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T HE GOOD LIFE M AG A Z INE FOR A L L DREAM E RS A ND REALISTS

TOMATOES EXPERT GROWING ADVICE TO HELPE GET THE MOST FROM YOUR CROPE

PERFECT PAVLOVA

IF YOU ONLY BAKE ONE THING E THIS SUMMER – BAKE THIS!E

Pl us!

Stepbyto ma step guide ki n own s g your hed...

EARLY SPUDS

GET THEM IN THE TH GROUND NOW! HE

ESSENTIAL FENCING

AVOIDING THE TOP TENE COMMON PITFALLSE

PROJECT PLANTER PART TWO – This month we get down and dirty as we fill the planter, check the drainage and start to plant up the herb seedlings…

ISSUE 68 NOVEMBER 2013 £3.75

EDI TORIAL

Inside 16

SNEAK A PEEK!

We look inside this Polytunnel

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IN THE KITCHEN It’s Cider making time

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ECO HOUSE

We catch-up with the work

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HOME FARMER MAGAZINE www.homefarmer.co.uk We welcome your feedback and respond to any questions EDITOR Paul Melnyczuk paul@homefarmer.co.uk PUBLISHER Ruth Tott ruth@homefarmer.co.uk

N OV E M B E R 2013

WELCOME WELCOME TO THE August issue of Home Farmer. The year really does seem to have shot by, as we are now exiting 2013 rather than entering it, but overall our produce does seem to have fared a little better than in recent years. We have been enjoying delicious cucumbers and tomatoes for over a month now, and also fresh broad beans, and we are even looking forward to some unplanned Jerusalem artichokes shortly in a throwback to two years ago.

The weather hasn’t been what many of you might have wished for, but certainly in Lancashire it has been less severe, and for that I’m grateful.

As in many Western films the cavalry did recently ride in to try to do something, as the nation’s top weather forecasters took time away from the cameras to discuss the reasons why we have had wet summer after wet summer recently.

As in many Western films the cavalry did recently ride in to try to do something, as the nation’s top weather forecasters took time away from the cameras to discuss the reasons why we have had wet summer after wet summer recently. As in many Western films the cavalry did recently ride in to try to do something, as the nation’s top

CONTRIBUTORS Benjamin Crosby, Caítríona Wallace, Claire Waring, Dave Hamilton, Dot Tyne, Elizabeth McCorquodale, Fiona Dillon, Heidi M. Sands, James Trundy Virrill, LizzieB, Janice Houghton-Wallace, John Butterworth, Maureen Little, Mike Clark, Nevin Stewart, Rob Jeffery, Ruth Tott, Stephen Whitehead, Terry Beebe.

Thanks to The Wellbeing Farm and Stephen Whitehead, to all those on facebook who contributed to our feature on polytunnels, and to Gabrielle Alder and Daniel Hughes of Oh My Dog! for sharing with us their experiences of setting up their business.

weather forecasters took time away from the cameras to discuss the reasons why we have had wet summer after wet summer recently.

I’m not sure what they might be able to do about it, but the thought of them trying out a few Indian rain dances might help, if only to console me over the conclusion they came to: we have apparently had a number of excessively wet summers, but that may be coming to an end… but probably not this year. It was nice to see the nation’s weather presenters bonding, but I’m not quite sure how useful this exercise was.

What I am more confident about is the value of this month’s Home Farmer and the special features we have arranged to help you take more control of your food, whether with the help of our new stepby-step guide to butchering starting with spring lamb on page 33 of this issue, or our 20-page preserving guide to help avoid wasting any of your valuable and hard-earned produce, which will help you eat well throughout the coming winter. The ethos behind both of these articles embodies the ‘can

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do’ attitude that Home Farmer has always had and opens the door a little with some ‘how to’.

We also welcome NewLandOwner and a new series on making the most of any land you own or perhaps hope to own in the future.

