As Primal Pastures grew, it became obvious that there is a demand for quality animals products raised both humanely and with a positive impact to the land. A demand larger than our few acres could manage. That is when Primal Pastures partnered with a few carefully selected farms, who appreciate and embrace the Primal Standard and the farming practices that Primal was founded on and each one specializing in the animals they raise. This is so that we can ensure that our customers are getting a product that is unrivaled in quality and they can feel confident in feeding their families.

We currently have chicken, beef, pork, lamb and fish available to our customers, along with items like raw honey, biodynamic coffee and spices/rub. We raise our families on these meats and encourage you to do the same. Join our mailing list and we will be sure to notify you as products become available. 

Chickens

The Perils of the Big Box

A standard chicken raised in one of the big production houses is confined to an area the size of an oven – for its entire life. These birds may never see the light of day, never feel grass beneath their feet, never taste a bug or a worm, and never roam free in a pasture. That is just plain WRONG.

Most chickens are pumped full of grains that make them so fat that their legs are often unable to support their weight and eventually give out, breaking under the strain of the extreme load. They are often injected with antibiotics to prevent infection because of their confined spaces and continued exposure to bacteria from feces, which is completely preventable if they have space to roam. After six weeks, they are rinsed in bleach, processed for production, sold to you at the grocery store and used to feed your family.

Organic Shmorganic

Unfortunately, organic and free range birds may not be much better off. Organic simply means that the chicken's feed has been certified by a government agency to contain no unnatural fertilizers or pesticides (naturally derived, but not necessarily safer, can be used on organic products). However, the chickens may still be living their lives stacked two-high in a feed house, defecating on one another in a life of chicken misery.

Most of these big-box chickens are de-beaked, a process that involves half of the beak of each chicken being chopped off. This prevents the chickens from resorting to the cannibalism and suicide that occurs as a result of living under such cruel conditions. These behaviors aren't difficult to imagine. Chickens are designed to peck and scratch for their entire lives. We firmly disagree with the inhumanity involved in the de-beaking process and are committed to providing healthy alternatives to this all too common practice.

What about free range? This certification has been widely abused throughout the poultry community. One might think the term should mean that the birds have room to explore, play and forage. But this has come to mean something entirely different. Take that same feed house from the previous few paragraphs, cut a little hole in the wall, and it's suddenly considered "free range." Even if the feed house is surrounded by dirt and the chickens literally never go outside to act like chickens, this is considered free range because they have the "option" to explore. You may want to rethink paying the extra $5 for this "upgrade" the next time you're at the supermarket.

Our Solution

So why the rant and what are we going to do about this modern day food catastrophe? Consumers are becoming more educated every single day. Many people are no longer putting up with big box chicken practices and are learning that there is an alternative. As described above, the labels and stamps such as "organic" and "free range" simply cannot be relied upon. The only way to guarantee healthy food is to know your farmers, understand their inclinations and motivations and get out to the farm so we can show you the practices our farmers implement to raise the food you purchase.

We are proud to have a farm committed to raising chickens with the Primal standard. Raised in Michigan by Farmer Joe, our chickens are rotated to fresh pasture every single day, rain or shine. They have access to 24 hour fresh air and live in an environment that allows them to peck and scratch as they are naturally inclined too.

At Primal Pastures, we raise our families on these meats and encourage you to do the same. Join our mailing list and we will be sure to notify you as products become available. Thank you for your interest in Primal Pastures and the world's best chickens!

Sheep

Ruminant animals like cows and sheep play an integral role in any regenerative farming practices. The sheep graze open pastures, eating down the grasses, weeds, noxious plants and manage to ensure they don't over or under graze the pasture. They fertilize the land and manage the native and seasonal grasses, ensuring that they grow back stronger each year.

Specifically selected for Oregon climate, our herds consist of English breeds like the Suffolks, Hampshires and Dorsets. They give birth out in the field, on their own, unassisted. Lambs are never removed from the flock, they naturally wean just as they would in the wild.

