurred to people while feeding Pigs, and when doing so one should not do it alone. If you were to be injured and fall in the middle of a pig pen the pigs would end up eating you not necessarily because they are hungry but because of their curiosity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Humans we may in fact be on top of the food chain, however this was a great reminder for me that God did put creatures on Earth that are more than capable of eating Humans. Maybe this is what the Elton John Song “Circle of Life” is really about.

Maybe this is why we love pork so much? Think about it when you walk around Cows or Chickens do you think Oh no, I could potentially be eaten. NO, you don’t, but walk in to a pen with 50 pigs, and well it actually could happen. So my disclaimer for this piece is simple. Do not under any circumstances go into a pig pen alone and unsupervised, if you do go in make sure that you are with a pork guru like Mark Newman. As I said earlier he is the “Hog Whisperer” so needless to say we were in great hands and felt very safe, and comfortable.

 

 

Going back to the feed, as I said earlier Mark and Rita feed the pigs a mixture of corn and soy. The pigs are feed only 4% of their body weight 3 times a week. This allows the pigs to be conditioned to get their fill without becoming horribly greedy. The boss sows will eat their share and then walk away allowing the smaller sows a chance at the leftovers, thus giving them the opportunity to reach their potential weight. The pigs are also allowed to eat clover and alfalfa from the pasture but pigs won’t try live on a grass diet by nature. When asked about the term “Grass fed Pork” Mark just laughed, and basically called Bull Shit on the term. At this point I was willing to take Mark’s word on Hog Farming to be gospel. The man was a well of agricultural knowledge that left my head spinning for days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point we were off to take a look at some of the boars. After getting a look at one, I am glad we did not get in the pen with him. This was quite possibly the largest pig that I have ever seen. He looked like you could strap a saddle on him and ride off to war, and this boar clearly had the balls for a task like that. This was with out a doubt the Incredible Hulk of Boars. When I got a closer look at his face he seemed to be frothing at the mouth, it was explained that this boar could smell the boar that was in the pen across the way, and that frothing at the mouth was a sign that he was defending his territory. The hogs made me think of other groups with in the animal kingdom  Lions, and Hippos to name a couple, you have one male, and then females, and there are usually 2 boss females and 2 runt sows that tend to be picked on, there is an entire structure of hierarchy with in the group.

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

As we were out of beer we decided to head on back to the shed to grab the last three, we then went to look at…. That’s right, you guessed it more pigs! As we sat there watching them we sat in the Car and discussed different markets that the Newman’s sell in. We got on the topic of Memphis, TN. I asked Mark how many restaurants he as distributing to there and he came up with about 40. I already had an idea of how many he was selling to in St. Louis, MO., but I had to ask the number a whopping 5 (how embarrassing). I know that they love their pork in Memphis, but I would like to think that there are just as many swine lovers in St. Louis. Clearly the numbers are not reflecting that for the Newman’s, and I wish that I could buy more regularly. The Newman’s are in fact able to distribute to other large markets, and are carried by Heritage foods, but Mark does make personal deliveries to clients with in a reasonable driving distance every other week. We swapped stories and once again spoke about trends in the industry, and let me tell you Mark has some mind blowing stories that will either drop your jaw, or make you erupt with laughter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then made our way back to their cabin and got ready for lunch. Rita was certainly busy, she put on a great spread of roasted potatoes, and killer relish tray that my father would go nuts for, a nice green salad, and for the entrée Bone in Pork Chops that were about 2 inches thick, and had that beautiful fat cap on the outside. I was able to do the honors and grill them on their Webber kettle. The whole time I thought to myself “Nick, don’t F*#& up, please don’t F&*# up!” I just saw some of the happiest pigs that I have ever seen and it would have been sacrilegious to ruin these pristine chops. We sat down and ate, and oh my. I think this was probably the greatest al fresco lunch of my life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we finished our meal Rita treated us with home made strawberry pie. I asked right then “Can I come live down here?” this was truly a Piece of HOG HEAVEN!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While sitting on the Newman’s porch over looking their farm it hit me. Yes their farming practices are well thought out and complex. There is clearly a scholarly method to the madness, but the constant theme that was there the entire time was LOVE! Mark and Rita clearly love what they do, and it shows in every product that is bought from them, and their gracious hospitality that is offered to us, the big name Chef’s who have visited them, or any customer. Mark quoted on of his son’s saying “Dad, you are a pimple on a gnat’s ass in the pork industry.” Well thank God for that pimple. Yes they are boutique farmers, and no their ways of farming could not sustain the entire food supply, but that is not the point. The point is that when you want to have a closer connection and understanding to what you are producing and consuming, there truly is only on way. They would say that “they think it is the right way of doing it.” After seeing it first hand I have to agree whole heartedly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we sat there and shot the shit I continued to think how content and happy I was at this particular moment. A thought was voiced out loud “I wish I could stay here all day.” Rita simply replied with “You’re more than welcome to.”  Alas there would be no sleep over this evening that will have to wait for another time. I went down there as a curious customer, and left feeling a part of one big pork loving family. Rest assured that I will return to the little paradise in the Ozarks that is Newman Farm!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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