Spragg’s Meat Shop Farm to Table Tour
I was very enthralled when I received an invitation to Spragg’s Meat Shop Farm to Table Tour. I have never been to a pig farm before and I was very interested in the whole process. We took a lovely 2 hour drive into the country side to Rosemary, Alberta to where the Spragg’s farm is located. Rosemary is located in Southern Alberta about 30 km. northwest of the city of Brooks. Spragg’s Meat Shop would be the biggest business I would believe in the small town of less than 500.
We were lucky enough to be able to explore the plant, the farm, have lunch and purchase from the meat shop all on a gorgeous summer sunny day!!
Here is the Spragg family, they call themselves “the pork people”. From raising the pigs to processing, they focus on quality and taste of their pork products. The business started when Bonnie bought her husband Greg, three little pigs back in 2002 as a gift for the farm. The rest as they say is history.
The Processing Plant
We were first toured through the meat plant to see all the delicious pork products. All of their meat is provincially inspected and is sold only in Alberta.
The plant is huge and their target is to be the largest pork producer in Alberta. They process about 50 a day now but it could be increased to 500. I was very impressed how clean and sanitary the plant was and how organized and effectively set up each room was.
They make some pretty fabulous meatballs I must contest. Their bacon is the best I have had in a very long time and we will be using their bacon exclusively now. My husband and daughter were drooling over it when I cooked up a big batch. They also process beef from a local farm and some of the meatballs are a beef pork product. Mmmm, love meatballs!!
In addition to their main retail location in Rosemary, Spragg’s can be found at the Calgary Farmers’ Market, Market on Macleod, Sunnyside Natural Market, Market17, Brooks Farmers’ Market, All Community Natural Foods locations, all Calgary and Edmonton Planet Organic locations, and all Calgary Co-op and South Country Co-op locations.
The Farm
The pigs are humanely raised in a low stress, environmentally friendly manner. They have free range living being raised in a pasture.
The piglets are born inside a barn at another local farm and brought to Spragg’s after they reach 50 lbs. and are big enough to be on their own. Once at Spragg’s the pigs do not live in a barn but outside all year round.
They have access to a “beach” to keep themselves cool and they all seem to enjoy it very much!! Pigs have very few sweat glands so when the weather is hot they use the mud bath to act just like sweat evaporating off your skin to keep them cool.
The pigs were very friendly and very interested in coming to see all of us. They love to nibble at clothing and have a little taste of our shoes too!
The pigs are raised on a plant protein diet of barley and faba beans that are grown also on the farm. Their diet does not consist of any antibiotics or growth hormones. Plus, the pigs have grazing in the warmer months as the fields are seeded annually. In the colder months, the pigs get straw and alfalfa hay therefore keeping the forage component in their diets.
After a lovely walk out to the pastures and back, we continued on Spragg’s Meat Shop Farm to Table Tour taking us to lunch!! Furthermore, I have to say visiting this farm and meeting the Spragg family made me proud to be an Albertan. They have the finest of operations going with the upmost respect to their animals. Come and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to find out the latest goings on.
Comments & Reviews
Robin Masshole Mommy says
How cool to see what goes on behind the scenes at a place like that. I loved hearing about your experience.
Melissa Ann says
I love this! This is how I wish all animals were raised. I am a definite carnivore, but I really have to NOT think about the way most of them are raised. Great job, Spraggs!
Jeanette says
It’s good to see where food comes from. I don’t know if I would have the guts to go someplace where they are actually butchered but I do love to take tour farms so I may do it and just skip that part LOL.
Tara Noland says
The slaughter is done some where else just the butchery is done at the plant and farm.
gingermommyrants says
It would be really cool to tour a farm. Those meatballs look like they would be so delicious.
Oriana Romero says
I would love to take my kids to tour a farm. It would be so interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes.
Tammi Roy says
I have never been to a farm before. I think my family will love it. I want to see the piglets.
Ann Bacciaglia says
The pigs look so cute. I would love to try those meatballs. It would be a fun day there.
Kathy says
What a great tour. I absolutely love pigs! Those meatballs look amazing too. Yum!
Kristin says
Farm to table for sure. Looks like a learning experience.
Dawn Lopez says
I’m so glad the pigs are treated humanely! I always try to buy meat from responsible farms. It was interesting to see how the farm functions!
Kelly Hutchinson says
Awesome. Looks like a really good tour. I love to see where all the food comes from. Quite educational.
Melissa says
I wish every farmer would read this post and be inspired to make these kinds of changes to their production. I love that you got to see these pigs being treated so humanely and that they were not left in crates. Bravo to this farm!
Amy Desrosiers says
I love farm to table fresh foods. I try not to think about where my food comes from but I did grow up on a farm.
Janis says
I don’t eat much meat but I do love farm animals. Your photos are really fun, especially the ones of those cute (and very muddy) pigs.
Don Gibb says
I was also on this tour and was very impressed with Bonnie and Greg’s operation. I also happen to be the mayor of Rosemary and would love it if your readers came to see the Spragg farm and meat shop.
Tara Noland says
They do an extremely fine job and I hope more people do come out to lovely Rosemary. It is like a slice of heaven there.