Protocols

This is where the animal lives on pasture all or nearly all of its life. It has access to green grass and sunshine every day. It can get inside out of the rain or sun if it desires.

Raised outside means that the animal is raised where it has ready access to sunshine and fresh air. It doesn't necessarily mean the animal is on pasture. Our pork is raised outside so it can get sunshine and also get inside if it wants to get out of the rain, cold, or hot sun. The pigs get hay and cornstalks so they can eat that if they like, or make nests out of it. The pigs can also get inside out of the rain, cold winds, or hot sun if they like. None of our pigs is given antibiotics or hormones in their feed. Their diet consists of the hay and corn stalks mentioned above plus ground corn and soybeans, vitamins and minerals. 

At North Pasture Farms GrassFed means that animal is raised and finished on grass. The animal may have a little grain to help it get over the weaning process when it is a calf, or some pro-biotic in the form of Apple Cider Vinegar and Molassas during winter. Those two items consist of less than 0.001 of their diet. Other than those two items, they get grass, hay (dried grass) and mother's milk as their their entire life diet.

Free Choice Grain means that the animal has access to grain if it wants some. This is usually done toward harvest-time in order to give the animal a boost in it's growth rate. The animal is still out on pasture grass as its main source of food.