Babar was the runt of the litter. Friendly and curious, his long snout smelt out the baby bottle full of milk. With his little black ears partially covering his eyes, his little black body proudly displaying a white sash, his straight wagging tail, Babar was a proud example of a Cinta Senese pig. Nonetheless, “he will not be used for breeding,” they told us at Spannocchia. Tucked away in the Tuscan hills, surrounded by 900 acres of woodland, this farm is a center for education based on the mezzadria model, which means that Spannocchia follows the same agricultural practices that a Tuscan peasant historically would have (with the exception of giving half of the harvest to the noble owners). Following traditional and organic methods, they grow olives, grapes, vegetables, grains, and legumes for both human and animal consumption. All the farm animals raised are local breeds on the verge of extinction, including the Cinta Senese, the only native Tuscan hog that has not disappeared.

Since the 1900s, Italian pig farming (and farming in general) has followed more industrialized and unsustainable practices. Many local breeds, including the Cinta Senese, have been replaced by more profitable and productive breeds, which in turn has changed many practices, traditions, and mentalities. Even flavor preferences have changed. The new large, lean pigs cannot compare to the Cinta Senese, well-known for its intramuscular fat (which equals flavor) and for its gamy characteristics, making it perfect for transforming into traditional Tuscan salumi. Spannocchia offers up many homemade varieties: lardo, soppressata (headcheese), finnochiona (salami with fennel seeds), and prosciutto—the closest Italians come to Spain's Iberico ham. The quality of the Cinta Senese salumi is so particular that it was even featured as part of a surf-and-turf tasting workshop this year at Slow Fish.

Native breeds hold the identity of their land and culture. They preserve the past and carry a legacy of knowledge and tradition. If the Cinta Senese were to become extinct, like many breeds already have, they would take with them the knowledge of how to raise them, how to make their products, and how they taste. It would all become history and Tuscany would lose part of its identity.

With Spannochia's help, Babar was fed and raised and is now thriving. In the same way, with the support of public and private institutions who care about tradition, taste and culture, the Cinta Senese pig is growing and adapting, once again, to the Tuscan hillsides.

— Elisa Orcajada