In an industry rife with misleading specialty claims and labels we have created the phrase "authentically raised" in order to differentiate ourselves and help to better define genuine alternative food systems. Authentically Raised goes beyond the latest and greatest buzz words such as "organic" or "pasture raised" which are only genuine for a time until Big Food co-opts such labels then lobbies for regulations that protect their own interests and prohibit the local small-scale farms that embody those labels from using them. Carolina Homestead has trademarked "Authentically Raised" not only for ourselves, but for the local small-scale natural grower/producer community in order to protect what will hopefully be a meaningful recognized promise from being co-opted by the industrial food system.
We raise our pigs and chickens outside in the fresh air and sunlight, where they can range, graze, scratch, and root. We raise them genuinely all natural- no shots, vax, meds, or chemicals of any kind. We allow them to live closer to how God created them to live. Not only is this a great way to raise livestock but it is very healthy, sustainable, and regenerative for the environment and soil. This is fundamentally different from commercial hog and poultry operations.
More about our chickens:
We have two different chicken areas. One is a free range grassed and wooded area where we are raising heritage breed chickens. These are primarily our roosters and laying hens. We gather most of their eggs to eat and let our broody hens sit on the rest to hatch chicks. This is our self-sufficient long-term plan we are trying to establish to have dual-purpose (egg and meat) heritage breed chickens on the homestead.
Our other area is several acres of grassed meadow mixed in with trees that we keep our meat chickens on. Our meat chickens are Cornish Cross and Red Broiler. We raise them in chicken “tractors” which are mobile coops with open sides, partially open roof, and open bottom where the chickens forage, scratch, and graze on fresh vegetation and bugs. We pop tires on and move these lightweight coops regularly onto fresh grass and the spot where they were regenerates quickly to richer healthier soil and vegetation than before.
More about our pigs:
We began raising pigs a few years ago because we love barbecue, bacon, and sausage! But we immediately fell in love with it because they are incredibly social and intelligent and if managed intentionally, the disturbance and pressure they place on the land help to establish and maintain a healthy meadow of native grasses and vegetation. Pigs graze, root, till, and fertilize our land to help us convert it to pasture. We keep our pigs within a few acre fenced pasture. Within the large pasture we move them around to new areas regularly. The key is to put them on fresh pasture for a short period of time, ideally a couple weeks, then move them over to a new area and allow the previous area to regenerate to richer healthier soil and vegetation than before.
Our supplemental feed:
In addition to grazing and foraging, we supplement with local high quality certified non-GMO grain from Mule City Specialty Feeds in Benson, NC. This is typical of pasture raised pigs and chickens intended for meat sales as it helps them reach market weight efficiently.
Carolina Homestead Summer 2023 Price sheet
Product price per pound
whole chicken $8.00
boneless skinless chicken breast $18.00
chicken thighs $10.00
chicken drumsticks $8.00
1/2 hog custom processed $8.00
pork loin $12.00
pork tenderloin $18.00
pork belly $12.00
pork spare ribs $16.00
st louis style pork spare ribs $16.00
pork back ribs $16.00
smoked uncured bacon $18.00
bone-in pork chops $12.00
boneless pork chops $14.00
boston butt pork roast $10.00
picnic roast $10.00
smoked uncured ham steaks $16.00
sausage $12.00
We strive to be competitive with monthly USDA pastured pork and poultry price report for North Carolina. The monthly reports are linked below for your reference: