T. This is perfect. I'm still deployed, but am already arranging my retirement hobby which will be raising registered Pastured Tamworth hogs on our land in NE Oklahoma.
I've already arranged to buy some and will take delievery late summer, with the first one going in the freezer around January. The rest will get bred (I'll be keeping 8-10 sows), but needless to say, I'll be in the hams.
Have you ever tried Tamworth hams? I hear they are great, I know their bacon is renound.
After reading your post carefully, I'm afraid the Heritage breed Tam Hams might be too lean, especially, when raised on only about 30 percent grain with the rest forage. If my hams come out that lean, I may have to city cure and smoke. I guess I could just keep a hog or two longer, as they put on mostly fat over 260 pounds, and that would round out some nice hams, and then there is that occasional older/larger sow or boar which has to be processed.
I am bookmarking your post and will refer to it often.