Walnut Hill Farm
Pawlet, Vermont — the one in the Mettawee Valley, not the other Walnut Hills
- Small family farm — Rico & Jill — raising heritage-breed pigs on pasture in Pawlet, VT.
- Single-herd salami! Most high-end salami comes from a brand but the pork comes from anywhere. This is one of the only ways you can get great salami all from one herd of pigs on one small farm.
- Made from select cuts — loin, belly, and shoulder — not a hotdog blend of whatever scraps from the pig.
- Whole (uncut) dry-cured salami travels fine unrefrigerated; once cut, refrigerate.
- Also sold at Valley Shepherd and Woodlawn Creamery stands — Woodlawn's from the same town!
Markets
- WEDUnion Square (Sept–Dec only)
- SATMcCarren · Fort Greene · Grand Army Plaza · Union Square
- SUN79th Street (Natural History Museum)
The story
Walnut Hill Farm started on a hilltop in Wells, Vermont, and moved to a former dairy farm in neighboring Pawlet in 2017 when the herd outgrew the old place. Rico and Jill run it as a whole-system farm — their words: "farm with care for the whole system: animals, plants, soils, humans, community, economy." Alongside the pigs they grow grains and flowers.
The pigs are heritage breeds raised with room to root: out on pasture through the summer, and wintered in an open-air barn stocked with big round bales of forage. The pork becomes small-batch dry-cured salami and charcuterie, cured for them by Vermont Salumi.
What we sell
- Salami — varieties include Alpino, Calabrese, Finocchiona, and Milano — made from select cuts of pork (loin, belly, shoulder), not scraps; cured for them by Vermont Salumi
- Nduja — the spreadable, spicy one; mostly belly
- Whole-muscle charcuterie — lonza (all loin), capocollo (shoulder), pancetta (all belly). These cost more because they're whole single muscles: they take longer to age, and you can only make a limited number per pig.
- No fresh pork cuts at the NYC markets — those are sold upstate, at the Troy and Dorset farmers markets.
Customer FAQ
Are the pigs really pasture-raised?
Yes — pasture through the summer, open-air barn with forage through the Vermont winter. Heritage breeds, raised slow.
Does the salami need refrigeration?
A whole, uncut dry-cured salami is shelf-stable — it'll ride home in a bag just fine, even on a hot day. Once you cut into it, keep it in the fridge wrapped in paper (not airtight plastic). White powder on the casing is the normal, edible curing mold.
What's the difference between the varieties?
Alpino is the mild, classic alpine-style; Milano is fine-grained and gentle; Finocchiona is laced with fennel; Calabrese brings chili heat. If someone's new, start them mild and work up.
Is it gluten-free?
Yes — the salami are gluten-free.
Do you make prosciutto?
Prosciutto is a whole pig leg, aged and sliced thinly. Hard to do because it takes a long time, and you can only make it from the two back legs — it would be too expensive.
Do you have fresh pork?
Not at the NYC markets. They do sell fresh cuts upstate, at the Troy Farmers Market and the Dorset Farmers Market.
"What's with the mold?"
Mold is our friend! It's part of the aging process and lives naturally in the caves. It's the same exact mold that grows on Brie.
"Whoa, this is aged in a cave? Like Batman?"
Curing predates refrigeration. Cheese and salami were traditionally aged in caves and basements because they were insulated and held a cooler temperature more easily. Then the bacteria that grew on the food started to grow in the caves, and those caves started to carry a unique flavor and aroma suited to the specific food aged there — like a seasoned cast-iron pan.
In modern cheese and salami making, we age them in temperature & humidity controlled rooms, but they still develop that unique, seasoned biome.
Where is the farm? Can I visit?
Pawlet, Vermont, in the Mettawee Valley near the New York line — about 4 hours north of the city. They don't really take visitors, though: it's an operating farm and their home, and there's no store on site. Point people to walnuthillfarmvt.com instead.
Heads-up: there are several "Walnut Hill" farms around the country; this is the Vermont one. Neighbors, fun fact, with Woodlawn Creamery.
Farm site: walnuthillfarmvt.com · Stumped by a question? Text Peter.