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.
I just love this girl so much ❤️ She has had some minor soreness in her hind end off and on but recently it seems to have worsened – we think it was a breeding injury 😭 We have been doing all we can to help her heal and part of that is keeping her separate from the rest of the herd 🥺 The natural jostling and shoving of a bunch of cows could easily make her situation much worse, so for now we are keeping her separate and trying some supplements to help her get better. Thankfully she is showing some improvement and does seem content with the set up, especially since she gets her favorite hay and doesn’t have to share 🌿 #honeybeetheminijersey #minijersey…
How can she be five months old already? We typically wean our heifers around five months, but with it being so hot lately, we’ve decided to push any weaning back until after it cools off. And I don’t think Essie will mind that one bit 🥰 #chonky #essietheminijersey #minijersey…
Next week we will send off milk samples to confirm pregnancy for several of our girls 💛 And this girl is the one we are pretty sure settled first! Cricket has settled on her first heat with the bull twice before and, if she settled when we think she did this time, this would be her third time ✨ She had such a lovely bull calf this year and is such a good mama… we just couldn’t love her more 💛 #crickettheminijersey #minijersey…
These two 🤣 Essie is the typical oldest girl… well behaved, composed, and dependable 😇 And Easy is the typical younger brother… impulsive, silly, and always ready for fun 🤪 What a pair! #essietheminijersey #easytheminijersey #minijersey…
This little love has found her new home ❤️ Eyre will be headed to Illinois next month where she’ll join a beautiful herd of mini Jerseys, owned by a fellow breeder and friend 🥰 #eyretheminijersey #minijersey…
Trying to keep these cuties cool under the cypress trees… it’s been so hot 🥵 We are working hard during this heat wave to keep all the cows in the heaviest shade with lots of fresh water and, of course, plenty of snacks 😋 #evertheminijersey #easytheminijersey #minijersey…
Twice a day we halter and walk our calves to help them learn to be good citizens 💛 Once they’re weaned we won’t work with them nearly as much and they’ll often have a long break before it’s time to go on a halter again. We have found that if they learn to be calm on the halter young, they never forget it 🥰 #evertheminijersey #easytheminijersey…
Trying to get some stalls stripped today and these little cuties keep distracting me… and when they’re not distracting me they’re trying to tip over my wheelbarrow 🤣 I’m so very thankful for all of it – this calving season has definitely been one of our very best 🥰 #easytheminijersey #evertheminijersey #minijersey…
Miss Eyre is the youngest and so mild mannered – she usually prefers to stay on the fringe of the older calves’ chaos and keep to herself 💛 Her mama is the sassiest and most opinionated cow on the farm, but her daddy was a sweetheart… it will be interesting to see just how her personality develops 🥰 #eyretheminijersey #minijersey…
The temps aren’t quite cool enough and the grass isn’t quite long enough, but we did a little practice turn out in one of the bigger paddocks 🌱 They did so well – played hard, respected the fences and thoroughly enjoyed checking out the new area 🌳 #easytheminijersey #evertheminijersey #minijersey…
Evermore is so sweet 💛 And so much like her mama! I hope she stays this sweet… at three years old, Lottie still loves to follow me around to get scratches 🥰 #evertheminijersey #lottietheminijersey #minijersey…
