Rearing Tamworths in a semi-natural woodland
I have reared G.O.S pigs outdoors in my orchard and fed them on a diet of Bananas and tonnes of apples and plums. For which they foraged daily. They were also given regular supplies of whey (from a small cheese maker friend of mine). All in all their diet was magnificent and natural. The resulting meat and fat quality is difficult to put into words. Unbelievable!
I make charcuterie for a living; I have neither since nor before been able to buy meat of that quality believe me i was beside myself with pleasure. Pure white glossy fat and meat that was naturally sweet with an undertone of apple. I have been told by a number of customers that the taste of the pork took them back to their grandparent’s day when many households raised their own pig.
The next natural step for me would be too acquire a woodland and fulfil an ambition to create woodland pork from our oldest breed.
I have long dreamt of rearing Tamworth pigs in their native habitat namely woodland and now an opportunity has arisen partly due to the generosity of a local woodland owner.
Tamworth history
The Tamworth is one of the oldest pig breeds. It is the most direct descendant of the native pig stock of Europe that in turn descended from wild boars. The breed originated in the Midlands of England and takes the name of the town Tamworth in Staffordshire.
The Tamworth is a red coloured breed with a long head, prick ears, a straight face and snout, and a long, narrow body. Hair should be long, straight and smooth.
The Tamworth declined in popularity because of competition from modern breeds as is it not suitable for the intensive confined rearing methods. The Tamworth is highly adaptable and suited to both quality pork and bacon production
More charismatic and inquisitive than other breed, it’s undeniably attractive, too!
It’s an excellent dual-purpose pig, suitable for pork or bacon. The meat came top in a “taste test” carried out by Bristol University which used both commercial and rare breed pigs in a scientifically-controlled experiment
Hardy and resilient, thanks to its thick, coarse coat, it’s ideally-suited to living outdoors all year round
What’s more, it’s simply the best for ground-clearance and getting rid of all those weeds you love to hate like dock and brambles.
What is a Semi-natural Woodland?
Ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) has developed naturally on undisturbed soils. The long continuity of semi-natural ancient woods and their undisturbed soils makes it the most valuable natural habitat. It supports a huge range of wildlife (including more threatened species than any other UK habitat) many of which require stable conditions (i.e. relatively unchanging compared to land outside the woods). Often, these species are unable to move easily so do not colonise new areas easily.
Indicators on semi-natural woodland are as follows.
Native Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta,(dogs mercury(Perinnis mercuralis), lesser celandine (ranunculus ficaria), wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) and some would disagree but wild garlic (Allium ursinum) too is a native plant esp in ancient and semi ancient woodlands.
Wild garlic for Bluebells
The delightful Mary Campbell has childhood memories of vast swaths of Bluebells throughout her woodland a heady springtime scent and a carpet of blue too behold. against the lime green of young beech leaves, ash and oak. However, over the decades the wild garlic or Ramsons as it is commonly known, has slowly taken a strangle hold throughout the woodland.
Mary explained that she would once more like to see bluebells in Bickley especially from the sanctuary of her woodland cottage. A plan was hatched.
A taste of the past
I am hoping that despite the current food trends led by mostly bad TV programs and celebrity culture obsessed TV chefs i can generate enough interest to sell pork to a number of people whose knowledge, passion and taste buds demand only the best.
Each pig shall lead a long and adventurous life at Bickley, foraging and munching as many wild garlic bulbs and bramble shoots and roots as possible.
When the time comes to fulfil their part of the bargain they will travel the 2 miles to Langford Veterinary school and abbatoir, (the best in the UK) and begin a transformation into sublime pork
I have a small butchery over in Burrington and shall take personal responsibility to butcher your pork as you have ordered.
I have a few suggestions when it comes to desired cuts and popular favorites.
I make charcuterie for a living; I have neither since nor before been able to buy meat of that quality believe me i was beside myself with pleasure. Pure white glossy fat and meat that was naturally sweet with an undertone of apple. I have been told by a number of customers that the taste of the pork took them back to their grandparent’s day when many households raised their own pig.
The next natural step for me would be too acquire a woodland and fulfil an ambition to create woodland pork from our oldest breed.
I have long dreamt of rearing Tamworth pigs in their native habitat namely woodland and now an opportunity has arisen partly due to the generosity of a local woodland owner.