We know from many years’ experience that they don’t deal in telling you what you want to hear but rather what you need to hear. This month they open with a rundown of the challenges you might face when looking to take up residence on your land once you have acquired it. It’s a testament to the tenacity of the nation’s smallholders and essential reading for both the dreamers and realists among you. (500 words)

PAUL MELNYCZUK Editor

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NE WS AND E VEN TS

TOMATOES AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

WE HAVE ALL probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’ for a certain period of time was used as an illustration of the type of exercise required. The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were to reduce the problem, with no more than veg wholesome twothirds of UK adults are not taking.sufficient exercise, and it is highly likely that these are the very people whose diets are less than ideal. The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical

INACTIVITY COULD BE AS BAD AS SMOKING WE HAVE ALL probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’ for a certain period of time was used as an illustration of the type of exercise required.

The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were to reduce the problem, with no more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as gardening, walking

or cycling. This would help with problems of insomnia, strengthen bones and help manage stress, anxiety and depression. In the case of gardening in the veg patch it would even provide a return with wholesome veg and a healthier diet. At present, nearly two-thirds of UK adults are not taking sufficient exercise, and it is highly likely that these are the very people whose diets are less than ideal. The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic,

with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were to reduce the problem, with no more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as gardening, walking or cycling. This would help with problems of insomnia, strengthen bones and help manage stress, anxiety and depression. In the case of gardening in the veg

DISAGREEMENT OVER MILK CODE WE HAVE ALL probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’ for a certain period of time was used as an illustration of the type of exercise required. The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of

inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were to reduce the problem, with no more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as gardening, walking or cycling. This would help with problems of insomnia, strengthen bones and help manage stress, anxiety and depression. In the case of

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Shorts

AN APPLE BEFORE LUNCH IS BEST WE HAVE ALL probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’ for a certain period of time was used as an illustration of the type of exercise required.

The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity

rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were to reduce the problem, with no more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as gardening, if we were to reduce the problem, with no more walking or cycling. This would help with problems of insomnia, strengthen bones and help manage

STORM IN A TEACUP stress, anxiety and depression. In the case of gardening in the veg patch it would even provide a return with wholesome veg and a healthier diet. At present, nearly two-thirds of UK adults are not taking sufficient exercise, and it is highly likely that these are the very people whose diets are less ideal.

GREEN WALLS CAN REDUCE URBAN WE HAVE ALL probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’ for a certain period of time was used as an illustration of the type of exercise required.

The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were

N OV E M B E R 2013

We have all probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’ for a certain period of time was used as an illustration of the type of exercise required. The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were to reduce the problem, with no more than veg wholesome two-thirds of UK adults are not taking.sufficient exercise, and it is highly likely that these.

HELP FOR US ALL We have all probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’ for a certain period of time was used as an illustration of the type of exercise required.

STORM IN A TEACUP

to reduce the problem, with no more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as gardening, walking or cycling. This would help with problems of insomnia, strengthen bones and help manage stress, anxiety and depression. In the case of gardening in the veg patch it would even provide a return with wholesome veg and a healthier diet.

At present, nearly two-thirds of UK adults are not taking sufficient exercise, and it is highly likely that

these are the very people whose diets are less than ideal. The report, published in The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity. Researchers also said that ways of making physical activity more convenient and affordable were required if we were to reduce the problem, with no more than 150 minutes of moderate

We have all probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing.

The Lancet, says that the problem should be treated as a pandemic, with greater emphasis on the dangers of inactivity rather than on the benefits of activity, with no more than on the benefits of activity, with no more than veg wholesome two-thirds of UK adults are not taking.sufficient exercise, and it is highly likely that these are the very people.

HELP FOR US ALL We have all probably seen the recent reports on TV about inactivity being as big a killer as smoking, and it seemed somehow appropriate that the gardening somehow appropriate that the gardening analogy of ‘pushing a lawnmower’.

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SE ASONAL FE AT URE

COURGETTES ! y t s a t d n a sh Fre

Great food is simple to come by with just a little bit of love and attention.

Home Farmer takes you by the hand with step-by-step guides

A

t Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything.

