October is National Pork Month. In 1539, Hernando de Soto brought 13 pigs with him to Tampa Bay, FL. Three years later, the herd had grown to 700 head, not counting those that had been consumed, run away or been given to the Native Americans. (Those that had run away became wild pigs, the ancestors of the feral pigs or razorbacks of today.) This was the beginning of the pork industry in America and it soon spread throughout the colonies. A long solid wall was constructed on the northern edge of the Manhattan Island in an attempt to control roaming herds of pigs. Wall Street is the name of this area now. (porkbeinspired.com). This week’s cook column is a salute to Iowa Pork Production, which is number one in the nation. From 8,300 farms, Iowa markets 37 millions hogs annually.
