Welcome to Parker Family Farms. Here we raise terrific pork. Our farm is nestled between Hillsborough and Roxboro in Northern Orange County. While pimarily being a tobacco farm, we raise hogs on pasture, we have free range laying hens and also raise cows, small grains for cover crops and corn for feed. This farm has been operating under the Parker name for many years. The old family cemetery is a testament of the family history. Like most farms of many years ago, raising hogs on pasture became something of the past. Preserving the welfare of the farm, we have now introduced pigs and chickens back to the farm to make it more profitable. We recently planted asparagus which will be ready for harvest in 2011.
Randall and Renee are both Oange County natives and are from farming families. Now together they are dedicated to raising their 4 children along with their crops and animals in a wonderful farming environment. Randall is the work horse behind the farm seeing to all the main duties (manual labor) of running the farm. Renee helps with the office, feeding animals and schooling the children. The children help contribute to the farm in a number of ways by tending to the animals, collecting eggs, maintenance and helping to harvest the crops from the fields. The children also love to raise their own pigs, cows, chickens and other livestock for 4-H projects or just for fun. Together they all strive to be good stewards of the land and animals that God has provided and in turn the land and animals give back to make their farm a success.
The pigs are of a mix origin. The first pigs brought to the farm in 2005 were Farmer's Hybrid. Since then, different breed boars have been added to the herd for the pigs to be more efficient in outdoor productions as well as try to increase meat quality. This farm raises pigs from start to finish. The pigs are fed an all natural diet and are not given any animal protiens, antibiotics, or hormones in their feeds. The pigs have the freedom to roam in the open pastures and graze on a variety of grasses. Pastures are maintained by rotating the animals periodically and reseeding the pastures when necessary. The farm has been certified by Animal Welfare Approved.
Chickens are free range. Different breeds are raised to have different egg colors and sizes. The chickens are allowed to roam freely about the farm to scavenge for bugs and forages. The are also given free choice of a grain feed mix.
Pork is processed by two different USDA inspected facilities. Both of these facilities are Animal Welfare Approved processors. All products are returned in frozen, vacuum sealed packages. Ribs, chops, loin, 5 different sausages, liver, roasts, ham steaks (fresh and smoked), salted fat back and neck bones are all sold by the pound. All products are natural, no nitrates and no preservatives.
We believe that we are given the opportunity to serve a community of people who care about their land and where their food comes from. We strive to be better stewards of what we have and to take care of this wonderful home called earth. God created this earth and the animals on it, so we strive to protect them both as much as we can.