From Farm to Summit

Chef Scott works with them for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s the closest heritage pork producer to the Rocky Mountains. And that means fresher products, stronger connections and less carbon emissions in transport. Secondly, the pigs here are ethically treated and live on 100 acres of wide-open Prairies. And finally, he says their pork just consistently tastes amazing.

“As a chef, I’m looking for consistently great marbling and a bold flavour,” he says. “Their product is exactly what I’m looking for. I know exactly what I’m getting.”

For the Fasolis, it comes down to lifestyle. They’re former city-living corporate types who traded it all in for farm living and are seeing their small business thrive as part of the farm-to-table and nose-to-tail movement in cuisine across North America. The Fasolis are very passionate about raising their pigs in a free-range and natural environment.
 

Passionate farms, passionate chefs

Christopher and Jessica are firm believers in the importance of process and are self-described 'nerds' about the science of farming. From the breeders they work with to the feed they provide their animals, they’re meticulous about doing the right thing at each step in raising their pigs.

"It's the science that makes us consistent," Jessica says. "And that's something we've completely had to learn. We got really into the marbling and science. And we realized how just changing something small in the feed can make such a huge impact."

The animals are all high in Omega 3 and spend so much time outside. Jessica estimates they cover more miles in a day than conventional pigs would in their entire lifetime. They roam a blissful pasture, eating natural grasses, getting muddy on their own private riverbank and gorging on feed that the Fasolis have customized—it’s a GMO-free, antibiotic- and hormone-free feed that’s nutritionally-rich and contains no animal by-products. Bear and the Flower's 600 animals are given patented pre- and probiotics when they're young. Then, they're fed a unique pelleted mixture that includes barley, wheat, peas, linseed, lysine, flax, limestone, salt and a handful vitamins (among other ingredients). 

"It's really a combination of what they eat, being outside, getting a ton of exercise," she says. "That's what leads to the flavour and marbling we've become famous for."
 

When Cooks Hit the Farm

Chef Scott's team of cooks from Sky Bistro paid a visit to Bear and the Flower Farm this spring as part of an on-going effort to connect with suppliers. For a team that tends to thrive on pressure, it was a chance to take in some wide spaces as well. 

“The trip to the farm was very grounding for the team,” says Chef Scott. And once the team arrived, there was plenty of time to explore their environment. “It gave us all the opportunity to see the animals in a very humane and positive environment,” he says.