I am very excited to be speaking on FOX COX 1400AM WSTC/ 1350 WNLK and Phoenix, AZ KFNX on Thursday, July 9th at 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET. I will be interviewed by Ginger Leilani Chapin for the “Conscious Lifestyles” show, where we will be talking about the 12 most contaminated foods, and what foods you should always buy organic.

A recent appearance included an interview with Ella Speakes of KTLR Radio in Oklahoma City, where we spoke of the Feminine Face of Agriculture, Monocultures, Pesticide use and more. http://www.ellaspeakes.com .  I was also interviewed by Toni Reece for the “Get Inspired” Baby Boomer Project where I was able to talk about inspiration and how I apply it to my life. www.getinspiredprojectboomers.com

Lastly, I am honored to be a spokesperson for sustainable and organic farms. I look forward to many events in the future. For booking information, please click on the “Book Arie” link above.

Hope to see you soon!

Our Women in Agriculture certification program is currently in development. Through cooperation with various sustainable agriculture organizations and learning institutions, we are developing a program to help women enter the agriculture arena.

This program is designed to help women acquire the skills necessary to operate their own small scale farming venture, develop a solid business plan, secure funds needed to acquire their farm and hands on experience in raising animals, vegetables & flowers.

Additional components of the program include:

• Creating Value Added products (such as soap, cured & pickled products, dried flowers, etc.)
• Determining skills already possessed and those needed in order to run a viable farming operation
• Basic animal husbandry skills
• Basic Equipment Maintenance and Repair
• Developing a niche product
• Marketing your niche product
• Evaluating resources to determine what sort of operation to create
• Determining basic needs to run intended operation (equipment, animals, seed, etc.)
• Finding resources and funding to start and run an operation
• Connecting with experienced farmers for internships, and possible partnerships
• Developing a business plan, preparing budgets, on farm accounting requirements, legal and financial considerations
• Much, Much More!

Please check back to see our progress with this exciting, new project. We are very enthusiastic about helping women future farmers get off to a good start with their farming adventure!

A Farm Vacation is a working vacation that affords individuals, couples and families the opportunity to work and participate in a farm operation.

At Maveric, you will be able to participate in daily chores, visit with the pigs and chickens, collect eggs, feed horses and a variety of other farm chores. Fishing on the Big Sioux is w 5 minute walk away.

It is a learning, working environment with a relaxed atmosphere.

Space is limited, so please call ahead for availability.

Price depends on season, $35-$55 per night, $10 for each additional person. Breakfast and lunch included.

Work days at the ranch are always an adventure! We welcome all helping hands, as the farmer’s job is never done. Guests are welcome to come and get dirty, feed some animals, help with farm chores, work the garden and a host of other activities depending on the season. Work Day volunteers will be fed a well deserved lunch of farm raised food and enjoy the company of people committed to keeping sustainable farms alive.

We also offer an apprenticeship program at Maveric. This program is long term (up to one year). Apprentices will be trained in all aspects of swine production, rare breed preservation and sustainable farming methods with the intent to take the apprentice on as an employee or partner in the future, or to establish them to be able to own their own farm. Apprentices will receive the same benefits as an intern, plus stipend increases every 3 months. Please contact us for more specific information.

Additional Information for Intern and Apprentice Applicants:

General Information about our Program:

Maveric Heritage Ranch Co. was established to promote & preserve endangered breeds of livestock. We accomplish this through diligent breeding programs including genetic mapping and research, production & marketing. Our specialty is endangered hog breeds, and we currently raise Mulefoot, Guinea, Ossabaw Island & Wessex Saddlebacks. This is an ever changing, ever growing ranch, and we are constantly evaluating new & better ways to produce healthy livestock, foods and lifestyles, and enhance the beauty of our environment.

General Internship/Apprenticeship Information:

** Smokers, tobacco, heavy drinkers or recreational drug users not accepted.

Internships run: Year ‘Round
Minimum Length Stay: 3 Months after 1 week trial period
Contact Preference: email

Work/Experience Desired:
Since the intent of the internship is to pass along knowledge, we do not have specific experience requirements. We do give preference to those with a farming/agriculture background or those pursuing that career/lifestyle.

