Welcoming Kanuga’s Newest Members: Mangalitsa Pigs

11.26.2018 - Kanuga Stories

In October, Kanuga enjoyed more than just the arrival of fall color. On October 29, seven Mangalitsa piglets arrived on campus as part of an effort to expand Kanuga’s agricultural education program.

A New Life for a Special Breed

Once on the brink of extinction, this heritage breed is finding a second chance at Kanuga. The litter is currently living in a small pen on Kanuga’s outer property that protects them from predators and allows them to bond with their caregivers. As they grow, they will roam a two-acre pen and prepare the ground for future agricultural projects.

While they live at Kanuga, the pigs are enjoying a healthy, humane, and natural life. “While they are here with us, our goal is to keep them as happy and healthy as possible,” says Clint DeWitt, Environmental Projects Manager.

The pigs enjoy a daily diet of fresh fruit and vegetables—courtesy of the prep scraps from Kanuga’s kitchen. Their meals are also supplemented by foraging in the penned off forest, 100% grain feed, and spent grain from Fermented Nonsense in Arden, NC.

Teaching about Sustainability by Example

Clint hopes the pigs will inspire Kanuga guests of all ages. “For years, we have been teaching campers, students, and guests at Kanuga about where their food comes from through the Foster Organic Garden program,” says Clint.

While this initial effort is a trial project, future plans involve integrating the pigs into the garden ecology and sustainable futures classes at the Mountain Trail Outdoor School (MTOS). Camp Bob campers will also see and interact with the pigs during their time on campus.

By mid-year, Clint hopes to have a program in place to showcase Kanuga’s gardens and piggery to Summer Guest Period visitors.

“Our goal is inspire people,” says Clint. “We want guests to be able to explore the ways they can become a little more sustainable, and how they can deepen their connection to the world God has entrusted to us.”