A SOUTH East free-range pork grower who gave up shearing three years ago to work on the property his family has farmed for four generations has won a prestigious Sydney fine food award.
Sustainable, hormone-free farming practices are at the core of the pork operation Steve Slape and his wife Rose, an electrician, run through family-owned Diamond Springs Pastoral Company at Furner, about 25km north east of Millicent.
Mr Slape said his major commercial buyer, Adelaide Hills-based Skara Artisan Smallgoods, along with the support of his parents Helen and Leon, had been vital to the success of the venture.
“Our operation expanded to help meet growing consumer demand for Skara’s products and I have been able to leave shearing and return to work on the family farm,” he said.
“The quality of our pork largely reflects changes in the pigs’ food intake as the weather fluctuates – it leads to periods of compensatory growth, which result in fat deposits that store moisture and flavour in the meat.”
Diamond Springs Pastoral won the champion pork gong in the branded meat category at the Sydney Royal 2018 Fine Food Show last Friday.
Mr Slape, whose charcuterie of choice is Hungarian salami, runs 2000 pigs on 120 acres of the 1400-acre property, where his family has produced prime beef and lamb for about 80 years.
“The positive impact the pigs have on the soil has led us into holistic regenerative farming practices, mimicking natural patterns and seeking out natural products over synthetics,” he said.
“We also encourage the pigs to follow a natural breeding cycle and the benefits are obvious when sows have a new litter as their previous litter is going out the gate.
“That said, I value the animals’ comfort more than high production targets.
“If my weaning rates are slightly behind average or my growth rates are four weeks behind sheds (non-free-range farms), I can sleep easy knowing I have produced a clean and happy product.”
