A humane and sustainable approach has paid off for the family behind Yker Acres

At Yker Acres, Sara and Matt Weik are dedicated to raising pigs in the right way.

While Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations have spread across the country, there is a movement to go back to raising pigs with a focus on environmental sustainability and humane treatment of the animals. Yker Acres is one of fewer than 10 percent of hog operations in the US that take pigs from “farrow to finish.” Farrow to finish means just that — the pigs live there entire lives on the farm from the time they are born to the time they are harvested. And throughout their lives, they are given access to the outdoors, fresh air and fresh food (and, according to Sara, lots of love).

Sara and Matt began as homesteaders, launching their farm in 2014 as a way to bring sustainable meat to their community on a small 20-acre farm and were so successful, they had to expand, moving to the gorgeous 160-acre spread they enjoy today. In addition to farming, they, along with son Josey, enjoy biking, which is how they met up with Mike Phillips of Red Table Meat Co. During a ride, Mike over heard Josey talking about pig farming. Conversation ensued and today, Yker Acres supplies whole hogs to Red Table in Minneapolis to create specialty items that are made available to Kieran’s Kitchen exclusively.

In addition to directly supplying some of the region’s best restaurants as well as having packaged products available at local stores like Whole Foods Market and Cook County Coop, Matt and Sara host chef dinners on their beautiful farm, which is just south of Duluth. In talking with Matt as we were wrapping our interview, he mentioned that he’s working on launching a butcher shop that will allow the Weiks to connect even further with their Minnesota community. Yker Acres is a perfect example of how small farms can not only survive, but also thrive.

Yker Acres
2387 Gillogly Road, Carlton, MN