Applicants must be highly motivated, independent workers in good physical condition (able to lift 50lbs.), have a sincere desire to learn about sustainable farming & endangered livestock breeds. This is a hands on internship-you will get dirty every day! Daily physical work is challenging and required. Livestock handling & feeding & general farm upkeep will be part of the daily routine.

Add’l desirable traits: fluency in English, valid driver’s license.

** All interns will be required to understand & sign a confidentiality agreement to protect the proprietary methods used at Maveric.

Education Opportunity:
You will be provided with learning opportunities in Animal Husbandry including feed formulation, breeding plans, & stress-free livestock handling, genetics, Organic Meat Production, Green/Alternative Building Construction, Food Plot Production, Marketing, Business Management, homesteading, food prep & preservation, product development, general farm maintenance & a whole lot more.

Housing:
Private bedroom in shared farm house & guest cottage, private or shared bath depending on number of interns on site, shared living room, kitchen, laundry facilities.

Meals:
Community lunch & evening supper, most groceries provided for self made breakfast. Help with meal prep & cleanup greatly encouraged!

A pre-screening interview is necessary to see if an internship agreement should be pursued. Please contact us to schedule a phone interview before attempting to fill out the internship application.

If you would like to interview on site at Maveric, you would be most welcome. Again, contact us to get on the schedule.

To fill out an application, click here.

Maveric Heritage Ranch Co. owns the largest herd of American Mulefoot hogs in existence and we have started over 50 breeders with Mulefoot stock.

All our pigs are registered with:
The American Mulefoot Hog Association & Registry

Mulefoots are classified as “Critical” by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy & are the rarest American pig breed. There are about 300 purebred, registered Mulefoots, all with pedigrees tracing back to the RM Holliday herd.

Mulefoots from Maveric can be seen around the country at many breed preservation facilities, public zoos and sustainable farms. See our How to Buy Livestock page for available stock and start raising this truly American breed today.

Mulefoot Description from the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy:

The most distinctive feature of the American Mulefoot hog is the solid hoof, which resembles that of a mule or horse. Pigs with solid hooves (a physical characteristic called syndactylism) have attracted the interest of many writers over the centuries, including Aristotle and Darwin. The American Mulefoot is the only syndactyl breed with a documented history & breed standard. Mulefoots are solid black with occasional white points (feet or nose), medium flop ears & a soft body coat. They are typically docile, friendly & exceptionally intelligent animals.

In the early 1900′s, Mulefoots were considered premium “ham-hogs”, and were fed to great weights before slaughter. A typical Mulefoot today will reach 400-600 pounds by age 2.

A Brief History of Mulefoots:

A remnant population of the American Mulefoot has been owned by R.M. Holiday of Louisiana, Missouri, for nearly forty years. He remembers from boyhood that his family and others raised these hogs by putting them on islands in the Missouri and Mississippi rivers to forage during the summer and then rounding them up in the fall for slaughter. This practice was terminated by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950′s.

In 1964 Mr. Holiday gathered together stock from all the known breeders and established his herd. During 1976 he swapped animals with a breeder in North Dakota, which introduced some undesirable traits such as prick ears, wattles and split hooves.

Nevertheless, Holliday’s strong and consistent production selection has maintained a generally uniform and characteristic herd. After his experience with this “exotic” animal dealer he sold no more stock except those contracted for slaughter.

During these years, the Mulefoot registries folded and all known copies of the herd books were lost.

About Maveric Mulefoots:

In 2001, we added Mulefoot hogs to our ranch. From the moment the piglets set hoof on our ranch, they were handled, spoiled and looked upon with awe. These pigs were different than the market hogs we’d raised, and not just in their appearance. The mulefoots were docile, easy to manage, and very entertaining. They didn’t get sunburned, enjoyed grazing and were gentle enough to hand feed. Our core group of pigs grew rapidly, and the following spring, they were mature enough for breeding.

The first litter of piglets born on our ranch were met with nervous anticipation. We’d read everything we could find about farrowing. But, when the time came, we did little more than ooh & ahh. The mulefoot mothers gave birth with ease, & the hardy piglets were nursing within minutes. At about 2 days old, the little ones were crawling out of the nest & exploring their pen.

The piglets grew rapidly, and each developed a distinct personality. We were so enamored with them, we decided to seek out more breeding stock & increase our herd. The following winter, we added six more females from two different breeders.