Tamworth history
The Tamworth is one of the oldest pig breeds. It is the most direct descendant of the native pig stock of Europe that in turn descended from wild boars. The breed originated in the Midlands of England and takes the name of the town Tamworth in Staffordshire.
The Tamworth is a red coloured breed with a long head, prick ears, a straight face and snout, and a long, narrow body. Hair should be long, straight and smooth.
The Tamworth declined in popularity because of competition from modern breeds as is it not suitable for the intensive confined rearing methods. The Tamworth is highly adaptable and suited to both quality pork and bacon production
More charismatic and inquisitive than other breed, it’s undeniably attractive, too!
It’s an excellent dual-purpose pig, suitable for pork or bacon. The meat came top in a “taste test” carried out by Bristol University which used both commercial and rare breed pigs in a scientifically-controlled experiment
Hardy and resilient, thanks to its thick, coarse coat, it’s ideally-suited to living outdoors all year round
What’s more, it’s simply the best for ground-clearance and getting rid of all those weeds you love to hate like dock and brambles.
What is a Semi-natural Woodland?
Ancient semi-natural woodland (ASNW) has developed naturally on undisturbed soils. The long continuity of semi-natural ancient woods and their undisturbed soils makes it the most valuable natural habitat. It supports a huge range of wildlife (including more threatened species than any other UK habitat) many of which require stable conditions (i.e. relatively unchanging compared to land outside the woods). Often, these species are unable to move easily so do not colonise new areas easily.
Indicators on semi-natural woodland are as follows.
Native Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta,(dogs mercury(Perinnis mercuralis), lesser celandine (ranunculus ficaria), wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) and some would disagree but wild garlic (Allium ursinum) too is a native plant esp in ancient and semi ancient woodlands.
Wild garlic for Bluebells
The delightful Mary Campbell has childhood memories of vast swaths of Bluebells throughout her woodland a heady springtime scent and a carpet of blue too behold. against the lime green of young beech leaves, ash and oak. However, over the decades the wild garlic or Ramsons as it is commonly known, has slowly taken a strangle hold throughout the woodland.
Mary explained that she would once more like to see bluebells in Bickley especially from the sanctuary of her woodland cottage. A plan was hatched.
A taste of the past
I am hoping that despite the current food trends led by mostly bad TV programs and celebrity culture obsessed TV chefs i can generate enough interest to sell pork to a number of people whose knowledge, passion and taste buds demand only the best.
Each pig shall lead a long and adventurous life at Bickley, foraging and munching as many wild garlic bulbs and bramble shoots and roots as possible.
When the time comes to fulfil their part of the bargain they will travel the 2 miles to Langford Veterinary school and abbatoir, (the best in the UK) and begin a transformation into sublime pork
I have a small butchery over in Burrington and shall take personal responsibility to butcher your pork as you have ordered.
I have a few suggestions when it comes to desired cuts and popular favorites.
On a daily stroll to find pigs and dispence a little extra food...mollie in tow
Prior to fencing
First trip out
High up on brecon our young Tamworth piglets experience their first outside adventure
Half or quarter of natural woodland tamworth pork
Each pig shall lead a long and adventurous life at Bickley foraging and munching as many wild garlic bulbs and bramble shoots and roots as possible.
When the time comes to fulfil their part of the bargain they will travel the 2 miles to Langford Veterinary school and abattoir, (the best in the UK) and begin a transformation into sublime pork
I have a small butchery over in Burrington and shall take personal responsibility to butcher your pork as you have asked.
To assist you in this task i have compiled a list of what i believe are the best way to utilise your pig. /along with fresh pork products i am including a few examples of cured products I regularly make at my butchery.
Shoulder – Apart from the above the following products are possible. Spare rib – suitable to slow roast cut as cutlets, made into Tasso Ham or cured as a shoulder ham or collar bacon. All sausages are made from the shoulder also. You can choose from the following.
Toulouse, Bratwurst, Sweet Italian or Russian. All sausages are gluten free and lightly cured. There is an additional charge for processed products.
Loin – Apart from the above i can offer to make for you my very special Burrington Back Bacon, or Maple bacon or my honey and coriander seed bacon. All dry cured and aged for one month. These products are stunning and you are unlikely to want eat any other again. There is an additional charge for these products however.