Techniques Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

! r e b m e Rem

ur hat yo irect t k c e of d s ch Alway tes are out ey will t th e courg , otherwise er the t v h sunlig discolour o d n a on‌ wilt g seas growin

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are

traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Next Stage Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

W W W. H O M E FA R M E R .CO.U K

Facts! ❋ Always check that your courgettes are out of direct sunlight, otherwise they will wilt and discolour over the growing season.

“IT’S ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO KEEP THE SEEDLINGS WARM UNTIL LATE SPRING”

❋ Always check that your courgettes are out of direct sunlight, otherwise they will wilt and discolour over the growing season. ❋ Always check that your courgettes are out of direct sunlight, otherwise they will wilt and discolour over the growing season. ❋ Always check that your courgettes are out of direct sunlight, otherwise they will wilt and discolour over ❋ Always check that your courgettes are out of direct sunlight, otherwise they will wilt and discolour over the growing season. ❋ Always check that your courgettes are out of direct sunlight, otherwise they will wilt and discolour over the growing season.

N OV E M B E R 2013

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SE ASONAL FE AT URE Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends.

Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional,

exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home,

“IT’S ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO KEEP THE SEEDLINGS WARM UNTIL LATE SPRING�

with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty! Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

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Timeline ❋ MARCH Now is the time to get your seedlings out of the warmth and into the garden – try to cover them for the first few days until they harden up. If it looks like there is a late frost then plastic over the top will keep them from frost burn. Water well if needed and check they have enough room as they start to grow. ❋ APRIL Now is the time to get your seedlings out of the warmth and into the garden – try to cover them for the first few days until they harden up. If it looks like there is a late frost then plastic over the top will keep them from frost burn. Water well if needed and check they have enough room as they start to grow.

Plant Familiy Member s

Other vegetables are classified individually and can be slotted in anywhere there is space for them. These include members of the squash family (marrow, courgette, pumpkin) as well as sweetcorn, beetroot, chard and lettuce. Other vegetables are classified individually and can be slotted in anywhere there is space for them. These include members of the squash family (marrow, courgette, pumpkin) as well as sweetcorn, beetroot, chard and lettuce.

N OV E M B E R 2013

❋ MAY Now is the time to get your seedlings out of the warmth and into the garden – try to cover them for the first few days until they harden up.

If it looks like there is a late frost then plastic over the top will keep them from frost burn. if needed and check they have.

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SE ASONAL FE AT URE

t n a t r o Imp

r at you ect h t k c of dir s che Alway tes are out ey will th et courg , otherwise er the v ht sunlig discolour o d n a on… wilt g seas in w o r g

Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

GORGEOUS BROADBEAN AND COURGETTE SALAD Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends. Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

Ingredients 650g (1lb 7oz) pork shoulder 350g (12oz) belly pork Binder (100g (3½oz) yeastless rusk or 75g (2½oz) dried breadcrumbs – a volume roughly equal to that of the meat) 2 tsp salt ½ tsp white pepper ½ tsp sage 3 or 4 good gratings of nutmeg A pinch powdered rosemary A pinch cayenne pepper A pinch dried thyme

Method 1 Mince the pork using a coarse plate to get larger pieces – a Cumberland sausage is a coarse-meat sausage

2 Add the herbs, spices and the binder, then mix well with your hands. If using rusk, soak it for 20 minutes in an equal amount of water by volume to moisten it – breadcrumbs don’t need soaking. If the mix is a bit stiff you can add another splash or two of water, but don’t make it too wet.

3 Run the whole lot through the coarse mincer plate again to make sure all the herbs and spices are well mixed in, then pile the mixture onto a plate and put it in the fridge to firm up.

4 Once it has firmed up, place the meat mix into your chosen stuffer and fill your sausage casings. If using natural skins, soak them in water for 1 hour before use to get out any salt and make them more pliable – you do not need to soak collagen skins. Fill the skins using an even pressure to ensure you get an even-sized sausage, then just keep on filling, allowing the sausage to spool onto the table or into a clean washingup bowl to keep it all together.

