South Pork Ranch...An Overview

Been getting several emails lately asking about what it is we do here. So to keep the masses happy.

 



Our Farm. From left is the house, the machine shed and our livestock barn.

Our Farm

Located in Central Illinois in Livingston County in charming Chatsworth, Illinois USA, we are surrounded by fields and pastures. We are certified organic by MOSA (our 5th year) and we follow all the organic standards published by the National Organic Program.  The following products are certified organic on our farm: all the land including the 10 acres we own and the 40 acres we rent, our dairy herd, our hog herd and our beef. We either grow our own feed or purchase it from another certified organic farmer.

Our Farm Store

It is located here on our property at 32796 E 750 N Rd. Chatsworth, Illinois. We are south of Chicago 2 hours, north east of Bloomington 1 hour and north of Champaign 1 hour. You can find directions and map to our farm HERE. We are open 10 am until 6pm every day except Sunday when we are closed to the public. Our store generally has the following in it: eggs, flour, corn meal, handmade soaps (by moi) and laundry soap plus lip balms, healing salves, teas, (6 flavors) jams and jellies, pasture raised chicken, organic beef and pork. We only take cash and checks. No plastic. No debit cards.


Our Farm Store

Handcrafted Soaps in the Farm Store
 

Inside the Farm Store

Raw Milk

We sell raw milk (never pasteurized or homogenized) direct to the consumer. Our raw milk comes from 100% grass fed cows, they NEVER get grain, and is sold for $7 a gallon. You must contact us for your first appointment at 815-419-5692. You can bring your own container, or we can sell you an empty half gallon canning jar for $3. Our small herd of 12, is very crossbred, extremely healthy, calm and friendly and out on pasture a minimum of 120 days each year. Milk is immediately cooled in a large stainless steel tank after the girls are milked. Calves are born year round.



Dairy Cows lounging about.

Red Wattle Hogs

We raise the rare Red Wattle heritage hog which used to be on the critically endangered list of the The Livestock Conservancy but due to small farmers like us who continue to expand their Red Wattle herds, the breed is now only "threatened." Our RW boars Mad Max and Wally share 7 RW sows between them with more sows to be added this summer. On average we have 50 RW's (including piglets) on the farm at any one time. You will see our hogs all over the farm in breeding groups, within large farrowing yards, in the barn as little ones are trained to electric fence and of course out on God's green earth as animals should be. We also sell feeder hogs (raise your own meat) for $130 each and Registerable Breeding Hogs (the best of the best) for $325 each. Both are in limited supply and we have waiting lists. Call us at 815-419-5692 or email us at opies99@gmail.com for more information.

Red Wattle mama with newborns

Mad Max our Gentle Giant Red Wattle Boar

Pork Products

We sell our pork direct to the consumer only. It can be purchased by the half or whole carcass for $4.00 pound hanging weight plus processing. We are now taking orders for September 2014 processing. We also sell it by the piece (bacon, chops, sausage, ribs etc...) in our farm store. We will not have more pork in the store until end of June, but after that will have supplies all summer.  For a complete list of prices by the piece , please see our WEBSITE.

Beef

All our beef is 100% grass fed and is available by the quarter, half or whole. Due to livestock losses this past (very harsh) winter our beef supply is sold out until June 2015. Please call in January 2015 for information, or to be placed on the waiting list. We are also sold out of all beef in our farm store until September 2014. For a complete list of beef by the carcass or piece prices please see our WEBSITE. Even the farmers here at South Pork Ranch are without beef and seeking other farmers for our own personal freezer restocking. (No grocery store beef for us!)




Tours

Yes, we can give your group a tour of our farm. They are informal and last approximately 45 minutes but you must call for an appointment first. There is no charge but we will happily accept donations. Other farm animals you will see in addition to our cows, calves, hogs and piglets are: ducks, peacocks, chickens, turkeys, a horse, large livestock dogs, cats, and kittens. Right now we also have many ducklings and baby chicks roaming the farm. We do not have public restrooms and all children under 18 must be accompanied by adults. Please wear old clothes and shoes.

Our Farm Fresh eggs from Free Range Chickens