Free range Pork

Squidvicious

Does anyone know where you can buy free-range pork products locally? I really like sausages, ham, bacon etc. but I was reading recently about how a lot of the supermarket pigs are reared - pretty horrific conditions in many cases and I don't think sausages are worth that.

waterford

why not try run a muc

deisemum

Crowe's products are lovely, Ardkeen Stores sell them.

http://www.crowefarm.ie/about-us/

Squidvicious

Thanks for that - looks like exactly what I'm looking for. I didn't think of looking in Ardkeen stores - I rarely go there any more as it's a good distance away from where I live now. Ardkeen stores is actually one of the things that I miss from when I used to live in that neighbourhood! Might be worth a visit for Crowe's in the future, though:)

deisemum

You can order online plus they've got a map of where their produce is stocked.

DeiseforLiam

O'Neill's (www.oneillsbacon.ie) are excellent and are available in SuperValu.

Squidvicious

DeiseforLiam wrote: »

O'Neill's (www.oneillsbacon.ie) are excellent and are available in SuperValu.

Supervalu would be my regular store at the moment so this would suit. However, on looking at their website, I couldn't see any suggestion that their pork is free-range?

DeiseforLiam

As far as I know, legally the term "free range" only applies to eggs and poultry. Pig farms can say they are but it has no legal basis. Why don't you ask them about their suppliers? They are multi-award winning so I don't think they'd risk their reputation using battery pigs (if such a thing exists in Ireland).

MartyMcFly84

I don't think they'd risk their reputation using battery pigs (if such a thing exists in Ireland.

I would have thought most Pork production in Ireland is battery intensively raised.

Think about how many times you have seen pigs running around in a field in Ireland?

Squidvicious

DeiseforLiam wrote: »

As far as I know, legally the term "free range" only applies to eggs and poultry. Pig farms can say they are but it has no legal basis. Why don't you ask them about their suppliers? They are multi-award winning so I don't think they'd risk their reputation using battery pigs (if such a thing exists in Ireland).

Might just do that! I know that the term "free-range" doesn't apply to pigs, but I'm not sure what is the correct term. What I'm looking for is products from outdoor reared pigs. The Crowe website clearly flags outdoor rearing and responsible farming, whereas O'Neills doesn't. Admittedly, that doesn't mean that O'Neills don't source responsibly farmed bacon. However, while their website says that they look for quality ingredients, it doesn't say anything about how the animals are treated which leads me to believe that their pigs are factory farmed as are the vast majority of pigs in Ireland. As far as I know, you can win awards for your pork products even where the pigs are factory farmed.

cookie.monster

its all the one!!! pigs are all given same feed, hence why back in 2008 the pork crisis all irish pork products recalled due to contanimated pig feed sourced from a supplier near bunclody, what you call "free range" still fell into this category and were recalled also, this also caught out retailers who claimed there products were irish but in fact were dutch sourced

Squidvicious

cookie.monster wrote: »

its all the one!!! pigs are all given same feed, hence why back in 2008 the pork crisis all irish pork products recalled due to contanimated pig feed sourced from a supplier near bunclody, what you call "free range" still fell into this category and were recalled also, this also caught out retailers who claimed there products were irish but in fact were dutch sourced

That may be so, but I'd prefer to eat pigs that are reared in more humane conditions than battery farmed, regardless of what they're given to eat.

taytobreath

dont they all go to the same abitwar out be granny anyway, dawn meats. i suposse they are raised differently but they all get the same bolt to the head and knife to the throat.
But none the less your actions are commendable, fair play

cookie.monster

Squidvicious wrote: »

That may be so, but I'd prefer to eat pigs that are reared in more humane conditions than battery farmed, regardless of what they're given to eat.

good luck with your search

Jelly2

http://www.jackmccarthy.ie/shop/about/free-range-pork/
Highly recommended! We buy in bulk online. The McCarthys are a pleasure to deal with. Also, if you like black and white pudding, you will love the ones they make. And the sausages - gorgeous!

http://www.salterfreerange.com/free-range-pigs
I don't think you can buy from the website, but our local butcher has their meat. It's good.

irish_goat

MartyMcFly84 wrote: »

Think about how many times you have seen pigs running around in a field in Ireland?

Seen a fair few running around at Oxegen back in the day if that counts.

cookie.monster

https://youtu.be/e2b_2-8GYyQ could be a place in wicklow for ya lol

Squidvicious

Thanks for the suggestions. Yours look very good, Jelly2. Not so sure if I'll go for yours, Cookie Monster;)

tonc76

MartyMcFly84 wrote: »

Think about how many times you have seen pigs running around in a field in Ireland?

Templemore on a daily basis