The sheep are raised in a stress free environment all the way through processing. Both genetics and low stress contribute to a much more tender and mild flavor than traditional lamb or mutton. These sheep have been raised 100% grass fed and finished, which also contributes to a much more palatable flavor than their grain-fed counterparts.

Primal Lamb is:

• Grass Fed
• Grass Finished
• Pasture Raised
• Rotationally Grazed
• Grain Free
• Antibiotic Free
• Hormone Free
• Beyond Organic
• Naturally Weaned
• Sustainably Raised
• Humanely Treated

Pigs

To accommodate the growing demand for true pasture raised pork, we offer heritage breeds like Berkshire, Large Black and Spotted Poland China pigs from Clear Creek Farms, NE.

Berkshire Pigs, Large Black pigs, & Spotted Poland China pigs

Clear Creek Farms pork herd consists of mainly heritage breeds: Berkshire, Large Black, & Spotted Poland China. During the summer months, the sow are run on grass only during their grazing period. In the winter months only, we supplement with corn, however they are NEVER fed soy.

​The sows are farrowed out twice a year around April/May and then in Oct/Nov. We leave the piglets with their mothers for the first 8 weeks, when they are moved to pasture and fed wheatgrass, crabgrass, corn, oats and peas and barley that has been soaked and sprouted in whey from their on site dairy.

At Clear Creek Organic Farm, they believe in raising great tasting, nutritious and healthy pork. To do this, our pork herd is pasture raised giving them a stress free environment and a more nutritional and natural food base. We will also supplement with whey from our cheese plant to make a sweeter tasting pork.

​They NEVER feed their pigs soy. Soy has shown to be related to a number of problems. Soy contains high levels of gointrogens, which can affect the thyroid. It also has protease inhibitors, which can cause problems with our digestive system and the ability to be able to properly digest proteins.

​One of our main concerns with soy is the amount of estrogen (isoflavones) in the plant, which causes hormone disruption by raising estrogen levels and lowering testosterone levels. This can lead to so many negative effects in men, women, and children. For men, this can mean weight gain, loss of energy, stamina, & virility; for women, it could disrupt cycles, fertility and raise the risk of breast cancer.

Allowing the pigs to express their “pigness” (as Joel Salatin would say), makes a huge difference in the flavor and nutrition of the pork that ultimately ends up on your plate. You can expect a darker, well marbled meat, with a flavor that’s bold and hearty. This is not like the pork you’ll find in the supermarket and it’s definitely not “the other white meat.”

Berkshire, Large Black, and Spotted China Poland Pork:

• Pasture raised
• Diet includes organic non-GMO grains
• Diet includes local organic vegetables
• No soy commercial feeds
• No growth supplements
• No hormones
• No antibiotics

Kunekune Pigs

While we don't currently offer any products on our website from our Kunekunes, these pigs often steal the show on our farm tours and Instagram and they definitely surprised Justin Rhodes when he visited our farm on the Great American Farm Tour. Check out this video: Rare Pigs made me think Ewoks were real!

Aside from their friendly nature, this rare breed is the perfect fit for our farm in Southern California. Kunekunes have a short, upturned nose that makes them natural grazers. They’re not prone to rooting, which means they eat down the grasses without tearing up the pastures. Their diet is roughly 90% native and seasonal grasses along with anything they forage for in the pastures.

Although the pigs freely roam the pastures, you can always find them crowded around the mobile chicken coops in the mornings, going after any spilled chicken feed once the birds are moved to a fresh patch of grass. This supplemental feed is organic, gmo-free and soy-free (full list of ingredients here).

Primal Pastures Pork:

• 100% pasture raised
• Diet includes organic non-GMO grains
• Soy-free
• No vaccines, hormones, antibiotics or drugs ever

Want to know what the pigs are up to these days? Check out our Instagram.

Beef