The Irvings started producing premium sausages in 2006 and haven’t looked back.
“We started by renovating a small room in our basement into a commercial kitchen and sold at a few farmers’ markets. From there it has continued to grow,” Nicola explains. “In 2008, we moved to a bigger farm and we raised pigs of our own. Our facility is now 15 times bigger than when we started. Everything is made from scratch, with simple fresh ingredients. We taught ourselves butchery skills, and now cut and prepare just about anything that can be made from pork.”
Prized Berkshire Pigs
Irvings Farm Fresh raises their pigs with the utmost care. The pigs happily move freely outside all year, with access to shade and warmth whenever they need it. The Irvings do not use hormones or antibiotics as part of raising their animals. They have happy, friendly pigs who lead stress-free lives.
These pigs aren’t just any pigs. The Berkshire pigs at the Irving’s Farm are like pig royalty – Berkshire pork is sought after for its incredible depth of flavour and luxurious fat marbling. In Japan, Berkshire pork is called Kurobuta, which means black gold, and is held in the same esteem as the famous Kobe beef.
The combination of the excellent Berkshire pork with the extreme care the animals are shown at Irvings Farm Fresh produces meat and pork products that are truly exceptional. Their bestseller is their bacon, which is absolutely incredible. People from all walks of life, but especially British expats, love Irvings’ sausages. Of course, nobody can resist succulent Berkshire pork chops or a roast complete with crackling.
The product line available at Irvings Farm Fresh is extensive. It includes 10 varieties of sausages, bacon, ham and Berkshire pork cuts. Some British favourites include black and white pudding, sausage rolls, English pork pie, Lancashire sausage and leek sausage.
On the Irvings Farm Fresh website, you can find a number of the Irving’s favourite recipes that all feature pork. Bacon truffle cream corn, bacon cake, herb crusted pork tenderloin – every recipe sounds delicious.
Nicola has a hard time choosing her favourite recipe. “The winner would be porchetta – it is a pork loin and belly, stuffed and then rolled up, with the skin on the outside, and then roasted to make it crispy. Anything with that crispy crackling is a winner! That is most probably our British heritage – the brits love their crackling!”
Irvings Farm Fresh is still growing and evolving. “We have emerged from the pandemic stronger than ever. The support for our small business over the last 18 months has been amazing. We are very grateful,” says Nicola. “It is wonderful to see the support for local producers and a better appreciation for what it means to buy locally. We will continue to build our business and keep our customers happy!”
Irvings Farm Fresh products can be purchased at their farm store which is open Thursday to Saturday from 10am until 4pm at 18469 Township Road 484 in Camrose County. Their sausages and other meat products are also available at a variety of retailers, restaurants, and farmer’s markets around the province. Check out the full listings on the Irvings Farm Fresh website.
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