Scott Weir, owner and operator at Golden Acres Farm, is bringing pasture-raised heritage pork and chicken to the dinner tables of Golden, B.C., to help improve the local food system and offer a unique, flavourful product that is ethically sourced from happy animals.
Raised on 20 acres of pasture, his livestock includes heritage chicken and pork that, Weir says, is more “nutrient dense” and has more “robust” flavour.
“I want to make sure the meat we offer is the best possible from a health and flavour perspective,” Weir says.
Weir moved to Golden, B.C., with his partner in 2017. He studied and practiced urban farming and other forms of agriculture in Calgary, A.B. He says he “enjoys the research, planning and learning process” of the work he does and integrates some of the principles he learned while urban farming into Golden Acres Farm. For example, he considers the overall health of the farm as an ecosystem to support the animals, including the type of food they eat, what goes into it and where it comes from.
“A big thing for me is balancing out better food for all. As a small farm, the desire is to create a premium product that everyone has access to,” he says. He says having heritage meat is an important part of what his business offers.
Golden Acres Farm began its venture in 2024 to provide Golden community members with an alternative food source. Weir explains heritage food offers something different from what you might find in a grocery store, where it is common to find meat from industrial sources.
“Industrial farming often focuses on a limited number of breeds, leading to genetic uniformity. In those settings, animals are also often kept in high-density settings that don’t provide a nice life for the animals.
“We pride ourselves on raising breeds of livestock that thrive outdoors and on pasture, despite still obviously needing feed and shelter. Heritage breeds represent a valuable genetic resource, helping to maintain biodiversity in livestock and poultry. Conserving these breeds ensures that future generations can benefit from their unique traits and contributions to agriculture,” Weir says.
Heritage meat has historical significance. Breeds are often prized for their unique flavours and characteristics. Heritage meat breeds are selected over time for the qualities they bring in terms of hardiness, foraging ability, and adaptability to local environments.
The Livestock Conservatory emphasizes on its website that heritage breeds are “distinct from modern, commercially favoured breeds, offering a different culinary experience and contributing to biodiversity.”
“There’s so much more flavour to them. There’s more structure, they are more succulent,” Weir says.
Weir raises Barred Plymouth Rock and Western Rustic heritage chickens on Golden Acres Farm. The Plymouth Rock chicken is described as an American breed of domestic chicken, known for their “docile and gentle nature.” The Western Rustic is a heritage breed of chicken that is known for its good quality and ability to thrive in varied conditions.
Weir raises and offers meat from Berkshire pigs; he says they are the most Western company to raise and sell meat from this specific breed of pig. He says they are proven to be a “wonderful and happy type of pig.”
When it comes to eating meat, Weir says, “We do have a surprising number of people with ethical concerns.”
“If people are going to eat meat, I want to make sure it’s the best possible in quality from a health and flavour perspective. It’s important to me that our animals have a happy life even though they will be processed into meat,” he says.
The meat from the Berkshire Pig is described on the Golden Acres Farm website as being “renowned for its richness, texture, marbling, juiciness, tenderness and overall depth of flavour.”
“Purchasing food from local producers contributes to our local economy and helps to ensure that food can be sustainably grown in Golden. This is important economically, but more so culturally.
“The food we eat is very much tied up with our individual and collective sense of identity, history and culture. It shows people with pride who we are and brings people together around something as basic as what we eat. Nothing brings people together like food,” Weir says.
\Golden Acres Farm is located on Anderson Road. The property was once an old dairy farm and a farm for cattle for 50 years. Weir is in the process of building infrastructure for the farm and starting small. Meat from chickens can be purchased at Twisted Heifer Food Farm or through the Golden Acres Farm website at www.goldenacresfarm.odoo.com.
“Golden Acres Farm alone can’t solve the food insecurity that many in our community face, but it is partially in response to the rising cost of groceries that I got back into farming. I do want to show that through careful planning and selling directly to customers, high-quality, local food can be produced without a significant financial premium compared to your typical mass-produced meat.”
“Eating good quality food shouldn’t be dictated by the amount of money that you have, but unfortunately, that is too often the case,” Weir says.
With a focus on community, Golden Acres Farm states on its website they are working towards offering “farm days” for the community and offers fair pricing to all and discounts for Golden and area locals.
Pork will be available in mid-July and eggs in August. All items will be available through weekly home delivery on Wednesday evenings. For more information and to contact Scott, visit www.goldenacresfarm.odoo.com.
