Pasture-Fed Berkshires

Patterson’s Registered Berkshires Cirmora, VA

The Patterson Family has been raising Berkshires for almost 100 years. Patterson’s Registered Berkshires (PRB) is located in Cirmora, VA, near New Hope in the Shenandoah Valley and is operated by Judy, Crawford, John, Bill, Alicia, Tom, Leann and Adalee. Starting in 1922, their Uncle Crawford purchased his first Berkshire from W. W. Williamson in New Market, VA. Mr. Williamson was known for his herd of primarily Epochal breeding, which was imported from England by Gossard Estates. These are the bloodlines that continued the Patterson herd until the 1980’s when their infrastructure needed to be repaired or replaced and the commercial hog market disappeared. They started their Berkshire herd again in 2011 when the local food movement was on the rise. John Patterson is the third generation to raise Berkshires in the family. They keep around 90 sows on about 15 acres of pasture. Along with Berkshire pigs, they run a grazing dairy consisting of primarily milking Jerseys, as well as crossbred and Red Poll beef cattle. Their farm sits on about 250 acres of cropland and 750 acres of hay and pasture and they do custom work on about 300 acres.

Superior Berk Genetics Tyler, Texas

Kris Roberts owns and operates Superior Berk Genetics (SBG) with his wife and their three children. SBG is located in Tyler, Texas, southeast of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. By researching the Berkshire breed for the top bloodlines available and starting with expansion in mind, they began their herd with one boar, one sow and one gilt. Three years later, the Roberts Family has one boar and six sows that produce four litters that were farrowed from the end of July to the beginning of August. Their breeder pigs go down to pasture after servicing, farrowing and weening. The Roberts are blessed with 2 upper acres that has a farrowing building, three nurseries, one adult pen and nine lower acres of grazing.