Hamthropology | A Tasty Heritage

ossabaw

est.2012

WELCOME

We are dedicated to the preservation to the Ossabaw Island Pigs and their heritage. Our animals are raised natural and free range on our farm, Island Creek Preserve, an Artisan Hoggery, located in Middle Georgia.

Our goal is to have happy pigs!

Our closed breeding herd is registered with the Livestock Conservancy. Ossabaw Island Pigs are direct decedents of the famous Iberico pigs brought from Spain, allegedly on the second voyage of Christopher Columbus. Ossabaw Island Pigs were originally introduced in what is now Georgia in the early 1500’s, 180 years before Georgia became the 13th Colony of what would become the United States of America.

Our mission is to keep our bloodline pure which remains successful through selective breeding of purebred animals. Over the past decade there has been a small handful of Ossabaw Island Pig farmers using this selective breeding to improve the breed without hybridizing. The specific characteristics we breed for are size, meat quality, temperament and litter size. This premium bloodline produces only a few hundred animals nationwide annually. Therefore, supply is limited. We monitor our herds closely but allow this natural genetic selection, which is one of the aspects that makes them so special, to dictate future breeding stock.

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Our Ossabaw Island Pig’s enjoy a diet of non-GMO feed, ample natural forage and natural, non-GMO sustainable supplemental feeds. All provided in the correct ratios to assure a balanced diet. Their natural forage consists of rootings, vegetation, soft mast (muscadines, scuppernongs, fruits) and seasonal hard mast (acorns etc) to round out their diet.

We make our trademarked ‘Registered Ossabaw Island Pork’ available to fine restaurants and charcuteries, primarily in the Atlanta area. We also have a limited supply of restaurant quality meat, when available, to the general public. Availability is determined once our chef’s weekly requirements are determined. To get on the notification e-mail list, please contact us.

We invite you to take the opportunity to enjoy this scrumptious and historical pork at one of our fine Atlanta restaurants. Please visit our Facebook page for updates on where our pork is being served.

ABOUT

Once we were introduced to the Ossabaw Island Pigs, we knew they were very special animals. We are excited to be able to offer Registered Ossabaw Island Pork from our natural, free-range, non-GMO herd. The tender and tasty meat is sought after by select chefs and consumers seeking natural, superior quality farm-to-table foods.

These pigs are direct decedents of the famous Iberico pigs from Spain which are commonly referred to as “four legged Olive Trees” because their tasty fat is high in Oleic Acid, the same heart healthy fat found in Olive Oil.

Ossabaw Island Pigs are currently listed as critically endangered with the Livestock Conservancy. By creating a demand for this healthy and scrumptious meat we can continue to be stewards for these these very special animals found only in the United States.

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We take the health and safety of our herd seriously. We schedule Quarterly ‘wellness’ visits to look over the entire herd. These wellness visits, including random samples drawn and sent to the lab, to assure our woodland pasture raised herd produces thriving animals safe for food handlers and consumers.

This practice has designated our herd; “USDA and the Georgia Department of Agriculture Certified and Verified Pasture Raised Registered Ossabaw Island Pork. ” This practice is also a component in our Georgia Department of Agriculture approved bio-security plan.

Some accolades:

First Place – Golden Onion Professional Chefs Challenge – Vidailia, Georgia (Chef David Larkworthy)
James Beard House, New York City – Chosen to represent the state of Georgia (Georgia Grown) at this prestigious culinary event – Chef Holly Chute, Chef Savannah Haseler
Decatur Book Festival / Georgia Grown – Chef Kevin Gillespie (Gunshow)

Our Pigs

Island Creek Farms is an Artisan Hoggery offering our trademarked Registered Ossabaw Island Pork Farm-to-Chef.

Executive Chefs, if you have an interest in adding our exceptional Registered Ossabaw Island Pork to your menu specialties, please contact us at Marc@hamthropology.com

OUR HERITAGE STOCK BREEDERS

For updates on Island Creek Farms and our family of Ossabaw Island Pigs, please visit our BLOG on this website or ‘Like’ us on Facebook at Hamthropology.

Top of the Breed

MOHAWKEN
Top of the Breed. Mohawken possesses excellent size and confirmation. His added excellent temperament makes him one of the best boars in the entire breed.

Sows

Ossabaw Sows
Ossabaw island pigs are very social, family oriented animals they prosper in free-range conditions. Our sows are chosen to continue to develop the desired traits of the Ossabaw Island breed.

Mohawken and Frostbite - Copy

FAMILY
Ossabaw Island Pigs are very good parents with boars remaining as a part of our family groups.

Registered Ossabaw Island Sow at Island Creek Farms

GOOD BREEDING STOCK
Using Common Sense Husbandry, we have been able to breed for desired characteristics.

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HAPPY PIGS
Through our quarterly wellness program and natural free-range environment we have happy, healthy Ossabaw Island pigs.

NATURAL FREE-RANGE
Our Ossabaw Island Pigs enjoy a natural, free-range environment. Free-range with a properly balanced diet of non-GMO, forage and special supplement makes our Registered Ossabaw Island Pork the best it can be!

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
As we continually strive to improve the quality of our herd, we always keep an eye on potential impressive young animals as future breeding stock.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PORK
In the end, it’s all about the pork. Happy pigs, well cared for with a natural, free range non-GMO diet makes for the happiest best pork in Georgia!

BLOG

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While this article supports the popular legend about the Ossabaw island Pigs, we believe it to be incomplete as it does not explain how the Ossabaw Island pigs came to arrive in the New World and from where.

In October 2014, during a conversation with Dr. I Lehr Brisbane, a Research Professor for the University of Georgia, Dr. Brisbane believes that it is highly probably that the Ossabaw Island Pigs originated in Spain and were part of Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the New World in 1493. It is likely that Columbus re-supplied the expedition in the Spanish Canary Islands which is where these pigs would have been loaded. This theory is supported by the pigs DNA match to the famous Iberico pigs of Spain.

Exploration of the New World originated from what is now the eastern tip of Cuba. Expeditions were outfitted there for the explorations of the east coasts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. It is believed that these expeditions found Ossabaw Island as one of the locations to release the (now) Ossabaw Island Pigs as a renewable food source without returning to the West Indies. This would also make sense since explorers such as Ponce De Leon, and Hernado Desoto would have found Ossabaw island as a good location for expeditions to stock while they set out north to the Carolinas, Inland, up the Savannah River and, of course, Ponce de Leon’s exploration of Florida’s north coast and St. Augustine.

So… the common legends of how the Ossabaw Island Pig became to live on the Island seem valid and accurate, the story of how they mat have arrived to the New World is equally as fascinating.

https://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark-item/ossabaw-island-hog

CONTACT

297A Jule Ingram Rd

Milledgeville, GA 31061

678-520-9000
Marc@Hamthropology.com
lydia@Hamthropology.com