Guineas are a landrace breed. This is not to be confused with Danish Landrace pink production hogs. Small ‘l’ landrace means that they developed by adapting to their environment – the way nature selects. In the 18th and 19th centuries Guineas were free rangers. They scrounged for their own food. Those that were good mothers had good litters. Rather than farmers choosing the characteristics to breed back, which we do now, Guineas bred in the woods. The capable survived. What this leaves us with is a lard breed of swine which does well on low grade forage; a smaller, good natured animal that does well outside. The perfect pastured pork for a smaller or homestead operation.

Usually the keeping of hogs in any large number on the farm is not profitable. Like many other things, it is confined to sections of the country where it is made a special business. Still, it is well on most farms at least to have a few to eat up the garbage, or the offal from the dairy, and I will endeavor to state what I believe is the best method of raising them, and the kinds best suited for the purposes of the average farm.

There is a simple standard feeding schedule for raising good quality pork and ham without excessive fat. And the first thing to note is that it does NOT include corn! I learned to raise pigs in Canada where the Canadian government pays a premium on top of the market price for each pig that grades out at a quality suitable for export as Canadian bacon. The standards are very rigid to get this extra bonus. It is a simple fact that corn fed hogs would never get that bonus. The bacon in our American stores is a disgrace. The fat content is indicative of a striving for weight and not for quality. If that is the quality of bacon and pork that you want, then read no further – just feed corn and enjoy the fat that you raise.