The Woolly Pigs of Setesdal
- Marion Solheim
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
BYGLAND: In the Setesdal forest a rare herd of pigs live their best lives among the green moss and whispering birches. Meet the ullgris, curly-coated big pigs that give viking vibes. But these animals are cuddly, happy and bring extraordinary meat to the table.
When the wool pigs see their owners Thor Ole and Terese Gautestad they run towards them, always ready to be scratched on the back or getting a treat. The pigs are wholly content, rooting in the soil and resting in the shade of spruce and pine.
Their life is slow and peaceful, always in touch with nature. The result is something extraordinary: pure, marbled ullgriskjøtt, free from gluten, lactose, additives, and nitrites.
-Our true niche is in traditional cured meats. I don’t know of anybody else delivering wool pig meat like this, without all the extra stuff, says Thor Ole.
-All we do is add spices. The meat itself is the pig’s version of wagyū, I would say.
The Ancient Pig That Takes Its Time
This is the ur-gris, the original pig. It grows slowly, produces few piglets, and must live at least one — preferably two — full years before it’s ready for slaughter. Not like anything a regular swine gets to do, in other words.
-It’s both time-consuming and resource-demanding, says Thor Ole.
-We get zero government support and sell everything ourselves. The animals are big - they grow to an impressive slaughter weight up to 190 kilos. So they need lots of space and feed.
But it’s a farm life with meaning. For the Gautestads, it’s a philosophy: good food takes time, and animals deserve good lives.
Happy Pigs, Healthy Land
The wool pigs of the Mangalitsa breed live as nature intended: outdoors, in herds, with snouts deep in the soil. They graze freely, dig for roots and herbs, and feast on forest plants. No wonder the meat is tasty!
Their slow, natural life not only creates incredible flavor. It also keeps the cultural landscape alive.
Hardy and independent, the pigs thrive year-round in Setesdal’s climate, with warm summers and snowy winters. They don’t mind the cold, as long as there’s a dry place to sleep. Wich they have, of course. And in summer, they wallow happily in cool mud pits.
-They’re as affectionate as dogs or cats, laughs Thor Ole.
-And so smart — unbelievably smart.
From Setesdal to Top Chefs
The couple’s guiding belief is simple: happy animals make extraordinary food. The result is meat beautifully marbled and tasty.
Customers include both private gourmets and some of Norway’s top chefs. One of them, Michelin-starred chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard Pedersen, puts it this way:
-Quality always comes first. Animal welfare and quality meat go hand in hand. I want to know the farmer, see how the animals live, and understand how their lives end, with respect. The pigs at Setesdal Ullgris live fantastically well until their very last moment, and you can taste it. The quality is exceptional.
In a time when food production often moves faster than nature, Setesdal Ullgris stands for something beautiful and traditional: balance, care, and time.
