There's nothing like the sight of a happy hog enjoying rich pasture and the great outdoors. We buy our organic feeder pigs from a family farm in NW Iowa. From the moment the pigs reach our farm, they live outside in the field and eat organic perennial pasture so that they benefit from a diverse diet of greens, roots, acorns, as well as supplemental organic feed. The pasture has been managed organically since 2016, and our pasture was certified organic in Summer 2019, livestock in 2021. In addition to pasture the pigs are fed local certified organic feed. Absolutely no chemicals have been used on our farm.
Buying a Whole, Half, or Quarter Pig
We sell our pigs by the whole, half, or quarter animal. The benefits of buying a whole or half hog are that you get to choose what cuts you would like from the butcher, and you pay a discounted price relative to purchasing by the cut. A quarter pig still gets you a discount, but you don't get to choose your cuts. Here is how the process works:
1. You sign up for a whole, half, or quarter hog using our Order Form. It is a $50 deposit to reserve a half hog and $100 to reserve a whole hog. A $25 deposit for a quarter. We will invoice you for the deposit, you may pay online, venmo or send a check.
2. We contact you to confirm. This year our pigs will be butchered mid-October and will be ready late October or early-November.
3. The butcher will call you to go over what cuts you want. I am happy to work with customers to put together your cut sheet for the butcher. For customers purchasing a quarter, you will receive standard pre-selected cuts. Here's what I recommend: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BlfaxqeKG94YV8sol6mZtigrBZThn_9H/view?usp=sharing)
4. Okoboji Organics delivers the pig to the butcher. We will pick up the pork from the butcher boxed for each customer & set up a pick up time at the farm. You can chose to pick up your pork from the butcher in Hudson, SD directly --please let us know if you would like this option. You will pay for the pork and butcher fees when we deliver your pork.
5. Price is based on hanging weight: Whole pigs= $4/lb, Half pigs= $4.25/lb, Quarter pigs= $4.50/lb. Butcher fees are an additional cost and run about $1.00/lb, and about $1.85-$2.50/lb for specialty processing like sausage links, cured bacon, ham, etc.
How Much Is a Whole, Half, or Quarter Pig?
The hanging weight for one of our pigs is usually between 180 and 230 pounds. The weight of the pork you take home is usually 100-150 pounds for a whole pig, 50-80 pounds for a half pig, or 25-40 for a quarter. The actual weights vary a fair amount from animal to animal, and also depend on how you have your pig butchered, but here is a breakdown of the cost for a typical pig of 200 pounds hanging weight:
WHOLE PIG
Hanging Weight: 200 lbs
Cost: $4/lb
Total Due to Okoboji Pastures: $800
Butcher Fees: $199
Total Cost: $999
Take-Home Weight: 145 lbs (average price per pound: $6.88)
HALF PIG
Hanging Weight: 100 lbs
Cost: $4.25/lb
Total Due to Okoboji Pastures: $425
Butcher Fees: $100
Total Cost: $525
Take-Home Weight: 75 lbs (average price per pound: $7.00)
QUARTER PIG
Hanging Weight: 50 lbs
Cost: $4.50/lb
Total Due to Okoboji Pastures: $225
Butcher Fees: $50
Total Cost: $275
Take-Home Weight: 37 lbs (average price per pound: $7.43)
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A HALF PIG:
Includes approximately: 15-20 chops, 4 packages sirloin steaks, 8-15 pounds ground pork or sausage, 1 hams (or have it sliced into deli ham), 8-10 pounds bacon, 4 shoulder roasts, (or 2 roasts and 4-6 country style ribs), tenderloin roast (or can be kept on chops), rack of ribs, 2 packages hocks, 2-3 packages lard.
We will be in contact with you to go over details and availability before the order is completed. If you have questions about your order, you can contact us at
okobojiorganics@gmail.com or call Kate Mendenhall, Owner/Operator of Okoboji Organics at 585-944-2503.
How Much Freezer Space Do I Need?
Plan on one cubic food of freezer space for every 15-20 pounds of meat (about the size of the interior of a milk crate). For a whole pig, you will need 5-6 cu. feet. You can also rent freezer space at Forbes Meat & Liquor Locker in Spirit Lake. This is how everyone bought and stored local meat a generation ago. Lockers are $10/mo. Share with a friend!
Thank you for your business and for supporting local sustainable farms!
