FarmLife at BF Farm Kunekune Pigs
How BF Farm Kunekune Pigs Found Its Way to Kunekune Pigs
May 9, 2026 · Farm Life
I was not raised as a farmer. I grew up in New Jersey, later moved to Georgia, and spent much of my working life in a career that had nothing to do with livestock, pastures, fencing, breeding decisions, or farm chores. Farming came later in life, and when it came, it changed everything.
Back in 2009, I purchased a small farm in Cave Spring, Georgia. At the time, I had never been a farmer before. I was learning as I went, figuring things out one day at a time, and discovering very quickly that farm life has a way of pulling you in.
For several years, the farm grew while I was still working, and after retiring from the CDC in 2016, I decided to give farming a more serious try. What started as a new adventure became a real farm business, with different animals, different lessons, and eventually one breed that became my lasting passion: Kunekune pigs.
Starting Out in Cave Spring, Georgia
The Cave Spring farm was only about 40 acres, but at the time it felt like a big opportunity.
We started out focusing mostly on Kiko goats. The goats were really my partner's passion, and they became one of the first serious parts of the farm business. They were hardy animals, practical for the land, and a good way for us to begin learning livestock management.
Cave Spring was cattle country, and being surrounded by cattle naturally made us curious. We started thinking, "Why not cattle too?" So we began by buying regular stock from different sale barns and raising a few head of cattle.
We enjoyed it more than we expected.
There is something rewarding about watching a herd develop, learning how different animals grow, and seeing the results of careful management. Those first cattle gave us confidence and helped us understand that livestock could become more than a side interest.
Discovering Black Hereford Cattle
Eventually, someone told us about a newer breed called Black Hereford cattle.
The idea made sense to us. Buyers often liked the black hide, and Herefords were known for being a larger, productive animal. The combination had market appeal, and Black Herefords were gaining attention.
So we went searching for breeders and purchased several Black Herefords. For the next couple of years, they produced nice offspring, and the herd began to grow. What started as a few head of cattle turned into a serious breeding effort.
As the cattle numbers increased, the farm became busier and busier. Between the Kiko goats, the cattle, the pigs, and the other animals, it became clear that 40 acres was not enough room for what BF Farm Kunekune Pigs was becoming.
Kunekune Pigs Entered the Story Early
The Kunekune pigs did not come later as an afterthought. They entered the story back in Cave Spring, too.
Around 2009, we heard about a cross between American Guinea Hogs and Kunekune pigs. We purchased a couple of those crossbred pigs, raised them, bred them, and found them fascinating.
They were different from the cattle and goats. They were smaller, calmer, easier to handle, and full of personality. They fit a small-farm setting in a way that made sense. The more time we spent with them, the more interested we became in the Kunekune side of that cross.
We started researching Kunekunes and learned that registered Kunekune pigs were more desirable, had a growing market, and were valued by people looking for pasture-friendly pigs with good temperament and manageable size.
That led us to search for reputable breeders. Eventually, we purchased several Kunekune breeder-stock animals from a great farm in Pennsylvania, and that became the foundation of our Kunekune breeding program.
The Kunekune side of BF Farm Kunekune Pigs began expanding while we were still in Cave Spring. Alongside the Kiko goats and Black Hereford cattle, Kunekunes had already become an important part of the farm.
Moving the Farm to Huggins, Missouri
As the farm grew, we knew we needed more land.
We began searching across the country and eventually found a wonderful 200-acre farm in Huggins, Missouri. It offered the room we needed and the opportunity to grow the livestock operation in a more practical way.
We sold the farm in Cave Spring, Georgia, moved to Huggins, Missouri, and brought the animals with us. That move included Black Hereford cattle, Kiko goats, and about 10 Kunekune breeder-stock pigs.
It was a big step, but it felt like the right one. We were not just moving a household. We were moving the future of BF Farm Kunekune Pigs.
Growing in Missouri
Once we settled in Huggins, the livestock continued to grow.
The Black Herefords did very well, and by 2018 we had more than 100 head of cattle. For a time, cattle were a major part of BF Farm Kunekune Pigs. The herd was successful, the offspring were strong, and the business continued to expand.