At that point, all our stock was 2nd & 3rd generation Holliday, and came from breeders who had started with pigs from the RM Holliday herd. I’ll admit, I was a bit jealous of the folks who had been to the Holliday farms and started with Foundation stock. In the late 1980′s, the RM Holliday herd of Mulefoots was the last documented herd known to exist. This herd has become the Foundation stock for all registered Mulefoot hogs. I had been told that no more pigs were available from Mr. Holliday. Still, I thought I’d take a chance, write RM Holliday a letter to tell him about our Mulefoots.

I’d heard many a tale of Mr. Holliday, including how he disliked people from the parks and conservation groups. Some people told of how they’d tried to buy stock from him for years, to no avail. Yet others told of his sense of humor, friendliness, & how he loved to reminisce about his 40+ years raising Mulefoot hogs. I sent my letter and hoped. To my surprise and delight, I received a call from RM Holliday a few days later. We had many more phone conversations over the next few months, and became fast friends. I made plans for us to visit his farm in Missouri. Mr. Holliday also agreed to sell me a couple of gilts. I was thrilled with the opportunity to meet the Legend and to obtain Foundation stock of my own.

It was well below zero degrees when we arrived at the RM Holliday home in February 2006. We chatted about the pigs we already had, and shared pictures. Mr. Holliday told me the familiar stories of his grandfather, and the pigs being raised on islands in the Missouri River. He talked about his other two farms, his daughter and deceased wife. He made mention of the fact that he would be turning 89 years old in June. We took lots of pictures. Then we made a makeshift alleyway to round up the pigs and sort off the ones we were taking home. Mr. Holliday let me choose any and all I wanted. I was very pleased to head home with 8 gilts, 1 sow, 1 boar and two bonus piglets. In essence, we’d just doubled our Mulefoot hog herd.

Shortly after returning home, I sent Mr. Holliday a thank you letter and some of the pictures we had taken. He was deeply touched by this gesture, and said as much the next time we talked. I told him that if he ever decided to “officially” retire, we’d be interested in the rest of the hogs. He must have already been thinking about it, because he told me to come and get them! In April ’06, we made a second trip from South Dakota to eastern Missouri to purchase the remaining Holliday herd.

While there, we had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Holliday for several hours, and he told us many more stories of his childhood, hogs, neighbors and more. He was deeply concerned for the welfare of the Mulefoots, and their continued survival. When it came time for us to load up and leave, he handed me his notebook. This worn and tattered notebook was precious to Mr. Holliday, as it contained original registration paperwork for the first Mulefoot hogs he owned, details of the pigs he had sold, pictures and correspondence dating back to 1961. This notebook was a treasure trove of Mulefoot information, and a peek into the world of a man who felt deeply committed to raising this breed for more than 40 years. I was honored by the gift.

We truly enjoy raising Mulefoot hogs. Raising them can be challenging and a lot of hard work. But, every piglet that becomes an adult, and later produces offspring, enhances the gene pool, and adds to the assurance that the Mulefoot breed will survive. Proper nutrition, living conditions, planned matings & human interactions are part of the daily routine at our ranch.

Mulefoots are a very serviceable animal. Raised on pasture, alfalfa and minimal grain supplementation, the Mulefoots are a low input livestock. In the early 1900′s, several farm publications, school books and farm animal judging booklets gave detailed breed standards for the Mulefoot, and referred to them as a Premium Ham hog. These quality hogs commanded a 10-20% mark-up over the current hog market prices. Mulefoots do grow slightly slower than commercial hogs, but it is well worth the wait. The pork has time to mature into flavorful, rich and nutritious meat. Featured and revered on the Slow Foods Ark, the meat from the Mulefoot hog is increasing in popularity with chefs and connoisseurs of fine food.

We are working diligently to educate the public about these great animals, and tell all we meet about the importance of saving Heritage Breeds of livestock. Touting an end use for these rare breeds, ie: meat, milk, eggs, companions, etc., will hopefully encourage people to raise them. Heritage breeds are not only a vital part of our history, and deserve to be saved on that merit alone, but they offer a genetic diversity that may be invaluable in saving animals and humans in the future. Although the Mulefoot is still considered critically rare, there is hope for it’s future. Today there are over 300 purebred Mulefoot hogs registered with the American Mulefoot Hog Assoc. Granted, 300 pigs is not a population explosion, but it does show that the integrity and commitment of the Mulefoot breeders is having an impact on the overall global outlook.

