Join Our Journey: Better Farming, Better Flavor

Rain, Roots, and a Pork Blowout!

What a weekend it has been! We want to start off by saying a massive “Thank You” to everyone who came out for the Ag+Art Tour. If you were here, you know the morning started off a bit chilly with some early rain that had us wondering if we’d be giving tours at all!

But the rain let up, the sun peeked through, and we ended up with a fantastic turnout. It was truly encouraging to see so many people interested in seeing exactly where their food comes from. We did a record number of tours and met folks who traveled from as far as Beaufort and Greenville just to spend the day with us here in Lowrys.

Sausage Drawing Winner 

During the tour, we held a drawing for 10 pounds of our Mild Sausage. We had 36 entries, and we are excited to announce that Keith A. from Rock Hill is our winner! Keith, we will be contacting you soon so you can get that sausage cooking.

Why Pastured Pork Matters

During the tours yesterday, many of you were surprised to learn a sobering statistic: over 97% of pork in the United States is raised on concrete in total confinement. Most pigs never see a blade of grass, feel the sun on their backs, or get the chance to do what they were created to do: root.

Pigs are natural foragers. On our farm, they live in what we call a “savanna” environment—paddocks with plenty of shade and a buffet of volunteer forages like ryegrass and lambs-quarter. This lifestyle doesn’t just make for a happier pig; it results in a vastly different nutritional profile and flavor for the consumer.

If you want to see exactly how our pigs live, check out one of our all-time most popular videos below. It’s a simple walk-through of a paddock where you can see them enjoying the green grass and sunshine:

THE PASTURED PORK BLOWOUT EVENT

May 3 – May 31 (While Supplies Last)

To celebrate the season and get our nutrient-dense pork into more freezers, we are officially launching our Pastured Pork Blowout! These deals are live starting today and will run through the end of the month.

Please note that these bundle discounts are on top of the already built-in savings you get when buying in bulk.

Featured Bundle Deals:

Innovation in the Broiler Field + Ag+Art Tour 🐓☀️

Hello friends,

April is wrapping up here in Chester, though it’s looking a little more dusty than vibrant lately. We are staring down a significant drought, so the pastures aren’t exactly the lush green we’d hope for this time of year. That said, the grass is holding its own and the cattle are doing just fine. We’re just staying observant and hoping for a good soaking rain as we head into May.

🎨 Mark Your Calendars: The Ag+Art Tour is Next Saturday!

We are thrilled to announce that Watson Farms will once again be a featured stop on the South Carolina Ag+Art Tour for Chester County!

The tour takes place Saturday, May 2, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

If you aren’t familiar with the tour, it is the nation’s largest free, self-guided tour of farms and markets that features local artisans at every stop. It’s a wonderful opportunity for you to see first-hand where your food comes from, watch artists in action, and enjoy a day in the country with the whole family.

What to expect at Watson Farms:

• Wagon Rides: We’ll be running the tractor and wagon to give you a front-row seat to our regenerative grazing practices.
• Meet the Animals: See our grass-fed cattle, pastured pigs, and our newest flocks of broiler chickens in action.
• Local Artisans: We will have several talented local creators stationed at the farm showcasing their work.
• Farm Store: Our store will be open and fully stocked with your favorite pasture-raised meats, honey, and more.

It’s a “rain or shine” event, so grab your boots and come see us! You can find the full map of Chester County stops on the official Ag+Art website.

🏠 New Chicken Houses: From Construction to Deployment

If you remember back in Pasture Posts #264, we shared that our team was in the middle of constructing two brand-new pasture broiler houses. We are happy to report that these houses are officially finished and deployed!

Our team did an incredible job with the assembly and setup. Seeing these structures out on the pasture—especially knowing they travel through fields that are just a stone’s throw away from the old, empty confinement turkey barn—is a constant reminder of why we transitioned to this regenerative model.

The birds are already moved in and are loving their “salad bar” of fresh grass and bugs, with the houses being moved to a fresh patch of ground every single day.

🚿 High-Tech Comfort: The Solar-Powered Sprinkler System

The Pyramid Just Got Flipped! 🥩 🔄

Hello friends,

April is in full swing here in Chester, and the pastures are hanging in there although the hot weather and worsening drought this past week has put some strain on them.

But while we’ve been busy moving the herd each day, something massive has been shifting in the world of nutrition. If you’ve been following the news lately, you might have seen that the federal government finally did something many of us thought we’d never see: they flipped the food pyramid.

A “Gift” for Real Food Believers

For decades, we were told to build our diets on a foundation of grains and carbohydrates, while viewing animal proteins and fats with a side-eye. But the new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines have turned that old model on its head—literally.

The new “inverted” pyramid now places high-quality animal proteins, full-fat dairy, and whole foods at the top of the priority list. It’s a move toward recognizing what you, our savvy customers, have known for a long time: Real, nutrient-dense animal protein is the pinnacle of human nutrition. You can read the official announcement from the USDA on this “historic reset” here.

Insights from a Friend of the Farm

Joel Salatin recently called this a “gift” in his latest column. As many of you know, Joel is a long-time friend of Watson Farms—he even spent a day here back in April 2020 helping us navigate our transition out of the turkey business. In his latest article for The Stockman Grass Farmer, he wrote:

“The new inverted pyramid placing animal protein on top represents not only a return to historic normalcy but a renewed narrative of affirmation and acceptance to a demonized segment of American agriculture. All sectors of the livestock industry stand to benefit, but pastured livestock producers even more.”

While some of you may have written off government guidelines years ago (and we don’t blame you!), this shift is a massive win for awareness. It brings the conversation back to real food and away from the ultra-processed “fake meats” that have been pushed so hard recently.