When most visitors think of the Biltmore Estate, they picture the grandeur of America’s largest home or the beauty of its world-famous gardens. However, just beyond the manicured lawns and historic architecture lies a working farm operation. The farm has been part of the estate’s identity since the 1800s, and it’s an agricultural legacy still thriving today.
A fascinating part of that legacy is a herd of Berkshire hogs – a heritage breed that George Vanderbilt himself helped bring to the United States. As Kyle Mayberry, the current director of agriculture at Biltmore, explained, that’s why the breed has deep historical ties to the estate. Vanderbilt sought out Berkshire hogs for their lard because he wanted quality lard to be used in the Biltmore’s cooking. Today, the pork is prized for its rich, full flavor and fine marbling. It’s far from ordinary grocery store fare.
“They were very valuable to a high-end kitchen experience like the Biltmore House kitchen would have been, and so that was a primary reason for being brought over,” Mayberry said. “They also really concentrated on importing some really high-end boars that were actually showcased at the World’s Fair and some other places in the late 1800s, and one of those boars in particular, “Highclere Topper,” was just recently named one of the most influential boars in the American Berkshire breed history by the American Berkshire Association.”
Vanderbilt’s culinary vision extended beyond grand feasts. His estate was designed to be self-sustaining. In addition to pork, it producing its own, beef, poultry, fruits and vegetables for the Biltmore House kitchen. That legacy lives on in today’s farming operations.
Today, Biltmore has about 120 to 200 Berkshire hogs, maintaining a herd that includes about a dozen sows and around 80 to 100 feeder pigs at any given time. The operation is entirely pasture-based, with pigs spending most of their lives outdoors in rotating pastures that support both animal health and soil quality.
“We farrow year-round,” Mayberry said, referring to the process of scheduling births to ensure a steady supply of pork for the estate’s eight restaurants. “We have kind of an intricate schedule of those farrowings so we can move product throughout our busy seasons and throughout 365-day use. So there’s always a kind of fluctuating number of pigs at any given time.”
[learn_more caption=”What Makes Berkshire Pork Special?”] Known as the “Wagyu of pork,” Berkshire is a heritage breed celebrated for its exceptional eating quality. Here’s why chefs and diners love it: (1.)Rich Marbling: Berkshire pork has more intramuscular fat than most conventional breeds, which means more flavor and tenderness in every bite. (2.)Juicy and Tender: The meat is naturally moist and succulent, even when cooked to a safe internal temperature — no dry pork chops here. (3.)Deep, Robust Flavor: Berkshire pork has a distinct, savory taste that holds up well in both simple and gourmet preparations. (4.)Fine Grain Texture: The muscle fibers are shorter and more uniform, resulting in a buttery mouthfeel. (5.)Naturally Darker Meat: Its rosy-red color is more similar to beef than typical pale supermarket pork — another sign of its rich nutrient profile. (6.)A Culinary Favorite: Used in top-tier kitchens around the world, Berkshire pork is especially prized for cuts like pork loin, belly and shoulder.[/learn_more]
The entire breeding, raising and feeding process happens right on the estate. The result is a menu of rich, flavorful dishes that showcase what pasture-raised, heritage-breed pork is truly capable of.
Biltmore’s farm-to-table philosophy isn’t just a buzzword though. It’s woven into everything the estate does. Each bite of pork served in estate restaurants is the result of careful planning, sustainable farming practices and a commitment to preserving the land and its stories. That experience comes full circle through interactive guest experiences like the Farm to Table Tour & Taste, which takes visitors to the lesser-seen west side of the estate to see the farming operation up close. It includes a special meal that features estate-grown ingredients, including Berkshire pork. The tour is available to guest who stay overnight or have an annual pass.
For Mayberry and the agricultural team, the work is about more than production. It’s about stewardship and honoring a 127-year-old legacy while teaching guests about food, sustainability and connection to the land.
“Whether it’s our hog program or beef cattle program or crops or forestry – any of our businesses that are so tied to the land – it’s an incredible legacy we get to be a part of,” he said. “Farming this property that’s been in production for over 127 years, and telling the story that George Vanderbilt originally set out to create of this self-sustaining estate that produced food to support its guests… That’s still the mission we have today. That mission has not changed.
“I think people really care about where their food comes from. They want to know more about where their food comes from, and we get to engage that guest in that story, and that’s really unique, and something that I really find impactful to get to do.”
[button link=”https://www.biltmore.com/blog/un-herd-facts-about-biltmore-agriculture/” type=”big” color=”green”] Read more “Un-Herd Facts about Biltmore Agriculture” on the Biltmore Estate’s blog by clicking here.[/button]