In 2006, we contracted with two State Universities to obtain DNA samples of the Mulefoot hogs. We felt that the testing would help us to identify family groups in the pigs, and to determine which of the six original bloodlines were still in existence. Additionally, the DNA results will allow us to track certain characteristics of the Mulefoots, look at the heritability of these traits, and allow us to plan matings with the most genetic diversity. We also collected hair samples for DNA research for a project coordinated by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC). This study will hopefully determine the origin of the Mulefoot hog, a part of Mulefoot history that is still unclear.

All foundation breeding stock at Maveric Heritage Ranch Co. is now DNA tested. Each animal can be traced back to its original bloodline. Aside from determining parentage, the DNA results offer us a look at a breed that has been largely left in its primitive state. Purebred Mulefoots of today look nearly identical to the ones raised 100 years ago. Their hardiness and disease resistance are of great interest to other hog breeders. Our commitment to the conservation of this breed is getting a little help from science, and we are most grateful.

We are not much younger in age than RM Holliday was when he started raising Mulefoot hogs. Our personal history with this breed is just beginning. If you are considering adding hogs to your farm, homestead or ranch, we would encourage you to consider Mulefoots. Lets contribute to the conservation of the Mulefoot Hog and make history together!

We typically have mulefoot piglets available from unrelated bloodlines. Sows, bred sows, gilts and adult boars are available occasionally. If you are interested in starting your own herd of this exciting breed, raising a mulefoot for freezer pork or would like a large and loving pet, please visit our How to Buy Livestock page.

We have been working diligently with our Guinea Hog Herd and have had amazing results. We have increased our herd and now have breeding stock gilts and sows available. We have great diversity including the small and large bones body type, and several with the curly hair gene.

Our lines include Sedgwick, Setty, Hale, Celesky, Biggers, Watkins, Reed, Brown, Keene & Sumrall.

We also have several Guinea Hogs who possess the rare “Blue” color gene.

If you are interested in raising Guinea Hogs or want to increase your existing herd, please contact us.

About Maveric Guinea Hogs:

The Guinea hogs at Maveric are in integral part of farm. We started with 2 males (George & Bullwinkle) and 4 very pregnant females (Chunky2, Patty, Penny & Esmeralda).

From those 6 pigs, we added 2 more males (Peter & Carlos) and 1 female (Petunia) from the Hesters herd (Indiana). These pigs represented the last of the Hale line of Guineas.

We then added several pigs from the Sedgwick zoo and our herd numbers really grew.

We were fortunate enough to meet some incredible farmers in southern Mississippi, who directed us to two families who had been raising guinea hogs for several generations.

We were able to add three guineas from the Sumrall family to our program. These three guineas (all females) represented the remaining pigs from the Sumrall family. The Sumralls had a history of raising guineas going back 5 generations. Since these guineas had not been mixed with any outside pigs in many years, they retained their original primitive features, such as shaggy ears, semi turned up snouts, very short stature and broad hips and shoulders.

At the same time, we were introduced to the Brown family. The Browns had been raising guinea hogs since the 1980’s, when they started with a group of guinea hogs from the Keene herd in Georgia. The remarkable part of this herd is that the Keene/Brown guineas retained the “Blue” color gene.

The blue guinea was reported to have been extinct as early as 1950. The old texts report of guineas having a hair coat of red, blue or black, but the blue gene was thought to be lost. We were delighted to meet the Browns and to be offered their blue guinea boar. After a midnight wrestling match, some cuts and bruises, we had him loaded onto out trailer for the ride back to South Dakota.

We also added four pigs from the Setty line via the Shaws.

We have been breeding, cataloguing, documenting and enjoying our guinea hogs for many years now. All of our original pigs listed above have been DNA tested.

We have focused our breeding program on the propagation of the lines that are most critically diminished (Hale, Sumrall, Keene) and also with an eye for revitalizing the blue color gene.

In addition to breeding and gene preservation, Maveric has heavily promoted the Guinea hog as a premium choice for pork. Maveric nominated the Guinea hog to the Slow Food Ark of Taste, where it was readily accepted for it’s outstanding flavor, sustainable husbandry methods and important agricultural heritage.

We have entered the Guinea hog in many tasting events and won. Maveric Guinea hogs are featured on several menus in fine restaurants across the American south.

