Producer: Dianne Bettin
State: Minnesota
About The Farm: Family owned and operated for over 100 years, Rainbow Hog Farms has a 350 sow farrow-to-finish (birth-to-harvest) farm in Martin County, Minnesota. Dianne and her family live in the 100-year-old farmhouse that her mother-in-law was raised in.
What inspires your family? Our family has always built memories around food. We love to try new things and love to showcase pork when we entertain. I am a food channel addict and it is so much fun to watch the great chef's get creative with pork. That inspires me to try new things even more.
What do you think is the number one misconception about pork producers? There are two main misconceptions that bother me about pork producers. The first is that people think we are irresponsible in handling our animals. As a pork producer, I am committed to producing safe, wholesome pork in a socially responsible way. No one cares more than I do about producing high-quality products and that includes providing the best possible care to my animals. The second misconception is when people think pork producers don’t respect the environment. Pork producers are natural protectors of the environment because they realize that taking good care of the environmental and natural resources is not only the right thing to do, but it's also smart business.
What is one interesting/intriguing fact about you and/or your farm? I love to garden. I have my garden recorded on graph paper dating back to 1982. Our home-canned and frozen bounty plus our pork in the freezer keeps my family eating healthy all winter.
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Dianne in the farrowing barn |