Kunekune
Our current team consists of Lippy, Dahlia, Tiger, and Marshall, who are all registered with the IKHG. We make soaps and other products using their tallow. Soon, butchered meat will be available.
Ruby
Four years ago, when we embarked on the journey of making our land more self-sustaining, we swiftly opted to broaden our scope from raising chickens to including pigs. Our experience with Kunekune pigs commenced with Ruby, our inaugural pig, who inspired the name of our homestead. She served as a robust foundation upon which we have since built our current pig population.
Pork Tallow Benefits
Pasture-raised pork tallow is one of the best natural sources of vitamin D on earth. It’s also rich in vitamins A, B complex, E, and K, as well as Omega Fatty Acids and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). Its fatty acid profile is incredibly similar to human skin, making it one of the best natural moisturizers.
Our Tallow Products
At RAF, we receive pork fat from our Kunekune pigs directly from our butcher and then use a time-honored dry-rendering method to clarify it. This traditional process ensures that the tallow retains its beneficial properties, making it ideal for a variety of skin care products. We use the “nose to tail” approach to ensure that every part of the animal is used sustainably, minimizing waste and maximizing nutrition. We currently offer soaps, lip balms, and body lotions. We will soon be offering USDA-inspected meat, and will be increasing our lard/tallow based products.
Kunekune History
Kunekune pigs represent a heritage breed originating from New Zealand. Their name, pronounced “Cooney Cooney,” translates to fat and round in the Māori language. The Māori people held these pigs in high regard due to their richly marbled meat, substantial fat content, and gentle temperament. They facilitated the spread of this breed across New Zealand by gifting them to other tribes and maintaining them in semi-wild herds. Although considered semi-domesticated, these pigs roamed freely alongside the nomadic Māori. In the 1970s, Kunekune pigs faced the threat of extinction. During this period, their use as a meat source diminished among the Māori, leading to their obscurity on a global scale. Two wildlife park proprietors, Michael Willis and John Simster, learned of the breed and embarked on a journey across New Zealand to acquire every Kunekune available for purchase. Ultimately, they located only 18 pigs, which constituted the original breeding stock, later supplemented by additional animals, thus establishing the Kunekune studbook.