The Kiko goats continued as well, tied closely to my partner's passion and interest in that part of the farm. The Kunekune pigs also kept developing, and having more land gave us better room to manage the animals and continue building the breeding program.
For a while, BF Farm Kunekune Pigs was a mix of all three: Black Hereford cattle, Kiko goats, and Kunekune pigs.
But over time, the Kunekunes stood out more and more. They were manageable, enjoyable, practical, and well suited to the kind of farm I personally wanted to continue building.
When the Farm Had to Change
As much as I enjoyed the Black Herefords, farming has seasons.
By 2022, life had changed. My partner and I had split up, and I became the sole owner of the farm. That changed the direction of BF Farm Kunekune Pigs in a very real way.
The Kiko goats faded from the business after the breakup. They had been my partner's passion, and when that partnership ended, that part of the farm naturally came to an end as well.
The cattle side became difficult too. Managing a large Black Hereford herd alone was simply too much. Black Herefords had been good to us, and I enjoyed them, but the reality of handling that many cattle by myself was no longer practical.
Over time, I made the decision to move on from the cattle. By 2025, the cattle had been sold off, and I was able to focus more fully on the animals that had truly become my passion: Kunekune pigs.
Why Kunekunes Became the Lasting Passion
Kunekune pigs have a way of standing out.
They are not just pigs that are fun to look at. They are practical animals for the right farm. They are well suited for pasture-based systems, they are generally gentle and social, and they are far more manageable than many larger hog breeds.
For me, Kunekunes became the kind of livestock that made sense long term. They were easier to manage than a large cattle herd, but they still had real purpose. They could support families and homesteads interested in breeder stock, meat production, and responsible small-farm livestock.
Most of all, I enjoyed working with them.
That matters. Farming is hard work no matter what animals you raise. If you are going to do it every day, through heat, cold, mud, chores, breeding decisions, farrowing, feeding, and customer questions, it helps to truly care about the animals you are raising.
Kunekunes became that animal for me.
BF Farm Kunekune Pigs Today
Today, BF Farm Kunekune Pigs is focused on Kunekune pigs because that is where my passion has remained.
The farm has changed a lot over the years. It started with a small farm in Cave Spring, Georgia, with Kiko goats, sale-barn cattle, Black Herefords, and Kunekune pigs. It grew into a larger Missouri farm with cattle, goats, and about 10 Kunekune breeder-stock pigs making the move with us. It became a successful cattle operation, and then it changed again when life made it necessary to simplify and refocus.
The goats had been tied closely to my partner's interests. The cattle had grown into a large operation that became too much to manage alone. Through all of those changes, Kunekune pigs stayed.
They became more than an interesting breed. They became the part of the farm I most wanted to continue.
BF Farm Kunekune Pigs now focuses on quality Kunekune breeder stock for families, homesteads, and small farms that want pigs with good temperament, structure, usefulness, and long-term value. Whether someone is interested in raising their own meat, starting a responsible breeding program, or building a manageable pasture-based herd, our goal is to provide pigs and guidance that help them begin the right way.
As time goes on, I may need to reduce the number of pigs I keep. That is just part of being realistic about farm work, time, and what one person can manage well. But my love for Kunekunes will never change. They bring me so much joy, and I do not see a future for myself without them.
Final Thoughts
When I bought that first farm in Cave Spring, Georgia, I did not come from a farming background. I was a New Jersey kid who moved south, worked a career, retired from the CDC, and decided to try my hand at something completely different.
I learned goats. I learned cattle. I built a Black Hereford herd. I moved farms. I made mistakes, learned lessons, and eventually found the livestock that felt like the right fit.
For BF Farm Kunekune Pigs, that fit became Kunekune pigs.
They were part of the farm before the move to Missouri. They came with us when BF Farm Kunekune Pigs grew. They remained after the goats and cattle were gone. And they are still the animals I enjoy raising, breeding, and sharing with others today.
Farming has changed shape for me over the years, but the Kunekunes have remained the heart of it. However the farm may change in the future, I cannot imagine my life without these pigs being part of it.