Short Creek Farm: Crafting Heritage Pork and Small-Batch Meats in New England

Short Creek Farm: Crafting Heritage Pork and Small-Batch Meats in New England

Handcrafted meats, rooted in good farming (and a little science).

Short Creek Farm is one of those rare meat producers where the story actually explains the quality. Nothing flashy, nothing forced—just thoughtful farming, serious technique, and sausage that makes you pause mid-bite.

From Environmental Science to Exceptional Sausage

Founders Jeff and Dave have known each other since high school and both studied environmental science at the University of Rhode Island. Jeff took the ecology route, working in conservation before shifting toward hands-on farming. After apprenticing on small organic farms, he launched his own operation in Massachusetts, raising vegetables, grassfed beef, and eventually pastured pork.

Dave went deeper into academia—literally packing up his knives and heading to California for a PhD in evolutionary biology. Somewhere along the way, charcuterie stole the spotlight. What started as a side obsession with homemade sausage and fermentation turned into a full career pivot, trading dissertations for salami.

When “Good Enough” Wasn’t Good Enough

While Jeff farmed in Massachusetts and Dave perfected charcuterie out west, the two kept circling back to the same frustration: truly great sausage was surprisingly hard to find at farmers’ markets. In 2013, Dave returned east, and they decided to stop searching and start making. The response from Jeff’s farm customers was immediate. Encouraged, they bought a farm in Northwood, New Hampshire and went all in.

Short Creek Farm Takes Shape

By 2015, Short Creek Farm officially launched on 300 acres of fields and forest. The original plan? Raise or grow every single ingredient used in their sausages. Admirable—and, as it turns out, wildly ambitious. After a few years, they refined the mission, focusing on heritage-breed, pasture-raised pork while sourcing other ingredients from trusted local farms. The quality only improved.

From Rented Kitchens to a USDA Plant

Production started humbly in a rented community kitchen, then moved to a small commercial space in Dover, New Hampshire. By 2020, demand made it clear they needed their own USDA-inspected facility—one place to process animals and make products from start to finish. In mid-2022, Short Creek opened its USDA-inspected processing plant in Kennebunk, Maine. Today, a small, skilled crew handles everything in-house: whole-animal breakdown, bacon smoking, sausage making, and salami fermentation. The plant also provides top-tier processing services to other New England farms.

Short Creek’s Products: Small-Batch, Big Flavor

Short Creek Farm’s lineup is a masterclass in heritage pork done right. Breakfast fans will love the thick-cut smoky bacon and maple sausage patties, while sausage lovers can choose from classics like Beer Bratwurst and Apple & Sage or bold flavors like Poblano & Cheddar and Pumpkin Chorizo.

Their dry-cured salamis—Garlic & Pepper, Fennel & Citrus, Hot Mess, and Kosho—shine on any charcuterie board, and for home cooks, raw cuts and ground pork let you bring Short Creek quality into your own kitchen. Every product reflects the farm’s commitment to craft, flavor, and supporting local farming.

Looking Ahead: Focused, Sustainable Growth

By 2025, Jeff and Dave made another thoughtful decision: running both a farm and a processing plant wasn’t sustainable long-term. They sold the farm to their longtime farm manager, who continues raising heritage-breed pigs for Short Creek products.

Now, the team is focused on what they do best—producing exceptional small-batch meats, supporting regional farms, and getting truly good sausage into more hands. Because when farming, science, and craftsmanship align, the results speak for themselves.

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