The Guinea produces a small carcass, but it well worth the effort. A typical guinea pork chop is the same size as a lamb chop (roughly). The flavor is complex, tender and delicious. Guineas produce a ham with a substantial fat rind, that is ideally suited to long curing or slow roasting.

We have several Guinea females available that would be ideally suited to meat production, increasing herd size and as companion animals. Email is for more information and a list of available animals.

From The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy:

The American Guinea Hog is a small, black breed of swine that is unique to the United States. Also known as the Pineywoods Guinea and Guinea Forest Hog, the breed was popular for a long period of time in America, but today is nearly extinct. Hogs were imported from West Africa to America in conjunction with the slave trade. The imports were documented as early as 1804 by Thomas Jefferson and other Virginia farmers. These large, square animals were called Red Guineas, because they had red or sandy colored hair. Red Guineas were common throughout the mid-Atlantic region during the 1800′s. The breed disappeared as a distinct population, however, in the 1880′s, when most of the red breeds and types of hogs in the eastern United States were combined to form the Jersey-Duroc breed.

The name Guinea occurs again a few decades later in the South-eastern US, though describing a different animal entirely-a small, black hog common on homesteads across the region. Guinea hogs were expected to forage for their own food, eat rodents and other small animals, grass, roots and nuts, and clean out garden beds. The hogs were also kept in the yard where they would eat snakes, and thus create a safe zone around the house.

These guineas were hardy and efficient, gaining well on the roughest of forage, and producing the hams, bacon and lard essential for subsistence farming.

Guinea hogs were widespread, and descriptions of them varied. Generally, hogs were small, weighing 100-300 pounds, and black or bluish black in color. They had upright ears, a hairy coat and curly tail. Beyond this, conformation varies, as hogs could have short or long snouts, and be “big boned”, “medium boned”, or “fine boned”. It is likely that many strains of Guinea hogs existed. Since most of these are extinct, it is now impossible to weave together all the threads of the guinea hog history into a single neat piece.

The guinea hog became rare in recent decades as the habitat of the homestead hog disappeared, and it survived only in the most isolated parts of the Southeast. During the 1980′s, new herds of guinea hogs were established, partly in response to the pet pig market.

Several mysteries confuse the breed’s history. The relationship between the historic Red Guinea and the Guinea Hog may be simply the common use of the term “Guinea” to refer to an African origin. “Guinea” may also refer to the small size of the hogs, somewhat akin to the description of miniature Florida Cracker and Pineywoods cattle as “guinea cows”. The guinea hog may or may not be related to the Essex, a small black English breed that was imported into the US around 1820, and used in the development of the Hampshire. Essex hogs were found in the Southeast around 1900, though the breed’s history is obscure. Guinea Essex were used in research at Texas A&M University in the 1960′s, though there is little information available about those hogs.

Though the guinea hog would greatly benefit from additional research and description, it is clear that the breed is genetically distinct from improve breeds of hogs and merits conservation. Like other traditional lard-type breeds however, the guinea hog faces great obstacles to it’s conservation. These hogs do not produce a conventional market carcass, since they are smaller and more fatty than is commonly preferred today. Guinea hogs are, however, appropriate for use in diversified, sustainable agriculture. They would be an excellent choice where there is need for services of a hog -such as grazing, rooting, tilling compost and garden soil, and pest control-and also the desire for a small breed. Under such husbandry, Guinea hogs would thrive.

We offer several shipping methods to get the pigs to their new farms.

If you are buying piglets, you can ship the piglets via Northwest or Delta Airlines from Sioux Falls to your nearest airport. We have had good luck shipping with both of these airlines. You must keep in mind that the airlines are governed by the USDA rules, and we must adhere to all these rules when using this method of shipment. Some of these rules that may impact your shipment include the temperature (cannot be below 30 degrees or above 70 degrees on either end of the trip), any missed flights resulting in an overnight layover may incur additional expenses, and we are only allowed two (2) crates per flight.

If you ship via air, you will have to purchase the crates (roughly $65 each) and these crates will belong to you. If you already own crates and wish to use them, you can ship your crates to us one week ahead of your shipping date.

