At Leaning Post Acres, raising our own food is about more than knowing where it comes from. We want to know what our animals are fed, how they live, and most importantly, how they are treated throughout their lives.
From the moment an animal comes into our care, we give them our time, attention, and whole-hearted commitment. These aren't just animals on our farm. They are individuals we get to know, care for, and interact with every day.
We believe animals deserve a life that allows them to express their natural behaviors, feel secure in their surroundings, and experience daily enrichment.
Room to Be Animals
Our pigs have space to root, explore, wallow in the mud, and do the things pigs naturally love to do. We don't believe pigs should spend their lives on concrete floors or in overcrowded commercial conditions.
Pigs are intelligent, curious animals. We provide enrichment, toys, activities, and opportunities to interact with their surroundings. They get to investigate, play, and satisfy their natural curiosity rather than simply eat and sleep.
Our animals have access to fresh water, appropriate feed, treats, and space to move and explore. They also have opportunities to interact with people and, when appropriate, other animals. We want their lives to include comfort, stimulation, and positive daily experiences.
Cared for Like Family
We raise our animals with the same attentiveness and care that shape the rest of our homestead. We get to know their personalities, routines, and individual quirks. We enjoy watching them play, investigate new things, and interact with us.
For us, animal care isn't something we do only when it is convenient. It is a daily responsibility and a commitment we take seriously.
When we raise meat animals, we don't believe their purpose makes their well-being any less important. Their lives matter, and the care they receive matters every single day.
Respect From Beginning to End
Our responsibility doesn't stop when an animal leaves our farm.
We carefully choose our processing partners because we want to work with people whose approach aligns with our values. We look for professional processors who prioritize careful handling and minimizing unnecessary stress throughout the process.
We believe animals raised for food deserve to be treated with respect throughout their lives, including their final moments. We take that responsibility seriously and want our practices and partnerships to reflect that belief.
Why It Matters to Us
When we sit down to eat food we have raised ourselves, we know more than where it came from. We know the animal, the care it received, the environment it lived in, and the effort that went into raising it.
This philosophy is also how we raised our children. From a young age, they learned that when an animal gives its life to provide food for us, that sacrifice deserves respect. Wasting meat meant wasting the purpose of that animal's life, and we taught our children to understand the responsibility that comes with raising animals for food.
Our family doesn't take that responsibility lightly. We understand that behind every meal is a life, and we believe the least we can do is ensure that life was cared for with compassion, treated with respect, and never taken for granted. We honor that sacrifice by using what we raise thoughtfully and by being mindful of the food we put on our table.
That connection is why we do what we do. It's a responsibility we carry as a family, a value we live by, and a lesson we hope to continue passing on.
At Leaning Post Acres, we believe good food begins long before it reaches the table. It begins with daily care, thoughtful choices, gratitude, and a deep respect for the animals entrusted to us.
Know your farmer. Know your food. Respect the life behind every meal.
