Oldfarm's stated mission is to bring you the taste of 'real' pork! And indeed they do as they produce tasty, succulent free-range pork which is delivered directly to your door.
Far from being the umpteenth generation to farm here, Margaret O'Farrell and Alfie McCaffrey relocated from Dublin to north Tipperary in search of a new rural life some years ago. They settled on a spot about halfway between Portumna and Banagher and, deciding to rear free range pigs, chose the British Saddleback, for its good nature and hardiness.
Easy to recognise with their wide white band on a black background, the aptly named Saddlebacks are hardy enough to live outdoors (with access to shelter) all year and they eat a natural, gm-free diet. Just what's need for great-tasting meat that's in a league of its own when it comes to texture and cooking qualities, especially the crunchy crackling that you just don't get with too-lean commercial breeds.
Margaret and Alfie sell their fresh pork, bacon and preservative-free sausages directly to restaurants, and to the public through their website at a flat rate (€14.50 per kg); they can deliver anywhere in Ireland for a small delivery charge.
And that's not all you can buy, as they often have piglets for sale, and they offer pig rearing courses too - time and money well spent if you're thinking of taking up this increasingly popular traditional activity, or the perfect gift for a friend or relative who's hankering after the Good Life.
Margaret's blog, A Year in Redwood, caught the public imagination and won the Blog Awards Ireland best Lifestyle blog in 2012, and the couple and their farm have featured in countless food and lifestyle features. But when it comes to the crunch it's the quality of their pork that counts - and it's brilliant.
Visitors welcome. Online and telephone orders.