5 Once it has firmed up, place the meat mix into your chosen stuffer and fill your sausage casings. If using natural skins, soak them in water for 1 hour before use to get out any salt and make them more plBunch your sausages as you would prefer, either in pairs or trios as described overleaf, then hang them in the kitchen for 1 hour or so at room temperature for the skins to W W W. H O M E FA R M E R .CO.U K

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“IT’S ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO KEEP THE SEEDLINGS WARM UNTIL LATE SPRING” dry and harden slightly before storing in the fridge. The flavour of your sausages will be at its best at about 2 days after they were made, and they will keep for around 7 days. use quantities.

FABULOUS FETTA WITH COURGETTE SLICES Home Farmer we strongly believe that the very best food you can possibly eat has been grown, harvested and prepared by yourself and eaten around a big kitchen table where you feel at home, with family and friends.

Our recipes are traditional, exciting, modern, delicate, wholesome, fun and more than anything, tasty!

2 tsp salt ½ tsp white pepper ½ tsp sage 3 or 4 good gratings of nutmeg A pinch powdered rosemary A pinch cayenne pepper A pinch dried thyme ½ tsp sage 3 or 4 good gratings of nutmeg A pinch powdered rosemary

Method 1 Mince the pork using a coarse plate to get larger pieces – a Cumberland sausage is a coarse-meat sausage, not a fine pâté!

2 Add the herbs, spices and the binder, then mix well with your hands. If using rusk, soak it for 20 minutes in an equal amount of water by volume to moisten it – breadcrumbs don’t need soaking. If the mix is a bit stiff you can add another splash or two of water, but don’t make it too wet.

3 Run the whole lot through the coarse mincer plate again to make sure all the herbs and spices are well mixed in, then pile the mixture onto a plate and put it in the fridge to firm up.

4 Run the whole lot through the coarse mincer plate again to make sure all the herbs and spices are well mixed in, then pile the mixture onto a plate and put it in the fridge to firm up sure all the herbs.

5 If breadcrumbs don’t need soaking.

If the mix is a bit stiff you can add another splash or two of water, but don’t make it too wet.

Ingredients 650g (1lb 7oz) pork shoulder 350g (12oz) belly pork Binder (100g (3½oz) yeastless rusk or 75g (2½oz) dried breadcrumbs – a volume roughly equal to that of the meat)

CRISPY CRUMBED COURGETTE Ingredients 650g (1lb 7oz) pork shoulder 350g (12oz) belly pork Binder (100g (3½oz) yeastless rusk

Method

This lovely cucumber salad with Fetta cheese makes an ideal sidedish and can be made in under 10 minutes!

N OV E M B E R 2013

1 Mince the pork using a coarse plate to get larger pieces – a Cumberland sausage is a coarse-meat sausage.

2 Add the herbs, spices and the binder, then mix well with your hands. If using rusk, soak it for 20 minutes in an equal amount of water by volume.

3 Run the whole lot through the coarse mincer plate again to make sure all the herbs and spices. ❋

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PIG K EEPING

PIG CLUB ! l a v i v e r t a e r The g Joanne Mudhar reports on how pig clubs are all the rage once more as consumers become more selective about the meat they eat

P

ig clubs were very popular both before and during the Second World War, and they are enjoying something of a revival today! By teaming up with a group of like-minded pig enthusiasts you can share the pleasure (and the cost!) of raising these delightful creatures. A pig club also lets you share the responsibility of feeding times and other aspects of porcine care, not to mention the costs of fencing and equipment. At the end of it all you’ll also enjoy the best tasting pork you could possibly imagine – all with the satisfaction of knowing that your porkers enjoyed a happy outdoor life.

Where will we keep pigs?

This is, of course, a question to ask right at the very outset of any plans to form a pig club. Finding a suitable place for your pigs could be tricky and you may need to use your imagination, and to ask what may at first seem unlikely landlords. Bear in mind that, while pigs are charming creatures, they can be noisy, particularly when hungry, which is most of the time, regardless of how much you feed them!

