***UPDATED INFO - February 8, 2012***

Upcoming Litters for Feb & March Include the Following:

Hamish (Imported Mahia Love) X Carrington (Imported Jenny)

Hamish (Imported Mahia Love) X Liberty (Jenny/Andrew)

Winston (Imported Te Whangi) X Fancy (Jenny/Andrew)

NZ F1 Gen. Boar (Imported New Zealand) X Gloucestershire (Jenny/Mahia Love)

Karloff (Boris) X NZ F1 Gen. Gilt (Imported New Zealand)

Ezra (Te Whangi/Jenny) X Marzipan (Imported Aria Giana)

Hance (Tonganui/Jenny) X Beautiful (Jenny/Te Whangi)

Willoughby (Mahia Love/Aria Giana) X Windsor (Jenny/Mahia Love)

Hance (Tonganui/Jenny) X Pemberley (Jenny/Te Whangi)

Brother (Mahia Love/Aria Giana) X Porridge (Jenny/Te Whangi)

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Hamish (Mahia Love/NZ import) X Annie Bea (Jenny/Andrew)

Farrowed January 26, 2012

Boar - Ginger/Black Wattles 2  Boar - Blk/Wht  Wattles 2

Gilt - Ginger/Black Wattles 2  Gilt - Blk/Wht  Wattles 2

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Hamish (Mahia Love/NZ import) X Portrait (Wilsons Gina (Andrew))

Farrowed January 24, 2012

Boar - Black Wattles 2     Boar - Black/White  Wattles 2

Gilt - Black Wattles 0     Gilt - Black  Wattles 0

Gilt - Black Wattles 0     Gilt - Ginger/Black Wattles 2

Olde Reminisce Farms/USA Kunekunes has always made it our ambition to produce Kunekune Pigs of quality, substance, and type.  These qualities have been the top priority of our breeding program along with the improvement of the breed by means of genetic diversity, culling, and careful selection for mating.

In the past year or so, the genetics available in this country have vastly improved.  This has allowed us to be even more selective with our breeding stock and gives us the opportunity to utilize only the most outstanding examples of the breed.  In an effort to produce Kunekune Pigs that not only look like Kunekune Pigs (type/traits), but also act like Kunekune Pigs (temperament/behavior), we have made some serious decisions about how to meet our high standard for the quality known as "TYPE".  The "USA" breeding program at Olde Reminisce Farms will be utilizing only IMPROVED progeny from some of the existing bloodlines as well as eliminating some proven breeders from our breeding program all together.  The goal of producing pigs of the highest quality and preserving the very unique and beneficial qualities of a wide head, dished face, and short up-turned snout is and will remain a top priority in the breeding program at Olde Reminisce.

Olde Reminisce Farms, owned and operated by Jim & Lori Enright, is home to the USA Herd of Kunekune Pigs formerly known as "USA Kunekunes".

Jim and I discovered the fabulous characteristics of the Kunekune Pig breed when we obtained our first purebred Kunekune gilt in 1999.  At the time, we had been raising commercial type breeds such as Yorkshires and crosses with the local 4H as well as some miniature breeds.  We could clearly see the difference in the Kunes from the other breeds and this was even more evident when we later obtained a Kunekune Cross.  The cross was much calmer and friendlier than the other breeds, but did not take on the extremely docile temperament of the Kunekune Pig breed.

Wishing to start a breeding program for Kunekunes and finding that breeding stock from the original herd of Kunekune Pigs imported from New Zealand in 1995 (by Katie Rigby of Abilene, KS) was unobtainable, we looked outside of this country for the possibilty of importing our foundation bloodlines.  Jim and I imported breeding stock in 2005 from Andy & Maureen Case's Long Ash Farm of Dorset, England to begin the breeding program known as "USA Kunekunes".  Our original stock consisted of the following lines:  Andrew & Te Whangi (Boar Lines) and Jenny & Trish (Sow Lines).  Unfortunately, the Trish sow was never to provide us with offspring so we established our breeding program with the three remaining bloodlines.

Seeing that the Kunekune Pig breed was not being promoted in the United States, we began to advertise the breed in various magazines and publications and we were the first to launch a website for the Kunekune Pig in this country.  From that time, we have worked to promote, improve, and preserve the breed.  We were the first to promote and to freely sell Kunekune Pigs in this country and our breeding stock began all of the breeding programs established in the United States from 2006 until 2009.  With the arrival of our first litter of piglets in June of 2006, Jim and I (Co-Founders) and Kim Croix (Co-Registrar) launched  the registry for the breed in America called the American Kunekune Breeders' Association.  The registry was formed as a service to those who had purchased breeding stock from us and has grown to include all breeders who wish to benefit from their association with AKBA.  At that time, we ramped up our efforts toward working to obtain the most diverse genetics possible from within this country and abroad.

After the redistribution of the original Rigby herd in 2007, Cyndi Berry of Kunekune Preserve inherited a portion of Ms. Rigby's pigs with which she began her breeding operation.  Cyndi was kind enough to provide the pedigrees on all of Rigby's pigs and with the help of the New Zealand Kunekune Association herd books, I was able to identify three bloodlines, Tonganui (Boar), Wilsons Gina (Sow), and Rona (Sow).  This proved to be quite a boon for the breed as, in 2009, KKP and USA Kunekunes worked together to combine the limited genetics from each of the breeding herds.  This doubled the available bloodlines almost immediately.  Sometime later, I discovered an additional Boar Line among the pedigrees of KKP which is now known as the "Boris" Boar Line.  Boris boars are still very rare in this country.

