We Are Indiana Agriculture: The Hills

By Sarah Mahan of This Farm Family's Life

Heather and Marc Hill farm in Hancock County along with their three kids, Addison, Reese, and Hadley, and Marc’s parents, Steve and Debi.  Hill Farms raises corn, soybeans, wheat and pigs.  Marc is the 4^th generation of his family to raise pigs in Hancock County.  “All of the corn we raise on our family farm is used to feed our pigs,” Heather explains.  “We market the majority of the 13,000 pigs we raise each year to Tyson and other packers so that our pork ends up in a grocery store near you; however, we do sell a small percentage of our pigs under our private label, The Pork Shoppe.”Nearly 10 years ago, Debi and Heather started The Pork Shoppe as a way to educate their neighbors about their farm and raise some money for the Hill kids’ college by selling retail pork cuts directly to consumers via farmer’s markets and other retail locations.  “I created the business plan as a part of my final project when I received my MBA.  Today we sell pork under The Pork Shoppe label year-round at  the Farmer’s Market at the fairgrounds in Greenfield, the Statehouse Market from May to October, Tuttle Orchards, the online Hoosier Harvest Market and via appointment.”

All of the pigs at Hill Farms are raised the same, whether they are selling them to Tyson or for The Pork Shoppe.  “Our pigs are our top priority on our family farm and ensuring that we raise healthy pigs so that our family and all of yours have safe and nutritious pork to eat is what it is all about.  Our family is proud to carry on the tradition that was started by our family so many years ago and to be able to build upon their knowledge and combine it with current education to make the best decisions for our animals.  My grandfather died over 25 years ago, and I can only wish that he could see how we raise our pigs today.”

So, whether you buy pork at the grocery store or the farmers’ markets, as a former Indiana Pork Producers Association President, Heather can ensure you that the farmers who raised those pigs provided the best care possible to their pigs.

You can follow along with Heather’s family’s adventures at www.3kidsandlotsofpigs.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/3kidsandlotsofpigs, and on Twitter and Instagram at @proudporkmom.