Spare ribs and side pork – Otherwise known as the belly of pork. I can make my classic dry cured Pancetta or streaky bacon. You can have belly slices or two decent belly roasts scored and ready for the oven the remaining as slices.
Fresh leg or Ham – Apart from the suggested cuts the leg will provide three good sized roasting joints and enough for diced or have as thin scaloppini’s. Or the middle section can be transformed into a gammon to be used as a Ham or sliced into gammon slices.
Head & offal & trotters – I realise these cuts may not appeal to everyone but to many they provide a delicacy that is simply sublime. The head can be roasted or the cheeks removed and transformed into a cheek ham (Bath chap) or dry cured to provide you very own simple charcuterie as an air dried ham. The liver and kidneys offer timeless classics or pates. The trotters make a classy gelatinous stock or stuffed and braised an unctuous delight. See Fergus Hendersons The whole beast, nose to tail eating. A number of porky classics. And a great read.
And finally.............
You are welcome at any time to visit our pretty woodland and see your Tamworth pig in its natural woodland habitat foraging and frolicking amongst the wild garlic.
The price of a half a pig will be £150 for an average of 25-30k of meat. Additional costs are added for any bacon, pancetta, gammons and sausages.
We can also offer a quarter of a pig with cuts from the leg, shoulder, loin and belly. For £80
Bacon & Pancetta shall be an additional £20 Sausages will be an additional £10/kilo
Cheques should be made out to Andrew Sartain
For all updates and more information please e-mail Andrew on andrew@thewildfoodlarder.co.uk
When the time comes to fulfil their part of the bargain they will travel the 2 miles to Langford Veterinary school and abattoir, (the best in the UK) and begin a transformation into sublime pork
I have a small butchery over in Burrington and shall take personal responsibility to butcher your pork as you have asked.
To assist you in this task i have compiled a list of what i believe are the best way to utilise your pig. /along with fresh pork products i am including a few examples of cured products I regularly make at my butchery.
Shoulder – Apart from the above the following products are possible. Spare rib – suitable to slow roast cut as cutlets, made into Tasso Ham or cured as a shoulder ham or collar bacon. All sausages are made from the shoulder also. You can choose from the following.
Toulouse, Bratwurst, Sweet Italian or Russian. All sausages are gluten free and lightly cured. There is an additional charge for processed products.
Loin – Apart from the above i can offer to make for you my very special Burrington Back Bacon, or Maple bacon or my honey and coriander seed bacon. All dry cured and aged for one month. These products are stunning and you are unlikely to want eat any other again. There is an additional charge for these products however.
Spare ribs and side pork – Otherwise known as the belly of pork. I can make my classic dry cured Pancetta or streaky bacon. You can have belly slices or two decent belly roasts scored and ready for the oven the remaining as slices.
Fresh leg or Ham – Apart from the suggested cuts the leg will provide three good sized roasting joints and enough for diced or have as thin scaloppini’s. Or the middle section can be transformed into a gammon to be used as a Ham or sliced into gammon slices.
Head & offal & trotters – I realise these cuts may not appeal to everyone but to many they provide a delicacy that is simply sublime. The head can be roasted or the cheeks removed and transformed into a cheek ham (Bath chap) or dry cured to provide you very own simple charcuterie as an air dried ham. The liver and kidneys offer timeless classics or pates. The trotters make a classy gelatinous stock or stuffed and braised an unctuous delight. See Fergus Hendersons The whole beast, nose to tail eating. A number of porky classics. And a great read.
And finally.............
You are welcome at any time to visit our pretty woodland and see your Tamworth pig in its natural woodland habitat foraging and frolicking amongst the wild garlic.
The price of a half a pig will be £150 for an average of 25-30k of meat. Additional costs are added for any bacon, pancetta, gammons and sausages.
We can also offer a quarter of a pig with cuts from the leg, shoulder, loin and belly. For £80
Bacon & Pancetta shall be an additional £20 Sausages will be an additional £10/kilo
Cheques should be made out to Andrew Sartain
For all updates and more information please e-mail Andrew on andrew@thewildfoodlarder.co.uk
The fencing begins
Although the ground was frosty and hard our intrepid fencers set too with gusto. Not sure they were very impressed at trying to thump larch posts through limestone bed rock but their skill and hard work was impressive.
