When we had just a few mini Jerseys, we were able to utilize all the resulting milk. But as our herd grew, so did the steady supply of milk. Even after learning to make yogurt, butter and even hard cheeses, we still had extra milk. What better to do with all that extra whey, buttermilk and skimmed milk than raise a few happy and well-fed pigs?
Gloucestershire Old Spots were always on our short list of preferred pigs because, goodness… aren’t they adorable? Once we learned that Old Spots were docile, easy to care for, enjoy foraging on pasture and make the most delicious pork, we knew they were the breed for us.
Luna, one of our first GOS sows, loves being a mom!
In the fall of 2021, we purchased a registered breeding trio, two gilts and a boarling, through Fawn Crossing Farm in Virginia, sourced from several farms across the southeast. It was a bit of a learning curve but these pigs truly are “beginner pigs”!
We were able to get a gilt out of our first breeding pair, Luna and Cosmo, and named her Aster. She farrowed for the first time in August of 2025, bred to a Berkshire boar from Shipley Swine. She had 11 piglets born, 11 live, and has been an amazing first time mom! We sold almost all the piglets before we could even advertise them – so thankful for all the wonderful feedback we’ve gotten from folks who have purchased piglets from us over the years!
We raise our pigs on pasture, in the fresh air and sunshine, and love to spoil them with extra fruit from our small orchard and milk from our cows!
Aster’s first litter of adorable Berkshire/Old Spot piglets
We will be breeding Aster again for spring 2026 piglets, and plan to use a Berkshire boar again, so the piglets will be Old Spot/Berkshire crosses. If you would like to be put on the waiting list for a piglet (or two), message me on Instagram or via email at stefanie@tinstonecattleco.com.
And then there were four ❤️ We’ve added Lottie’s calf to the calf group during the day, while Lottie goes out to graze. At night we reunite Lottie with her calf… it works out great for the moms to have time to eat, and the calves sleep great at night from all the fun they have during the day 🥰 #elmtheminijersey #essietheminijersey…
One week since this beauty calved ❤️ And I’m just amazed at all the prayers that have been answered: she calved on her own with zero issues, had a beautiful and healthy calf, cleaned out right away, is eating great, is a dream in the milk parlor, and giving a little over two gallons a day 🥰 Just so overwhelmed with thankfulness! #lottietheminijersey #minijersey #Godisgood…
Look who’s gotten so grown up 🥹 This litter of piglets is already eight weeks old and completely weaned… and doing great! Aster is a wonderful sow, she had 12 live piglets and weaned 12 – she’s really a rockstar 🤩 Several from this litter have already gone to their new homes, but we still have gilts and barrows available! Message me if you want more info or know someone who might – you won’t be disappointed in these piglets 🥰 #gloucestershireoldspot #berkshire #piglets #pasturedpork…
Who are these big kids, already munching on hay? I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how easily these three have learned to eat and drink, with almost no help from us. They get calf starter and unlimited super-soft second cut grass hay… along with their daily milk, of course ❤️ #elmtheminijersey #easytheminijersey #essietheminijersey #minijersey…
The huge cypress trees in the calf paddock provide fantastic shade and, evidently, endless entertainment too 🥰 #elmtheminijersey #easytheminijersey #minijersey…
Out for a walk 🌼 Lottie and her calf are doing great and I just can’t put into words how relieved and thankful I am 🥹 She is the most devoted mom and just completely smitten with her baby… she reminds me so much of Sarah 💛 #lottietheminijersey #sarahtheminijersey #minijersey…
One year ago, my son and I drove almost 1200 miles round trip to Missouri. We were picking up a bull from @halfnhalf_cattleco – RRR Holdin Strong, better known as Magni ❤️ A few months earlier I’d reached out to his owner, Bridgette, to see if she’d consider allowing me to bring him home for the summer. When she agreed, I could hardly believe it… after all he was my very favorite bull, and I’d be able to use him on my girls, all summer! When we arrived to pick him up he was even lovelier than I’d expected… and *so* gentle! Bridgette put a pan of alfalfa pellets into my trailer, opened the gate and he walked right in 🥰 The travel was tiring, and it was hard to get away from the farm for the two-day trip (twice!), but I’m so incredibly thankful we did. Not only because now, a year later, we’ve had some of our best calves ever hit the ground, but because Magni has since passed away 💔 So grateful for Bridgette trusting me with him for the summer and grateful I took the chance to bring a mature bull home – now I have his beautiful offspring to carry on his genetics ❤️ #magnitheminijersey #minijersey…
She did it ♥️ And she did it all by herself! I went in to grab a snack to hold me over, assuming it was going to be a long morning of calf watch, and when I came out, she was already here ♥️ So many answered prayers – thank you to everyone who was praying on her and her baby’s behalf! #lottietheminijersey #minijersey #magnitheminijersey…
I think Lottie is in very early labor, her behavior is especially telling – we turned her out alone in our pasture with the best grass because she wasn’t wanting to graze this morning in the big field as usual. She did nibble for a while once we moved her, but is now just standing in the furthest corner, same place she was when she labored last year. Once I know for sure that today is the day, I’ll bring her down closer where we can see her better and she’ll be more in the shade. Please keep her and her calf in your prayers – we are so hopeful she’ll have a calf of her own to love on this time ♥️ #lottietheminijersey #minijersey #calfwatch…
Late pregnancy is tough and Lottie is just a few days away from her due date. Honey Bee just knows Lottie needs some extra love right now ❤️ #honeybeetheminijersey #lottietheminijersey…
The three calves from this year so far have truly surpassed my expectations – I could not be more pleased with them 😍 Two more to go… hoping they’re just like the three already on the ground 🙏🏻 Lottie should have hers in the next week and Etta is due in less than a month 🥰 #essietheminijersey #elmtheminijersey #easytheminijersey #minijersey…
