American Mulefoot Makes Comeback in Ozarks

Located in Ozark County, Mo. about 30 miles from the Arkansas state line, siblings Jerry Painter and Susan Bates are doing their part to bring back a piece of their history by raising niche pork in the form of  the American Mulefoot Hog on Water Hollow Farm.

Once on the verge of extinction and still listed as critical by the American Livesock Breeds Conservancy, the Mulefoot is slowly making a comeback and Jerry and Susan are glad to be a part of its progress.

“I came across the American Mulefoot Hog when I was looking into some history of our ancestors,” said Bates, who along with her brother descends from the Chickamauga Cherokee tribe. “Jerry decided it was what we needed to do so we started raising them. It really appealed to us to raise something that our ancestors had raised and survived on.”

Susan said that they have been raising the breed for close to two years at Water Hollow and she’s been involved with hogs for 10 years. Jerry has been involved in swine production for near 50 years, ever since he was a young boy.

Jerry and Susan have a small heard including four sows and a young boar. Bates hopes that numbers will improve once the boar matures. The farm also includes a horse and a flock of endangered Delaware Chickens.

“We’ve butchered six to eight hogs this year,” Bates said. “They have a darker meat, almost red with more fat. That scares some people at first, but the fat cooks out and leaves a good taste. It is so tender you can slice it with a fork.”

Hogs at Water Hollow Farm are raised without the aid of antibiotics and, according to Bates, so far they haven’t had any problems in regards to animal health. The hogs eat corn and protein pellets made by a neighbor and drink straight from the spring water coming direct from the Ozark Hills.

Thanks to the Pork Checkoff’s nichepork.org and the American Mulefooted Hog Association Web sites, Bates says they have had to do minimal advertising besides setting up a site of their own at http://waterhollowmulefoots.tripod.com/.

“I get three to four emails a week from people wanting starter herds,” Bates said. “We even had a man come from Tennessee to pick up half a hog.”

Bates said they sell some pigs out of state, but for the most part their customer base is local. A nearby bed and breakfast features their pork from time to time and so far they haven’t heard any complaints from consumers.

“We’ve gotten good feedback from our customers,” Bates said. “When it is time to butcher a hog we call people that are on our list and we sell it. Everyone has been very satisfied with what they get.”
For additional information about the Water Hollow Farm, they can be reached at 417-261-2228 or by email at susanbates@webtv.net.

 
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