You can get a quote from the airlines to better determine costs and feasibility of shipping via air. You will need the following information:

Crate size “large”

Weight including crate 90#

Origination: Sioux Falls, SD

Destination: Your Airport

Northwest phone (800) 692-2746

Delta phone (888) 736-3738

**Shipping via airline is COD. You pay at the airport when you pick up the pigs. Please be prepared to pay cash, as several of the baggage claims do not have credit card processing ability.

These haulers charge from $2.50 to $4.00 per loaded mile. The price is highly varied depending on whether or not the trailer is full, how many pigs are on the transport, and whether or not the hauler has animals to haul on the return run.

We do everything we can to coordinate hauls so that the trailer is full and the cost per pig is as minimal as possible. As a rough estimate, we have shipped pigs this way for $80 to $200 per pig depending on all the conditions listed above. You can look on MapQuest or Google Maps and get an estimate on the mileage from Trent, SD to your town.

Both of these haulers are VERY good with animals and we have had great success in transporting pigs this way.

** Shipping via ground carriers must be PREPAID. We pay the carrier at the time of pickup at our ranch. Shipping fees must be received by us prior to sending the pigs.

We encourage people to come to the ranch and pick up their pigs. If you would like to make a visit and get your pigs, please let us know and we will coordinate the dates with you.

About Maveric Ossabaw Island Hogs:

We came to owning Ossabaws through the Hildebrandts and other breeders in Wisconsin. We had heard of the difficulties in working with Ossabaws, their temperament and lack of meat (due to their rangy physique and small size).

We were concerned about the viability of the Ossabaws and that their numbers were continuing to diminish. Restrictions that would not allow any importations of pigs from the island, coupled with the small carcass weights did not give many farmers incentive to raise these pigs, and there were few available to those who were interested.

We soon discovered that the University of Missouri still had several Ossabaws from an early importation, and we were able to purchase additional animals through their program. Additionally, Purdue has a large herd of Ossabaws, being used for research in the medical field. For a few years, we hosted a herd of Ossabaws from Purdue at our farm, to serve as a backup herd and to protect the health and biosecurity of the breed.

The Ossabaws received a boon after the publication of Peter Kaminsky’s wonderful book, “Pig Perfect: Encounters with Remarkable Swine and Some Great Ways to Cook Them”. Kaminsky applauded the wonderful flavor or the Ossabaw and it’s rich Spanish history.

Today, we maintain a very small herd of Ossabaws. We supply individual animals to breed preservation and reenactment parks as well as zoos.

Our Ossabaws are typical in disposition, a little high strung and ultra protective as mothers. The piglets are tenacious and curious, venturing outside their pens within a few days of birth. Tame is a relative word when it comes to Ossabaws. The males seem to take better to human interaction, and even appreciate it, while the females remain stand-offish even after years of interaction.

Our Ossabaws represent the full color spectrum, black, black and white belted, spotted, red, and fringed. Many of the piglets are born with primitive marking (stripes) that fade as they mature into weanlings.

If you would like to add Ossabaw Island Hogs to your farm, please email us for more information and availability.

From The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy:

The hogs of Ossabaw Island, off the coast of Georgia, are descendants of Spanish pigs brought to the New World over 400 years ago. They were small range pigs with prick ears, heavy coats and long snouts. Over time, some of the Spanish pigs escaped and became feral in southeastern forests. While most feral pigs eventually mixed with domestic pigs, the Ossabaw Island animals are an exception, having remained a distinct and isolated population. Thus they reflect their Spanish heritage more closely.

As the pigs adapted to Ossabaw Island, they became yet smaller, a process called “insular dwarfism.” They also had to adapt to the food cycle on the island, which provides little to eat during the spring season. As an adjustment, the Ossabaw Island hogs developed a unique biochemical system of fat metabolism, enabling them to store a larger proportion of fat than any other hog. In conjunction with this, they have a form of low-grade, non-insulin depend diabetes, making them excellent medical research animals. They have been studied for over a decade at the University of Georgia and other institutions.

The unique qualities of the Ossabaw Island hogs do not limit their uses for traditional production. Although in the wild they are smaller than other pigs, with pregnant sows weighting less than 100 pounds, Ossabaws grow much larger in captivity. Colors include black, spotted black and white, red and tan.

It is currently not possible to import animals directly from Ossabaw Island due to quarantine restrictions. Small breeding groups of Ossabaw Island hogs, descendants of animals brought from the island during the 1970′s, can be found on the mainland. Offspring of these animals are available from time to time from individual breeders.