2010 marked the year that we were able to partner with some of our buyers to import addtional bloodlines from New Zealand.  This was the only importation directly from New Zealand since the original imports in 1995.  With this import, we were able to add the Mahia Love Boar Line and the Aria Giana Sow Line.  In 2011, Olde Reminsce Farms increased our available bloodlines, again, by obtaining two first generation pigs from the New Zealand imports.  The new boar line dubbed "Roa Nui" meaning "long time/important" as it took a good deal of patience to wait for this important addition to America's Kunekune population.  The sow line has been crowned "Wahine Olly" to pay tribute to her dam, the first of the New Zealand imports to produce a fine litter of "kiwi babies".

At Olde Reminisce Farms, the Kunekune Pig is the main attraction.  Our pigs are known for their quality, substance and especially for their type.  We strive to produce a Kunekune that looks and acts like a Kunekune.  Our pigs are small and slow growing with short legs and some length of body.  We breed for a wide "teddy bear" head with a short and up-turned snout.  Our pigs' ears can be erect or semi-lop but do not obstruct the eyes.  We choose our "keepers" based on these and other qualities, a gentle and brave disposition, and with the requisite curly tail.

Olde Reminisce Farms raises Kunekune Pigs with the intention to improve and maintain our herd, sell quality animals to others, and to raise meat pigs for sale and use by our family.

A special thank you to:

Andy & Maureen Case - Long Ash Farm, Dorset, England

Cyndi Berry - Kunekune Preserve USA, Mt. Pleasant, NC

New Zealand Kunekune Association members

For information regarding the breed, please see the website for the American Kunekune Breeders' Association at www.americankunekunebreeders.com

DECEMBER 19, 2011

It has been our pleasure and priviedge to provide pigs this Christmas season to some of the best known and most respected chefs and restaurants in Southern California, specifically Orange and Los Angeles counties.

Our very sincere thanks go to Chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy, Long Beach (primalalchemy.com), Chef Greg Daniels of Haven Gastropub of Orange and Pasadena (havengastropub.com) and Chef David Coleman of Michael's on Naples of Long Beach (michaelsonnaples.com) for their purchase of our pasture raised Kunekune Pigs.  We owe a great deal of gratitude to Chef Paul for his support and promotion of the Kunekune Pig herd at Olde Reminisce Farms.  His dedication to the art of charcuterie, commitment to purchasing locally and sustainably, and efforts in educating the public of their importance is exemplary.

Please show your support to these fine chefs and give them your compliments as you patronize their fine establishments.  We need more chefs who see our vision for farming and as they support us we shall, in turn, support them and their goals/mission for creating nutritious and tasty meals from local and seasonal ingredients.

Chef Paul Buchanan - Primal Alchemy of Long Beach, CA

Chef Greg Daniels - Haven Gastropub of Orange and Pasadena, CA

Chef David Coleman - Michael's on Naples of Long Beach, CA

We are experiencing ever increasing interest in the Kunekune Pig for quality meat and fat.  Yes, the current trend among chefs includes the use of the whole hog and that includes the fat.  At Olde Reminisce, we offer our pigs a variety of feeds which include, but are not limited to, pasture grass, hay, wheat, barley, limited fruits and veggies, and spent brewery grains.  Our efforts are to produce a quality, marbled meat as well as a good quantity of useable fat.  Many chefs in the Southern California area are recognizing the Kunekune Pig as a small rival to the Mangalitsa Pig.  That is quite the compliment!

We are pleased to have had the opportunity to showcase the Kunekune Pig breed at the recent Cochon 555 event in Los Angeles, CA.  Amelia Posada and Erika Nakamura of Lindy & Grundy (awesome old-school butcher shop in L.A.)honored us by doing the cut and wrap for the public and sharing the meat with attending chefs from the Southern California area.  Chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy - Long Beach - snuck to the front of the line and ended up with some special cuts including the head of which he used to make "head cheese".  Chef Paul looks to be our biggest fan.  Thanks Chef!

December 10, 2011

Hannah the Heifer will soon be "Hannah the Cow" if all goes as planned.  We've taken her back to the bull, but this time she is at Rainbow Ranch Farms in Pinon Hills with two gorgerous little Irish Dexter bulls.  She was more than willing to exit the trailer and mingle with her newly found friends.....among them Lowline Angus, Holstein crosses, and mini Herefords.  Our hope is to breed her and keep a heifer to breed to the Lessor Jersey bull in our future.  Thanks to Xenia for her very generous offer of her wonderful little bulls and for the love she gives to each and every animal in her care.  Dennis is awesome, too!  Thank you!!!

P.S.  Thank you, Pam, for your endless love and assistance - and for your calm when we blew out a tire on the trailer with Hannah inside.  You are my hero!

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Our first heifer has finally arrived at Olde Reminisce.  We waited a long time to get the girl to the property because she made a detour to the bull on the way.  Hannah (Quailgate Hannah) came to us from the Belle Fourche herd owned by Dr. Gabriella Nanci with a free breeding to the very handsome Lucas of Rocking Horse Ranch Dexters of Ranchita, CA.  We are looking forward to adding more quality cattle, Irish Dexters, Belfair heifers, and a Lessor Jersey bull to our herd along with Hannah's future progeny.  We will keep you posted!