Order a 1/2 or Whole Hog

If you'd like to stock up with a 1/2 or whole hog, learn more and order below!

UPCOMING AVAILABILITY:

 

Fall (September/October 2024): Keota Locker & Bud's Custom Meats
 
Price: $3.00/lb. hanging weight to us for the hog + processing fees to the locker.
 

ORDER A 1/2 OR WHOLE HOG

Is a 1/2 or whole hog right for you?

What makes West Fork pork special?

Our pigs are raised outdoors, with lots of fresh air, sunshine, and space. We raise heritage breed hogs, who do great outdoors, grow more slowly, and produce meat with excellent marbling and flavorful, tender meat. We make our own feed on the farm with non-GMO ingredients. We work hard to provide our pigs a happy, healthy environment that keeps them healthy naturally and provides the highest quality meat for you.

What do you get with a 1/2 or whole hog?

When you order a 1/2 or whole hog, you choose exactly what you want. In addition to choosing the cuts you want, you can customize the size of your packages: e.g., how big your roasts are or how many bratwurst are in a package. The total amount of meat you take home will depend on how big your hog is and what choices you make. A rough estimate for a 1/2 hog would be approximately 60-75 pounds of meat from a smaller hog or 80-95 pounds of meat from a larger hog.

How much does it cost?

There are two costs in your purchase: the hog itself and the processing fees.

Hog: $3.00/lb. for the hanging weight of the hog, paid to us

The hanging weight is the weight of the pig after it has been slaughtered but before the locker processes it into finished cuts. This varies, but a normal estimate is that the hanging weight will be ~72% of the live weight of the animal.

—Processing: paid directly to the locker; average $2.00-$2.50/lb. (locker prices subject to change)

The locker has flat charges for processing each pig plus various costs that depend on your processing choices. For example, there are additional charges for curing bacon and ham, adding cheese or other flavorings, and making bratwurst or patties. With all these choices, the final cost varies depending both on the size of your pig and on what you order. Average total prices recently have been approximately $400-$650 for a 1/2 hog and $800-1150 for a whole hog. Please remember these are just estimates. Actual total costs and yields may be more or less.

How much freezer space do I need and how long will my meat last?

For most 1/2 hogs, you will need approximately 3.5 - 4.5 cubic feet of freezer space. This is most of a standard refrigerator freezer or 1/3 to 1/2 of a small chest freezer. We have a 21 cu. ft. upright freezer at home, and a 1/2 hog typically takes up one shelf of our freezer plus 1-2 shelves on the door for ground meat.

We recommend storing your meat in a deep freezer/chest freezer for best quality. We find that our meat retains its quality longer in a deep freezer because they are colder and the meat doesn't partially thaw and refreeze over and over. As long as your meat stays frozen, it will be safe to eat. Quality is what may change over time, with larger cuts like roasts and ribs keeping their quality longer than ground meat or cured items. We store our own 1/2s and wholes in a deep freezer and have found the quality to be excellent for a year or more.

Examples of what an order might look like

Here are two examples from a recent larger hog that we took in. Because this was a larger hog, note that the amount of meat and costs are on the higher end of what you may expect.

Example 1/2 hog #1

Bone-in cuts; no curing, smoking, or extra ingredients.

84 pounds of meat, total cost: $510

  • 13 packages of side pork (13.5 lbs.)
  • 3 pork roasts (12 lbs.)
  • 7 packages of 3/4” pork chops (16 lbs., 4 chops per package)
  • 5 fresh ham roasts (16 lbs.)
  • 19 packages of ground pork (19 lbs.)
  • 2 packages of fresh pork hocks (7.5 lbs.)

Example 1/2 hog #2

Cured bacon and deli ham, mix of boneless and bone-in cuts, seasoned sausage & links.

77 pounds of meat, total cost: $560

  • 14 lbs. bacon
  • 4 pork roasts (~10-12 lbs.)
  • 9.5 pkgs. boneless chops (~7.5 lbs.)
  • 5 pkgs. deli ham
  • 18 lbs. ground pork
  • 9 lbs. Italian sausage
  • 5 lbs. sausage links
  • 1 pkg. spare ribs
  • 1 pork tenderloin
  • 1 container lard

Please note: These are just examples. Costs and yields vary.

Read more: Is a 1/2 or whole hog right for you?

If you'd like to read more, check out our blog posts:

How does it work and how do I order?

How to reserve a 1/2 or whole hog

You can reserve your 1/2 or whole hog today by submitting an order through our website.

Order a 1/2 or whole hog

We ask for a deposit to reserve your spot. You can pay your deposit by cash, check, Venmo, or credit card. To pay by cash, check, or Venmo, please choose "Cash on Delivery" at checkout.

You are also welcome to order by contacting Natasha directly. You can call or text her at 319-325-5097 or email her at natasha@westforkfarmstead.com.

How the process works

  • #1: Reserve your 1/2 or whole hog with us.
  • #2: When your locker date is coming up, Natasha will contact you with information on how to place your cut instructions with the locker. You then call the locker to place your cut instructions.
  • #3: We deliver your pig to the locker.
  • #4: Once we know the hanging weight of your hog, we will send you a bill for the total due to us for the hog.
  • #5: The locker will process and package your meat and call you when it is ready to pick up.
  • #6: You pick up your pork from the locker and pay the locker for processing costs. And that's it! You take your meat home and have exactly what you want on hand when you need it.

Availability and when your pork will be ready

Right now, we have availability coming up as follows:

  • March 2024: Keota Locker
  • April 2024: Keota Locker and Bud's Custom Meats
  • June 2024: Keota Locker and Bud's Custom Meats
  • Sept. 2024: Keota Locker
  • Oct. 2024: Keota Locker and Bud's Custom Meats

Pork is typically ready for you to pick up about 10 days to 2 weeks after your locker date. If you don't get any cured items, it may be ready sooner.

Order or ask us a question

Order a 1/2 or whole hog

Questions: Contact Natasha at natasha@westforkfarmstead.com or 319-325-5097 (call or text)

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