Farmers Feed Us

“It’s important to us to have healthy hogs because one, it’s the right thing for the hogs and two, we want to deliver a safe, quality pork to your dinner table.”

Doreen Shearer
Hog Farmer

Name: Doreen Shearer
Location: Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
Years farming: We’ve been farming for approximately 35 years.
My family: Bob and I have three kids. The oldest, Bobby, lives in western Nebraska where he raises cattle. The two youngest, Mike and Ashley, live and work for us on our farm.
How I came to be a farmer: Bob grew up on the farm and enjoyed it. Bob's grandparents and parents were farmers. Bob started renting farmland from his parents in high school and built his first pig house the year he graduated from high school. We then got married and I’ve loved the farm and farming ever since.
The best thing about being a farmer: I love learning new things and being able to adapt them to our farm – then, in return, being able to share that learning with other farmers.
My personal philosophy on farming: Farming is a gift I've been given and I strive to do the best job possible. We thoroughly enjoy what we do on the farm.

Pork Production in Pennsylvania and the United States

• Each year, the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council donates hams to charities, food banks and needy families throughout the state.
• It is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition to serve a meal of pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day.
• German immigrants combined their heritage with the availability of pork to make scrapple, a dish that originated in Pennsylvania.
• Pennsylvania is ranked 13th in the United States for hog production.
• As of December 1, 2009, there were 1,180,000 pigs on farms in Pennsylvania.
• The five counties in Pennsylvania with the most pigs are: Lancaster, Lebanon, Franklin, Berks and Perry.
• Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by a food thermometer, followed by a three-minute rest time.

For more information about hog farming in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Pork Board.

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