October is National Pork Month
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May we be the first to wish you...
Happy Pork-tober!
October is National Pork Month and it’s a great time to celebrate all things pork!
October became known as Pork Month because it marked the time of year when hogs were traditionally sent to market (and finished curing by April, which is why ham is a traditional food at Easter). Today, pork is available year-round, so October has become a time for celebration — to thank pork producers and share their stories so others will come to love pork as much as they do.
“If you eat, you have a connection to a farmer every day,” said Tim Stroda, President and CEO of the Kansas Pork Association (KPA).
Here are 5 fun ways you can celebrate pork in style this month (or any month, really!):
1. Connect with a Pig Farmer
- Follow @Kansas Pork on Facebook
- Talk to a local pig farmer at a farmers market
- Better yet, schedule a visit with one and go see their operation! (Or visit one virtually at FoodandSwine.com.)
- Read about some pig farmers here
2. Get Cooking with Pork
- Visit Eat Pork for recipes
- Check out Pork Checkoff recipes on Yummly
- Try a few of our favorites here
Honorable Mention: Make some Peanut Butter and Bacon Cookies. Mmmmm, bacon.
3. Engage the Kiddos
- This one-page color sheet makes for a fun children’s activity or you can download a booklet of coloring sheets from EatPork.org.
- Download some brain-teaser pork puzzles from EatPork.org
- Try some of these other ideas to get your kids more engaged form farm to fork
4. Get to Know Your Pork
- Did you know pig farming is sustainable? Compared to 50 years ago, pig farming:
- Requires 78% less land
- Uses, 41% less water
- Has a 35% smaller footprint
- Get the nutritional low-down on pork from the Pork Checkoff
- Learn how lean red meats like pork can be good for your heart health
- And get confident when shopping for pork by checking out these helpful articles
“It’s through smarter farming methods and the support of people who love pork, that we can deliver continual on-farm improvements.” Tim Stroda, President and CEO of the Kansas Pork Association (KPA)