The Ossabaw Island hog population is classified as Critical by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. The ALBC estimates there are fewer than 200 available in mainland breeding programs, although many more animals can still be found on the island itself.

About Maveric Wessex Saddleback Hogs:

We came to owning Wessex through the only remaining American breeder, Ruth Campbell. Our herd consists of two males and 8 females at this time.

The Wessex we have are all aged, and low producing. Over the past 5 years, we have developed relationships with breeders in Australia, New Zealand and the UK to further promote the Wessex breed. The true Wessex is considered extinct, and the American and Australian animals are the only purebred animals left in existence. (See their story below)

Our role with the Wessex is to build up the numbers of animals and to create a viable means of importing/exporting Wessex from the Australian herds. Please see our Endangered Hog Foundation link to learn more about our efforts toward importations.

We were able to purchase a British Saddleback Boar form the UK (an amalgamation of the Wessex and Essex pigs) in an effort to maintain some genetic diversity within the Wessex in the US.

The Wessex are in a very critical state, with so few numbers remaining that they have been deemed “extinct” be several breed associations.

Maveric is seeking donations from individuals and foundations and assistance from universities to import stock from Australia in order to save the remaining pigs and Wessex genetics in the US.

We do not have any animals for sale at this time.

If you would like to help in the recovery effort of the Wessex Saddleback pig, please email us or visit the Endangered Hog Foundation.

From The British Pig Breeders Association:

The British Saddleback is the result of the amalgamation of two similar breeds, the Essex and Wessex Saddleback.

The origin of the Improved Essex Pig is better authenticated than most. Lord Western, while traveling in Italy, saw some Neapolitan pigs and came to the conclusion that they were just what he needed to improve the breed of Essex pigs. He procured a pair of Neapolitans and crossed them with Essex sows. One of his tenants Fisher Hobbs of Boxted Lodge availed himself of the opportunity to use the Neapolitan-Essex boars belonging to Lord Western and crossed them with his coarse Essex sows and in process of time established the Improved Essex. Sidney in his last edition of Youatt on the Pig, says “The improved Essex probably date their national reputation from the second show of the Royal Agricultural Society, held at Cambridge, in 1840, when a boar and sow, both bred by Mr. Hobbs, each obtained first prizes in their respective classes.”

The Essex pig was mainly found in East Anglia. This pig had a black head and neck, as well as a clearly defined belt of white extending over the shoulders and continuing over the forelegs. The rest of the body was black with the exception of white feet and the tip of the tail.

The Wessex originated in the New Forest as a cross between two indigenous old English bacon pigs. By 1914 the breed was also found in the South and South West. It was black all over, asides from a continuous belt of white hair over the forelegs and shoulder. W. J. Walden writing in the 1931 NPBA Gazette explains that stringent rules were put in place by the Wessex Saddleback Pig Society at its foundation to prevent alien blood being brought in where the foundation on one side was not of New Forest origin. The breed prided itself on having resisted the trend to introduce Chinese blood. In his article on Wessex Saddleback markings Walden asks “Why then make a feature of the chief coloration marking? Surely it does not take a high intelligence to see the correctness and advantage of the one conspicuous trade mark when two China free breeds are brought together?”

The respective breed societies amalgamated in 1918 and the herd books followed suit in 1967 when the British Saddleback breed was established.

The two breeds enjoyed great popularity during the Second World War when 47% of the total pedigree sow registrations were from the Essex and Wessex breed. In 1949 there were 2,435 Essex and Wessex boars licensed representing almost 25% of the licensed boars for that year. The sows retained some of their popularity in the post war years. In 1954 they made up 22% of the total registrations for that year. The boars, however, had lost considerable ground to white breeds and in the same year less than 10% of the licensed boars were from the Essex and Wessex breeds. The recommendations of the time were to cross sows of either breed with a white boar to produce a dual-purpose pig for combined pork and bacon production.

British Saddlebacks are hardy and noted for their mothering ability. The breed continues to be used mainly to provide colored dams for the production of first-cross porkers, baconers and heavy pigs. The breed is known for its grazing ability and is very hardy. It has secured a niche in outdoor and organic production.

Many Saddlebacks have been exported to Nigeria and the Seychelles where the pigs have performed on coarse grazing in hot climatic conditions.

Visit the British Pig Breeders Association here.