Rasing the funds to pay for this fencing has been and still is a challenge, luckilly a few friends have volunteered their time to help in reducing the cost. Thank you Andy, John & Neal for freezing your fingers. Hampers coming your way.
Rasing the funds to pay for this fencing has been and still is a challenge, luckilly a few friends have volunteered their time to help in reducing the cost. Thank you Andy, John & Neal for freezing your fingers. Hampers coming your way.
Phew what a day! and so the last staple is hammered home. Now its time to warm ones very cold hands and have a bovril
Marys Seat
It was neccesary to remove a perfectly good Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) to allow for our large tractor to punch fence posts through limestone bedrock. This operation alone took three men, myself, Neal & Duke four hours to fell and clear. An ample amount of firewood to last Mary many a cold winters eve.
So it was that i asked Duke to carve a seat for Mary to rest herself and watch the pigs frollicking and foraging through the wild garlic.
Im sure many others will share the same experience also
So it was that i asked Duke to carve a seat for Mary to rest herself and watch the pigs frollicking and foraging through the wild garlic.
Im sure many others will share the same experience also
Marys seat finished and ready to be sat upon..please note in this photo i had not yet stapled the barbed wire up onto the post. So please bear this in mind. And all the timber behind has now been removed.
Enjoy your visits Mary and thankyou for your generosity.
Buillding pig houses from young Ash whips
As parts of the woodland have an enormous covering of young Ash whips it was decided to build their shelters from this natural material, for both aesthetic and economical reasons.
In the photo on your left one can see the begining of the roof frame work and the ash brash walls i built in a single morning.
In the photo on your left one can see the begining of the roof frame work and the ash brash walls i built in a single morning.
Building the pigs house
This photo gives a better idea of the piglets run and beginings of the roofing structure
The pig house roof structure
This view shows the simple lattice structure almost ready for a tarpaulin and many bundles of ash whips, brash and many bags of leaf litter.
By this stage i was running out of steam and needed to go home to eat and re-group.
The area in the foreground once covered, will be deeply bedded with barley straw for the newly arriving weaners.
This housing area is a temporary structure for the new piglets to help them adjust and learn about electric fencing.
I have decided to abandon this house until March as it is in a part of woodland best kept till later in the spring.
By this stage i was running out of steam and needed to go home to eat and re-group.
The area in the foreground once covered, will be deeply bedded with barley straw for the newly arriving weaners.
This housing area is a temporary structure for the new piglets to help them adjust and learn about electric fencing.
I have decided to abandon this house until March as it is in a part of woodland best kept till later in the spring.
Building a pig house part two!
It has been a week of difficcult decisions and sleepless nights, as i near the arrival of my new stock. To be honest i have made a few basic errors in piglet house location. I put it down to busy. So after much thinking and procrastination and a little help from my friends i think i have finally worked it all out.
This new house on your left is the final and finished house, built on an iron age fort in the north east corner.
It has been constructed from hazel coppice. The roof has been waterproofed with tarpaulin then a layer of 1950's hessian sacs fllowed by a deep layer of beech leaf litter. Inside i have put a bale of straw for bedding.
This new house on your left is the final and finished house, built on an iron age fort in the north east corner.
It has been constructed from hazel coppice. The roof has been waterproofed with tarpaulin then a layer of 1950's hessian sacs fllowed by a deep layer of beech leaf litter. Inside i have put a bale of straw for bedding.
Building a pig house part three!
The hesian sacks hanging from the front of the pig house have been nailed into place and had extra weight placed inside. This will give the young pigs added protection for the first few weeks.
I have given them a thirty square metre enclosure for the first week made up of stock fencing and lined with two strands of electric fencing. This is to train the pigs to electric fencing. I hope i have made it secure enough.
My thanks again go out to Neil for his sterling efforts and i love the leaf broom you made. It truly made life a lot easier when filling bags with leaf litter for the roof.
I believe i am almost ready for my pigs arrival this forth coming sunday...
I have given them a thirty square metre enclosure for the first week made up of stock fencing and lined with two strands of electric fencing. This is to train the pigs to electric fencing. I hope i have made it secure enough.
My thanks again go out to Neil for his sterling efforts and i love the leaf broom you made. It truly made life a lot easier when filling bags with leaf litter for the roof.
I believe i am almost ready for my pigs arrival this forth coming sunday...
