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.
Ten days to Mabel’s due date! And last time she calved, she went ten days early 😅 Based on her pins and udder development I think we have time, but we will definitely be watching her closely – she definitely fooled us last time… not only going early, but having a bull calf after getting bred with heifer sexed semen 🤣 #mabeltheminijersey #mrdarcytheminijersey #minijersey #calfwatch…
One more week with Miss Evie before she goes to her new home 🏡 She’s three months old now and getting so grown up… eating calf starter, learning to stand tied and making friends ❤️ She’s not going far and will have several friends her age at her new place – will be so fun to watch her grow into a sweet little milk cow 😍 #evietheminijersey #minijersey #lottietheminijersey…
I think Honey Bee must just sense that Mabel is close to calving! I’ve never seen her love on Mabel until recently… and now she just can’t get enough 💋 #mabeltheminijersey #honeybeetheminijersey #minijersey…
Lilibet was bred with heifer-sexed semen from Magni and, if she’s pregnant, would be due in mid-November 🍁 If she is not pregnant, she will come into heat in the next day or two, and we will be sad 🥺 Firstly, because we *really* want a Lilibet/Magni heifer but also because we will have to wait a while to try to breed her again in order to avoid a wintertime calving. Would be so thankful for prayers that she’s already pregnant 🙏🏻 #lilitheminijersey #minijersey #magnitheminijersey…
Trying to get on Honey Bee’s good side since drying her off… she’s not very happy with the fact that she doesn’t get a milker’s breakfast anymore 😅 Thankfully she’s always up for a good scratch in the right spot 💛 #honeybeetheminijersey #minijersey…
Mabel is due in a little over two weeks and has been the recent recipient of *all* the loving from the other cows 👅 #mabeltheminijersey #minijersey #lotsoflicks…
Monkey see, monkey do 🌱 In this case that’s a good thing, Lottie is teaching Evie how to eat hay and where to get the water and so on… cows learn best from other cows and it’s so sweet to see Evie learning all the big girl things from her Aunt Lottie ❤️ #evietheminijersey #lottietheminijersey #minijerseys…
Miss Lottie enjoying our alternate hay location 💛 This shed was built last fall when we realized we really needed a sheltered hay feeder. It is 30’ long and 10’ wide with a 12’ hay bunk, an 8’ open area and a 10’ stall on the other end. It’s been honestly a favorite this winter, once we figured out the drainage, and the loafing areas are super easy to keep well bedded with spent hay 🌱 #lottietheminijersey #minijersey #milkcow…
Snack time 🌱 Etta and Honey Bee are the most frequent customers… everyone else has to try to eat at the other hay feeders or wait until they’re taking a break 😅 #honeybeetheminijersey #ettatheminijersey #minijersey…
Just about six weeks to piglets and Aster is looking so good! We used a Berkshire boar again… I think GOS/Berkshire babies are the cutest 😍 #gospigs #gloucestershireoldspot…
Just adore this girl – she’s so nicely built and has the cutest udder 💛 We don’t have a bull on the farm so we opted for AI, saying our prayers now that she settles! We will be able to test for pregnancy if she doesn’t come into heat in a few weeks 🙏🏻 #lilitheminijersey #minijersey…
