Description
Local, All Natural, Non-GMO Pork
If you are interested in providing yourself with a healthy alternative to conventional feedlot pork, then our local, all natural, non-GMO pork program is for you. Ken and Kathryn, at Horse Drawn Produce on Lopez Island, have again agreed to market their premium family-raised hogs through us. The hogs are 1/2 Hampshire and 1/2 Berkshire. Berks are a heritage breed with more marbling in the meat, which helps make the meat tender and easier to cook without drying out. The hogs are fed only certified organic grains, as well as farm-produced veggies and meat. In Washington State farmers are allowed to custom raise animals for customers. Technically speaking, we are raising your animal on our farms, and since you are one of the owners of your own cow, you can legally have the animal slaughtered and butchered and eat it. Your animal is custom-raised and we are unable to buy back your animal or resell it. The law states that the owner of the animal can eat their own meat, essentially, the animal needs to be owned by the person who is ordering it to legally eat the meat. So we custom raise your animal on our pastures and that is what you are asking us to do. Locally raised grass-fed and farm-raised meat is a great alternative to the conventional feedlot model. Unlike the grocery store where sausage comes from a thousand different animals, you are asking us to raise your animal in an environmentally and more humane way. Box of Good is offering you and your family a healthier and kinder option for the animals and the environment.
Program Schedule
- March – We start accepting orders. You reserve your share of pork by paying the deposit. Once you’ve purchased your share, we will email you information for cutting instructions.
- May 15 through July 1st– When your order is ready, you will pick up the meat at two different places. The non-smoked meats will be available at our Packing Facility in Stanwood, and your smoked hams and bacon will be picked up at Silvana Meats. Once we know the final hanging weight of your share, we will contact you and notify you of any remaining balance due to Box of Good.
Cost Breakdown
- Box of Good costs – We charge $9.00/lb. for pork, (slaughter, cut and wrap included) based on the hanging weight. Hanging weight refers to the weight of your share before it is cut and wrapped. This amount is broken up into two payments to Box of Good: 1) the deposit of $450 per 1/2 share to reserve your order and 2) any remaining balance due, which we calculate once we know the final hanging weight of your share. Since the average hanging weight of a 1/2 share of pork is around 100 lbs., an estimate of what you might owe Box of Good is $9.00/lb. x 100 lbs. = $900. This total, minus your $450 deposit, would leave you with a remaining balance of $450 due to Box of Good.
- Meat shop costs – The Silvana Meat costs are separate from what you will pay Box of Good, but the only additional costs to Silvana Meats will be an additional $3.45/lb. for smoking/curing. You will be responsible to pick up your smoked meats directly from them.
- In the end – What you will bring home is on average 73% of the hanging weight of your share. (This percentage can vary wildly depending upon how your share is cut. On complete bone-out hogs you will bring home more like 50% of the hanging weight.) 73% of 100 lbs. equals 73 lbs. of actual cut and wrapped pork per 1/2 share. With all costs considered, your estimated total cost for a 1/2 share of pork (73 lbs. of pork) will be $900 to Box of Good. This, divided by the average 73 lbs. of finished cut and wrapped meat, means that you would have brought home local all natural pork at a cost of only $12.33/lb.
