A Year In Redwood

I cannot tell you how often I’ve been asked if I get sad and sentimental when pigs go off to become pork and bacon!  I can honestly answer ‘no’…..

If you have to go out and trudge through mud no matter what the weather I am afraid you do become quite immune to it all! I took some photographs this morning, which was bitterly cold – we’d had a hard frost last night, and the fog has not lifted all day.

All the advice is that you shouldn’t name the pigs, and we have not tended to do so.  We certainly haven’t given names to the gilts and boars born this year.  Although, having said that the sows do all have names and quite distinct personalities.

And then, of course, there’s the boar – Clarence – Farmer Alfie’s pet!

Clarence, although he is the biggest of all, he is also the real softie in the herd.  I have seen the goats climb all over him while he sleeps and he just ignored them…. the other smaller boars just clamber all over him too.  He likes nothing better than a scratch and rub…. you should seem him lie down and roll over for that!  If he ever goes for pork or bacon it will probably be more like that Japanese massaged beef (kobe!)…. and be so totally expensive!! He’s also rather partial to grapes!  Farmer Alfie was hand feeding him grapes this morning!

Then there’s the sows…. Lucy, the biggest, the slowest but boy is she the boss!  She’s also rather partial to bananas… see the photographs below.

Lucy and Perky are best friends. Perky…. well she’s called that because her ears are perkier than the others… and she hears things that the others completely miss.  Perky’s favourite foods cabbage and potatoes!

Floppy – she’s the noisiest of all… she seems to like the sound of her own voice, or she’s always giving out.

Pinky – she loves oranges and tomatoes.

It is fascinating watching them all route through the feed to grab their favourites, then run off somewhere quite to eat it and then come back for more.

This week we’ve had orders coming in for our next batch of pork which will be ready in two weeks time.  Feedback from last deliveries has been great with comments like ‘best pork I’ve had in decades’!  And from all accounts we had the sausages are a great success.  To those customers we would say please keep spreading the word, we do appreciate it!

And by the way if you do read this blog, please feel free to pass on the link to others!