Pigs on pasture with feed wagon and mountains Scott Valley, California
Rich Harris · California Heritage Farms

Let's learn together.

A community for farmers, by a farmer.

Raising pigs is hard work. But learning from people who are doing it — and have done it — makes every part of the job a little easier. This community is for producers of any size and stage who want real connections, real knowledge, and a professional community to grow with.

Rich Harris on the farm
About Rich

15 years. A lot of trial and error.

I started raising pigs because I like great food. In my early 20s a trip to South America sparked a passion for cooking great meat over fire. I came home and got to work. Like most pig producers I started with a few sows and no real clue what I was doing. But I learned that raising hogs was fun — more challenging in many ways than the cattle I was used to, but well worth it.

A few sows turned into over 110 across 15 years of a lot of trial and error. Today I raise both organic and non-organic pigs on pasture and sell whole animal into niche markets.

The fire cooking never stopped. I've built my own rigs — a cross setup, a custom grill fabricated from salvaged ranch equipment by a local welder — designed around the open fire traditions I was inspired by in South America. I like to cook what I raise.

Field Note

"I got where I am because of the generosity of others — farmers, vets, nutritionists who were willing to share what they knew. I'm here to do the same."

Pasture Raised Organic & Non-GMO Farrow to Finish Whole Animal Sales
Feeding pigs at sunrise A community of hog producers sharing knowledge and building their practice — together.
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The Community

For serious small farm operators

When I started sharing the farm on social media, I figured maybe we'd find a new market for our pork. What came next was something else — pig farmers from all over the world, sharing their own experiences and asking questions right in the comments. Ten times better, in my opinion. I'm excited to keep that going here.

From the Comments

"You wanna see bedding disappear, use oat straw — my pigs ate it all so fast."

"I've never used oat straw. Does it make good bedding?"

"Just getting into pigs. Thanks for all the videos!"

"Thank you so much, I'll keep them coming. What type of hogs are you raising?"

"13 feeders for a market store near us. Most are Berkshire/Hampshire, 6 have mangalitsa from a few generations back."

"How big of a pasture do you let them wander? Does it lessen the impact with cattle, or separate pastures?"

"I have 4 paddocks from 3–7 acres. Come growing season we bounce between 35 and 86 acres as the cows rotate through. We keep cows and pigs separate — once cows figure out the pig feed, fences stop mattering."

"He moves really nice. Full blooded Duroc?"

"Yep! Bought him from Dean Compart."

"I call myself first generation once removed. My grandfather bought the farm in '64. My dream is to hand it off to my son one day. There's nothing more beautiful than a family making a life on the land, improving it, and feeding their community."

"You wanna see bedding disappear, use oat straw — my pigs ate it all so fast."

"I've never used oat straw. Does it make good bedding?"

"Just getting into pigs. Thanks for all the videos!"

"Thank you so much, I'll keep them coming. What type of hogs are you raising?"

"13 feeders for a market store near us. Most are Berkshire/Hampshire, 6 have mangalitsa from a few generations back."

"How big of a pasture do you let them wander? Does it lessen the impact with cattle, or separate pastures?"

"I have 4 paddocks from 3–7 acres. Come growing season we bounce between 35 and 86 acres as the cows rotate through. We keep cows and pigs separate — once cows figure out the pig feed, fences stop mattering."

"He moves really nice. Full blooded Duroc?"

"Yep! Bought him from Dean Compart."

"I call myself first generation once removed. My grandfather bought the farm in '64. My dream is to hand it off to my son one day. There's nothing more beautiful than a family making a life on the land, improving it, and feeding their community."

This Is For You If
  • You're thinking about getting into pigs and want to learn from people actually doing it
  • You're a backyard or small scale producer figuring it out as you go
  • You're a more established operator looking for a peer group that takes this seriously
  • You want access to industry experts — vets, nutritionists, buyers — that you don't normally get to sit across from
Monthly Expert Call

Every month I bring in an industry expert — swine vets, nutritionists, buyers, producers who have figured something out worth sharing. Webinar style, you submit questions, we go deep.

Monthly Peer Call

Two weeks later I host a peer call on the same topic. I share my perspective, you share yours, and everyone brings their hard won knowledge to the table.

Private Community

A private Facebook group where serious operators find each other every day — between calls, between seasons, between challenges.

Call Library

Every call gets transcribed and summarized into a growing shared library. The longer you're a member, the more valuable it gets.

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This is a small community by design — built for producers who are serious about this work. Join the waitlist and I'll reach out when the doors open.

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