Fudge Family Farms

Henry Fudge, the driving force behind Fudge Family Farms recalls "I was going outside [to raise pigs] as everyone else was going inside. My research showed me that raising pigs outdoors was natural and better for the animals and they are healthier when they're on pasture. It's important to respect the animals in your care."

By breeding Duroc pigs with Berkshire pigs, Henry Fudge has created a line of hogs that have incredible marbling, tenderness and flavor. “We began in 1971 preserving the old type, naturally outdoor adapted Duroc breed of hog and haven’t introduced any outside genetics since the late 1970s,” Fudge explains. “These heritage bloodline Durocs are, to my knowledge, the only ones of their type in existence today.”

In 2006 Fudge began to locate other small farmers in Alabama and Tennessee to help raise the Heritage Durocs blended with old type Berkshires. Fudge now has 20 coproducers, most of whom are Amish families. “We never use any antibiotics or added hormones, and feed only plant derived feed. All our animals live outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine with access to forage,” Fudge says. The new mothers are provided an area large enough to turn around and make a nest, just like nature intended. “We believe that healthy, happy hogs make healthy meat,” Fudge says.