There is also a risk of pigs escaping from anything other than very sturdy stock fencing. A well-managed electric fence can be very reliable, but, particularly with piglets that are new to electric fencing, there is always the possibility of them escaping.

If one of your club members has a large garden without close neighbours, this may be your best bet, but remember to share out the work of caring for the pigs between members – don’t just leave it to that one member!

You may also like to try local smallholders or community farms as a source of space. Try offering a share of the pork as ‘rent’, and offer assurances to any prospective

landlord that you will manage every aspect of the pigs’ care. It is very important, too, that you can ensure that your pigs cause as little disruption as possible to the smooth running of the farm or smallholding.

Here at The Oak Tree Low Carbon Farm the Acorn Antics Pig Club ‘pig tractor’ is an essential part of our vegetable growing, as the short film you can view by accessing this link shows: http://www.the-oak-tree.co.uk/ blog/2013/02/our-piggy-tractor-inaction/. The pigs dig and manure the vegetable beds, saving us both time and money, and we use electric fencing to move them around the vegetable beds from time to time.

Seek out enthusiasts Today, many people are interested in knowing where their food comes from, and meat is the single ingredient that worries us most. However, there is a big jump from wanting to eat locally sourced, good quality meat, and being prepared to

r! e b m Reme

a with pig p u d ming -minde share a e t e n lik By ) u ca p of cost! grou siasts yo nd the ul a u f enth leasure ( delight e s p e the sing th i of ra ures t a cre

go and feed a small herd of pigs come rain or shine, week after week, and then seeing your beloved hogs going off for slaughter and returning as pork chops.

Choose your fellow pig club members with care, making sure they are genuinely interested in the day-to-day reality of caring for pigs. Organise a trip to visit a local pig keeper, or ideally a pig club, with some potential members, just to be

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“TRANSPORTING YOUR PIGS FOR SLAUGHTER WILL BE A PARTICULARLY BUSY TIME” N OV E M B E R 2013

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PIG K EEPING sure that everyone really does understand everything that pig keeping actually entails. Beware of any potential member who shows interest, but who regularly fails to turn up to meetings, or to commit to the project.

Working together However well-meaning and friendly everyone is, it is essential to organise your pig club carefully to avoid any misunderstandings which could lead to your pigs not being cared for correctly, upsetting your landlord, or any disputes within the group. Begin by getting an overview of all the key aspects of caring for your pigs, then assign a range of responsibilities to individual members.

This doesn’t mean that the responsible person has to do all the work; they just need to make sure that it is taken care of, and solve any problems as they arise.

Transporting your pigs for slaughter will be a particularly busy time. You’ll need to sort out suitable transport and make sure the pigs get into the trailer in good time! Plan this task carefully and well in advance, and make sure several pig club members are there to help on the day. Ensure that your pigs are familiar with the trailer and the ramp – one way of doing this is to let them wander in and out for a little time prior to the day by putting food inside the trailer. This way they will not suddenly be driven to fear by a new routine and any panicking pig club members.

Members will need to meet regularly to ensure that the club is running smoothly. The only pig club certainty is that the unexpected will happen at some point! Here are some of the roles that different pig club members could take on: ❋ FOOD MONITOR Their responsibility will be to find suitable sources of food, and to make sure there is always enough for the daily feed.

members to pay for everything. You may well have members with very different financial circumstances, so try not to spring a large bill on anyone without prior warning.

❋ SLAUGHTER AND BUTCHERY MONITOR They will oversee the transport of the pigs and the distribution of the butchered meat. Make sure you have a friendly local abattoir and butcher who can process your pigs before you obtain your first piglets.

❋ EQUIPMENT MONITOR They will be responsible for checking that fencing, housing, feeders, etc. are all in good condition, and coordinating the club effort whenever any work is required.

