The Team

The farm transitioned to the Smith's in 2024, as the continue to farm's mission and goals into the future.

Pennsylvania History

It all started for the guy, who is husband and father ti us and known as “Pete” or “Doc” to others in about 1939. In that year, Uncle J. Arthur Hoffman (“Unc”) and father Mark W. Hoffman purchases a small of about five acres in the rolling hills of Berk County, PA, which provided the first opportunity for raising hogs. With about 12 sows of primarily Poland China breeding, they produced feeder pigs which were sold privately or through several on-farm production sales in the early 1940’s. In about 1940, a second farm of 88 acres was added and a few years later, the first and smaller farm was sold. In 1941, Pete was born and his father often remarked that he had to a load of market hogs to pay for the hospital bill before Pete and his mother were released.

In about 1950, Pete accompanied Unc to t Uncle John Witter’s (married to Unc and Mark’s sister) Hampshire sale and Unc purchased bred gilt for Pete. From this sow several litters were produced and launched Pete in the hog business. In 1954, Mark and Pete purchases their first Berkshire for the Hoffman Farm. A young weaning boar and gilt were purchased from Fred Elchberger, near Leeapool, PA, and started the family tradition of Berkshire hogs maintained to this day. Pete was also mentored by Uncle John Witter and accompanied him numerous times to the Pennsylvania Farm Show during the mid to late fifties. In 1956, Pete purchased a bred Berkshire gilt. Several more bred gilts were purchased at the Farm Show in subsequent years and laid the foundation for the Hoffman Berkshire herd. A hallmark moment during this era was when Pete exhibited the Berks County 4-H Champion market hog from a Poland China – Berkshire cross in 1958. The Hoffman Farm in Pennsylvania continued to flourish during Pete’s years at Delaware Valley College (1959-1963) and following his move to Iowa State University, Ames, IA (196-1969) for his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. During this era, Mark, Unc and brother Frederick continued the herd of about 12 Berkshire sows, Unc died in 1983, but Mark and Fred continued the farm unit Mark retired in 1985. Mark passed away in 1998 and was buried with his beloved Berkshire cap in his hand

Iowa History

In 1969, Pete joined the Animal Science Department at Iowa State University and also married Lorraine. At the 1970 National Barrow Show, Pete bought a Berkshire gilt named Sweet Mamie from Leroy Faint, from Mt. Vernon, IA. The intention was to send her to Pennsylvania, but instead she went to George and Kelly Biensen’s near State Center, IA, were several litters were raised over the next couple of years.

During the 1971 National Barrow Show, Pete purchased TM Rebellion from the Finck Family in IL, and had Rebellion transported to Pennsylvania for use on the Hoffman Farm. During Easter in 1973, Kelly and Pete went to Pennsylvania and brought Rebellion back to the Biensen farm until 1974.

Pete and Lorraine purchased a 40-acre farm with modest buildings south f Ames in March, 1972 and moved there in March, 197 and named the farm Phenotypic Acres. Sweet Mamie was the first Berkshire sow to have a litter on the farm in December of 1973. This litter sired by Rebellion who later resided at Phenotypic Acres, produced PA Blossom, who went on to be the Champion Berkshire Gilt as the 1974 Iowa State Fair and started a line of Berkshires maintained in the current herd.

At the 1974 Fall Iowa Berkshire Sale in Webster City, IA Al Christian and Pete bought Cottonwood’s Hobo Queen from Clark Conover, Holstein, IA. She was bred to Luke, purchases by Tom Conover of Bonnie Acres Farm, Holstein, IA, from Larry Stanley, Coatesville, IN, and produced PA Colonel, who was Grand Champion Berkshire Boar at the 1975 Iowa State Fair and sold for $2,500 (one-half interest) to Bonnie Acres Farm. Colonel provided significant genetic advancement for the Bonnie Acres and Phenotypic Acres herds and the Berkshire breed in general.

By the Mid-1970’s, the herd had grown to 12 Berkshire sows and in 1997 Phenotypic Acres exhibited the Champion Boar and Gilt and Reserve Champion Boar at the Berkshire Summer Type Conference at Springfield, IL. We were fortunate to exhibit and sell numerous champions at National Type Conference, the National Barrow Show and Iowa State Fair during the ensuing six years.

Pete also developed an extensive farm performance testing program when hog production began at Phenotypic Acres in 1972. As the herd grew to 30 sows in the early 80’s, a decision had to be made relative to strengthening and developing the herd to meet future demands. As Berkshire boars were well accepted by commercial hog producers, it was decided to escalate performance testing and evaluation. In an effort to better accommodate commercial needs, 25 Duroc and 25 Yorkshire sows were added to the herd in 1985.

Over the next 15 years, merchandizing f boars from each of the three breeds was vigorous.

During the mod-1980’s, it also became very apparent to Pete that more accurate genetics evaluation of performance was necessary if Berkshires were going to compete in the commercial pork production sector. Thus, Pete, with the help and support of then President of the ABA, Craig Conover of Mapleton, IA, and ABA Board of Directors, initiated the Berkshire National Boar Test in 1985. Over the next 10 years, this process move was successful in advancing the genetic characterization of Berkshire lines for performance than any previous tool. During this time period, the National Association of Swine Registries, in cooperation with personnel from several universities, developed the Swine Testing and Genetic Evaluation System (STAGES), which led to further genetic performance evaluation by incorporating individual, as well as maternal and paternal information. Phenotypic Acres immediately embraced and incorporated this program in the evaluation of all animals on the farm. Pete was also honored to serve on the ABA Board of Directors from 1985-1993.

As the result of many commercial producers leaving the swine industry during the mid to late 1990’s and the development of greater demand for Berkshire meat by the export market, especially to Pacific-Rim countries, another change was mandated in the Phenotypic Acres herd in 1999. The Duroc and Yorkshire sows were replaced by Berkshire sows so that by 2000 the herd numbered 100 Berkshire sows. Female Berkshire hogs are now in great demand by commercial producers and barrows are sold for meat production.

As the three most important people in Pete’s life, we can earnestly and profoundly state that sometimes our lives are peculiarly different from that which we might envision, mainly because of hands-on raising of swine and living on a farmstead which is buzzing with activity relating to Pete’s avocational passion – Berkshire hogs – but it is not without peace, joy, love, and sharing which has come from the wonderful fraternity of which we are all an integral part. Thank you all for your wonderful and lasting friendships and memories. It is also from living with a positive leader, as undying advocate, a tireless implementer, and a true missionary for Berkshires and the swine industries in general.