6 Best Pig Farming Books For Pasture Raised Pork Old Farmers Swear By
Master pasture-raised pork with the wisdom of veteran farmers. These 6 essential books cover everything from breed selection to rotational grazing systems.
Raising pigs on pasture is one of the most rewarding things you can do on a small farm, but it’s not without its challenges. While online forums have their place, nothing beats a well-worn book for building a solid foundation of knowledge. These are the books that don’t just tell you what to do, but teach you how to think like a pig farmer.
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Why Old Farm Books Still Matter for Raising Pigs
The best advice for raising pigs on pasture often comes from a time before industrial agriculture became the norm. Old books focus on observation, common sense, and working with the animal’s nature. They teach you to read the land and the animal, not just a feed bag label.
This approach is fundamentally different from modern guides that might assume access to heavy equipment and specialized inputs. The old-timers knew how to get things done with what they had. Their wisdom is about low-cost, resilient systems—the exact kind of system a small-scale farmer needs to succeed without going broke.
Small-Scale Pig Raising: The Homesteader’s Bible
If you can only own one book on raising pigs, Dirk van Loon’s Small-Scale Pig Raising is a serious contender. It’s the classic that feels like getting advice directly from a seasoned farmer over a cup of coffee. It’s practical, direct, and covers the entire process from buying your first weaners to the final trip to the butcher.
Van Loon’s advice is grounded in reality. He provides simple plans for A-frame shelters you can build from scrap, clear guidance on feeding, and health tips that don’t require a veterinary degree. While some of the feed formulations are a bit dated, the core principles of animal husbandry are timeless. This is the book that gives you the confidence to just get started.
Storey’s Guide: A Comprehensive Modern Reference
Kelly Klober’s Storey’s Guide to Raising Pigs is the modern encyclopedia for the small-scale pig farmer. Where van Loon is folksy and foundational, Klober is detailed and comprehensive. This is the book you grab when you have a specific, pressing question and need a reliable answer right now.
Think of it as your go-to reference manual. Need to understand the pros and cons of different heritage breeds? It’s in there. Trying to troubleshoot a farrowing problem at two in the morning? It has a chapter for that. It’s an indispensable resource for moving beyond the basics and fine-tuning your operation.
The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs for Pasture Theory
Joel Salatin’s work isn’t a step-by-step manual, but it’s essential reading for anyone serious about pasture-based systems. Books like The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs are about the why behind the how. Salatin teaches you to see the pig not as a simple commodity, but as a vital partner in your farm’s ecosystem.
He champions the idea of letting pigs express their "pigness"—their natural desire to root, forage, and till. By harnessing these instincts, you can use pigs to build compost, clear wooded areas, and prepare garden beds. This book will fundamentally change your perspective, turning potential problems (like rooting) into powerful solutions for your land.
Walter Jeffries’ Guide for Practical Pasturing
For a masterclass in pasture-centric, low-input pig farming, look no further than Walter Jeffries’ Homesteader’s Guide to Raising Pork. Jeffries and his family have spent decades raising pigs on pasture in the harsh Vermont climate, and their experience shines through on every page. This is real-world, tested advice from someone who truly lives it.
This book is the definitive guide for anyone wanting to minimize their reliance on bagged feed. Jeffries details his methods for rotational grazing, breeding for pasture-hardy genetics, and utilizing alternative food sources like whey, pumpkins, and other farm surpluses. If you’re serious about making pasture the core of your pig operation, this book is non-negotiable.
Adam Danforth’s Butchering for the Final Step
Raising a healthy pig is only half the battle. Adam Danforth’s Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork is the crucial guide for the final, most important step. Understanding the butchering process is essential, even if you plan to use a professional processor.
The book’s clear, photographic instructions demystify the entire process, from humane slaughter to breaking down the carcass into primal cuts and familiar roasts and chops. Knowing what’s under the skin makes you a better farmer. It helps you understand how feed and exercise impact meat quality and empowers you to have a much more productive conversation with your butcher about getting exactly the cuts you want.
John Seymour’s Self-Sufficient Life Wisdom
John Seymour is the grandfather of the modern homesteading movement, and his magnum opus, The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It, places pig raising in its proper context. It’s not just about pigs; it’s about how pigs integrate into a larger, productive, and resilient homestead.
Seymour’s genius was in showing how different farm elements support one another. The pigs till the garden for next year’s crops. The garden’s surplus feeds the pigs. It’s a book of systems thinking, and the section on pigs, while brief, is packed with wisdom on how to make them a productive part of the whole, not just a standalone project.
Building Your Pig Farming Reference Library
You don’t need to buy all these books at once. A better approach is to build your library as your skills and ambitions grow. Start with a foundational text like Small-Scale Pig Raising or Storey’s Guide to get your first pigs on the ground with confidence.
Then, as you get more experienced, add books that challenge you to think differently. Pick up Salatin to rethink your pasture management or Danforth to master the final product. A good bookshelf is a tool. It provides a chorus of experienced voices to guide you when you’re facing a problem alone in the field.
Ultimately, the best teacher is the pig itself. These books are the maps that give you the lay of the land, but true expertise is earned by walking the pasture, observing your animals, and learning from your own successes and failures.