❋ ACCOUNTANT He or she will ensure that there is always enough money contributed by

❋ PAPERWORK PERSON This person, as the title suggests, will look after the paperwork, as there will

always be a degree of bureaucracy, including keeping Defra forms up to date, sorting out insurance and registering your pigs with a vet, etc. Check out the excellent Soil Association leaflet Pig ignorant? for more details about this side of pig keeping. ❋ PIG CONTACT In addition, always make sure your landlord has an emergency ‘pig contact’ in case something does go wrong.

Equipment you will need In addition to a secure piece of land you will require the following basics to set up a pig club. These items should keep your costs down to a minimum whilst enabling you to take good care of your porkers: W W W. H O M E FA R M E R .CO.U K

s Q A F b u l C Pig ❋ WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

If you take care of your pigs and ensure they don’t remain on the same patch of land for too long, you are unlikely to encounter many health problems, but a vet’s bill is always a possibility. Agree with fellow club members just how much you are prepared to pay in advance. You may wish to set a limit, and slaughter a sick pig before the bills become too high.

Disagreements between club members are also a real possibility, however friendly and well intentioned everyone is to begin with. Assign and agree clear responsibilities for each and every member, and meet regularly in a friendly setting to check that everything is going as planned. Encourage everyone to raise any concerns at an early stage, before they become major differences.

❋ DO WE NEED INSURANCE?

This has to be a decision for the group. There are some risks associated with keeping pigs, including (but not limited to!) pigs escaping onto roads, neighbouring properties, and risks to third parties in general. If you keep your pigs on someone else’s land you may find they can add your pigs to their insurance policy at a reduced cost to the club. This may well be your cheapest option, so be prepared to make a contribution! If you plan to sell the pork to people outside the club, then the whole slaughter, butchering and insurance situation will become far more complicated, as you will be a supplier.

❋ DO WE NEED TO REGISTER OUR PIGS WITH THE AUTHORITIES?

❋ FENCING Electric Fencing. This will allow you to move your pigs around, which is good for the pigs as well as for the soil. A complete set of electric fencing, including a pair of batteries, will cost at least £200.

Permanent Stock Fencing. This is more secure, but you won’t enjoy the benefits of the ‘pig tractor’ effect, and it is unwise to keep pigs on the same patch of land year in, year out.

Permanent stock fencing for a 12m x 12m (40ft x 40ft) pen, including a simple gate, should cost around £300. ❋ FOOD TROUGHS These really aren’t essential, as pigs are happy to eat off the ground. ❋ TYRE WATER BOWLS These are cheap and effective at around £15 each. Ask a garage for N OV E M B E R 2013

Yes, you will be required to register your land ‘holding’ with Defra if it hasn’t already been registered, and complete forms every time you move, buy or slaughter any pigs. Visit the Defra website at www.gov.uk/defra to learn more about the responsibilities and requirements of pig keeping and animal husbandry in general.

some old tyres – they will more than likely be happy to give them to you free of charge. ❋ SHELTER With regard to shelter, a pig’s home does not need to be elaborate. Here at The Oak Tree Farm the Acorn Antics Pig Club have made a couple of cheap and cheerful homes using waste pallets and a simple roof. There is no need to include a floor, and if you move your pigs every few months you won’t even need to muck them out, as they carefully poo outdoors. Just give them plenty of straw as bedding. Adding insulation to their home, perhaps in the form of straw bale walls, will be a real luxury! ❋ ACCESS TO A TRAILER You’ll save a lot of money if you can borrow rather than buy or hire a trailer for transporting your fully-

grown pigs to the abattoir. Try friends or local smallholders – you could always offer a pork gift as a way of saying ‘thanks’!

Feeding your pigs Pigs need to be fed and watered twice a day without fail, including Christmas Day and days when snow is thick on the ground. The easiest way to share this work among members is to set up a regular weekly rota. If a member goes on holiday it is then his or her responsibility to ask someone else to take over. If you are using an electric fence to contain your pigs, use the twice-daily feeding visits to test the fence, as pigs often root under the fence, which can short it, rendering it ineffective.

Twice-daily visits also enable you to make sure that the pigs are in good health and not causing any annoyance to neighbours or the landlord! ❋

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