Piglets arrival to Bickley
And so it was my young Tamworth weaners came in one by one from comfy barn upon Brecon to a pretty north someret woodland. As expereinces and adventures go this was an incident free trip and stress free as far as i could make out.
On our arrival at bickley all that remained was to drive our livestock through the woodland and introduce them to their new home
On our arrival at bickley all that remained was to drive our livestock through the woodland and introduce them to their new home
Six little piggies came from brecon and six little pigs now at home
First woodland foray
Unloading was realtively straightforward the new stock spent a few quality minutes surveying the woodland floor.
It was quite a shock to all of them the first time each small pink nose found the electric fence. In time they will learn and adapt accordingly im sure.
It was quite a shock to all of them the first time each small pink nose found the electric fence. In time they will learn and adapt accordingly im sure.
Still flighty but more inquisitive
Having spent all afternoon in the woodland building a new shelter i was able first hand to study my pigs acivities....... being young they clearly need lots of shut eye. Wandering out to rootle and tootle only occasionally.
I sat with them in their straw bed for a while and watched them nuzzle and chew wild garlic bulbs....whooppeee.
I sat with them in their straw bed for a while and watched them nuzzle and chew wild garlic bulbs....whooppeee.
A woodworking shelter
A place to chill, a place to bodge? a pace to eat and a place to sleep???
Twelve weeks old & growing from strength to strength
We are having another of those warm and dry springs, and our Tamworths are enjoying the exhausting task of munching the many acres of wild garlic. Today however, the sun shine brilliantly and warmly sending little piggies into a sleep fest.......mmmmmmmmmmm wild garlic!
And finally ive got the kettle on and a new chair, thrown together with green hazel.. relax and have a cuppa
Nosy Rascals
So there i was minding my own business taking a few photos of a few spotted orchids growing near the woodland boundry. A basket near by to collect wild garlic for more pesto and wheeeee wheeee wheeee basket tastes good garlic taste good,...basket crunchy yum.
Little monsters. After i had spent hours extending their woodland home as well...i dont know those pesky piglets
Little monsters. After i had spent hours extending their woodland home as well...i dont know those pesky piglets
Toothwort
A lovely flower to see on a warm early spring day hiding amongst the rampaging ramsons or wild garlic.
I have noticed only a few this year due mainly to the afore mentioned wild garlic problem.
Although a parasite and livving off the root systems of hazel coppice it is still a pretty sight.
Over in another corner i spotted a lonely Wood anenome.
I have noticed only a few this year due mainly to the afore mentioned wild garlic problem.
Although a parasite and livving off the root systems of hazel coppice it is still a pretty sight.
Over in another corner i spotted a lonely Wood anenome.
A new Hazel house for new Tamworths
Another busy week at Bickley as another two batches of piglets arrive. The first group consisting of three boars and one gilt. A very tranquil group, settling in very quickly to woodland ife.
Our second group number six eight week old gilts. Due to their age i decided to put them up in a building for a couple of weeks due to their fragility. I reserve any further comment but i think they were weaned to quickly. Scouring quite badly for a few days.
Four days in and all six are bouncing off the walls and almost ready to be set free amongst the now flowering wild garlic.
Their new home was constructed today from green hazel and i have half a mind to move in myself.
Our second group number six eight week old gilts. Due to their age i decided to put them up in a building for a couple of weeks due to their fragility. I reserve any further comment but i think they were weaned to quickly. Scouring quite badly for a few days.
Four days in and all six are bouncing off the walls and almost ready to be set free amongst the now flowering wild garlic.
Their new home was constructed today from green hazel and i have half a mind to move in myself.
Man & dog pose in new house
I am never to sure about adding photos of myself but on this occasion pride got the better of me. I am so proud of this new house for my newest Tamworth weaners that i allowed someone to take an picture.
Beautiful Rust
Perhaps the only time i shall ever use those two words in the same sentence. "Rust & Beautiful". What other words can describe such amazing colours.
Recently Rob@pictures, phtographer and film maker, came for a visit to discuss a few film possibilities. He kindly took a few shots of my tamworths and here are the results.
Remember these pictures are the same piglets as above but three months later. Impressive
Recently Rob@pictures, phtographer and film maker, came for a visit to discuss a few film possibilities. He kindly took a few shots of my tamworths and here are the results.
Remember these pictures are the same piglets as above but three months later. Impressive
