Miriam and Jack Neilson are the largest certified organic pork producers in NSW. They run Berkshire pigs on 155 hectares or fertilized river-flat land west of Tenterfield in NSW.
“We applied for the certification on 2004,” Jack said, “and got through in 2007. We actually began farming with cattle, but we wanted to put out a product that was a little bit harder to raise, something that could be easily differentiated - there’s a fair bit of organic beef out there. So we decided to go with pigs, first free-range, then organic. Some free-range pig farmers finish them off in the piggery sheds, ours never see the inside of a shed. The sows are outdoors – the even farrow (produce litters) outdoors on dry grass.”
Pasture Perfect is the only Australian producer making a full range of certified organic pork products including bacon and ham. The Neilson’s spent 6 years researching to find the perfect cure that passes the organic certification standards and are now Certified Level A with The Organic Food Chain.
Miriam and Jack run Berkshire pigs which handle the outdoors and cold weather better than other breeds. The meat is also of the best eating quality…..the meat is darker in colour to normal pork, as the pigs are older when they are butchered, but the meat is softer in texture.
“As our pigs are certified organic and free range, the fats are naturally high in Vitamin D (vitamin D aids the immune system). Fats are usually where chemical compounds are deposited and that makes our fat healthier (as we don’t use any chemical or antibiotics) as well as being higher in balanced omega 3’s and 6’s which help to maintain a balanced level of cholesterol in our blood.”
All the hard work is paying off for the Neilsons as they now have a strong following for their pasture perfect Pork, so much so that you asked us to stock it at Lettuce Deliver.
