Fresh off the Farm - Snug Valley Pastured Pork

According to Prohibition Pig's Chef Michael Werneke, Ben Nottermann at Snug Valley Farm in East Hardwick is raising the best tasting pork around, that's why he buys a pig a week for the restaurant smoker. Ben takes great pride in his pig rearing, and during the interview I could hear their friendly oinks in the background.

What is Ben excited about?
Ramping up his pig production while maintaining family farm quality.

Ben's 125 pigs are raised with the utmost care. In the summer, 15-20 grouped pigs are free to roam 1/2 acre sections of pasture and are rotated as soon as they've had their share of the grass. Ben built 6 moveable pens to follow the pigs and provide cozy shelter. In the winter, the pigs have a brand new, roomy barn with deep packed, first cut hay to burrow and snuggle (well, it's more of a pig pile). Ben jokes about the pig's "luxurious winter diet" featuring veggie seconds from Deep Root Organics and bread leftovers from Hardwick's Patchwork Bakery. The finished product is a succulent pork that has made consistent customers of restaurant and food co-ops, as well as consistently selling out at five Farmer's Markets.