Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times

Walter Rieck, owner of Sandy River Pork, moves younger pigs into a larger pen at his farm in Axton.

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Name: Walter and Yvonne Rieck
Business: Sandy River Pork
Products: Pork, beef, chicken eggs
Location: 5455 Medical Center Road, Axton

Walter Rieck used to enjoy hunting, but now anytime he goes out near his farm, he can’t concentrate on the sport.

The distant sound of pigs and cows bawling always guilts him back to work.

“We haven’t had a weekend off in 16 or 17 years,” he said.

There once was a time when Walter, 49, and Yvonne Rieck, 50, had 1,200 hogs on their farm; today, that number has dwindled to 250 or so. They are trying to cut back because they lost their commercial market and decided to sell directly to customers. Plus, the rising price of feed and other expenses are making it hard to pay the bills.

“The last two years have been the worst,” Walter Rieck said. “Everything we’ve made over the years has gone back into the farm.”

He estimates that at least 70 cents on every pound of his pork represent feed costs alone.

But the Riecks are confident that they’re selling a quality product. They serve up their home-seasoned sausage with great pride, and for good reason — it has the reputation of being lean, juicy and flavorful.

Aside from the economy, the Riecks’ biggest challenge is marketing the product they have, they said. Farmers markets are helpful, but sitting behind a booth takes time away from farm chores.

They long for some type of cooperative with other growers that would make it easier to sell their pork.

“We all can’t have our own store, but we could all have one store,” he said.