Clark's Old Peach Tree Farm
Madison, VA
Clark’s Old Peach Tree Farm is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the foot of Old Rag Mountain and along the rolling Hughes River in Madison, Virginia. They are a pasture/woodland raised pork operation specializing in heritage breed hogs. Their goal is to bring back the traditional farming methods that run deep in their family history while creating a wholesome and delicious product. Their hogs are fed a non-GMO feed, primarily consisting of barley and wheat. When available, they receive non-GMO corn cobs and during the fall, when readily accessible, they receive their all-time favorite treat, pumpkins. They allow their hogs to reach market on their own terms and never push them past their natural production abilities. The farm’s pastures allow their herds to forage from a variety of different natural food sources. These include a variety of grasses, tree nuts and berries that are readily accessible in different seasons.
Since Clark’s Old Peach Tree Farm hogs are raised on pasture and are not fed a corn-based diet or large quantities of corn, the taste varies from what you would find in major grocery stores. When looking at their product, it is easy to see the beautiful marbling that occurs as a direct result of their hogs reaching market weight naturally and having the ability to roam freely. Since they farrow their own litters it allows them to know each animal from birth to slaughter. This also helps to control some external factors which allow for the animals to experience a low stress environment and faster natural growth times. The Clark Family is confident that you will find their pork so much better than what you might find in your neighborhood grocery store. In fact, they are so confident that you will be happy with their pork that they back all of their products with a satisfaction guarantee.
The Clark Family consists of four dedicated family members. The farm is the family’s second job, though they hope to one day become full-time farmers. The family’s agricultural roots run deep, going back multiple generations of family farmers. In addition to running the farm, Allan and Kim, are co-owners of a Class A Licensed construction business, Allan F. Clark Construction Inc. Megan, age 21, is in college at West Virginia University pursing a degree in Agricultural Business Management and Resource Management. Morgan, age 12, is in Middle School, but a large part in the operation in more ways than one. In addition to the pork operation, the farm doubles as a commercial cow – calf operation, managing approximately 150 head of cattle.
In June, the family started leasing a new property they hold near and dear to their hearts. This land was previously a large and prosperous hog operation and orchard owned by close family friends. Years later, the Clark Family is now caring for this land and running their own successful hog operation. They hope to one day be able to restore the previous glory of the land and the farm. The new land allows the hogs to have more room to roam, more pastures for rotation, readily available water sources, and lots of shade to take cover from the enduring heat of the summer. This property has become a viable part of the business and allows ease of expansion as the operation grows with demand.
According to Megan, “We take great pride in our style of farming and all the products we offer. For us, this isn’t just a job, but a way of life we wish more people could experience.”
If you have further questions about the Clark Family’s farming practices or products, or just want to tell them how much you enjoyed their pork or plan a day to go out and visit their farm, please feel free to contact them at OldPeachTreeFarm@gmail.com.