Ben grew up at Oak House Farm near Ipswich after his parents bought it in 1984, and as a teenager he would fatten a few weaners over the summer and sell them fresh in halves to friends and family. Oak House Farm was originally a pig farm, built in the 1950s and had one of the biggest Large White herds in the country before they fell out of fashion in favour of commercial hybrid breeds. Although Ben’s father demolished some of the pig sheds, some remain and have been brought back into use, with the addition of attached outdoor yards. The farm’s land is unsuitable for outdoor production, being a bit too heavy. It’s knee-deep with mud in winter and rock-hard in the summer. The indoor system utilised has growing pens that are designed for small groups to be housed together on a straw-based system. The farrowing pens do not use farrowing crates. All of the pigs have access to an outdoor area.
Georgina’s mother-in-law, Madeline, had been selling beef from the farm’s Red Poll cattle since 1995, and Georgina and Ben decided to fatten a few bought-in weaners to sell alongside the beef. It went well, but they decided it made more sense to produce their own pigs, and they wanted to have a pedigree herd. Georgina explained: “We settled on Gloucestershire Old Spots, initially because I liked the look of them. It was just fortuitous that, in hindsight, I’d unintentionally plumped for a breed that offered everything we could want. They taste amazing, they’re such good mothers, you don’t get many aggressive ones, and so they’re easy to look after.
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av The Country Smallholder.
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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av The Country Smallholder.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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How to Buy a Smallholding in France- Long-time smallholder Lorraine Turnbull looks at the practicalities of moving to rural France
Aspiring smallholders are continually thwarted by the prices of smallholdings and property with land located within the UK. Even the humblest croft in Scotland comes with a substantial price tag and conditions which would make even an adventurous wannabee consider carefully. But all is not lost. For those willing to take the adventure of a lifetime, there is always Europe, and one of the most popular places is France.
Meet the Bournemouth goats and their supporters
These capricious animals are hard workers preserving the natural habitat
Still warm enough to sit outside with a Pizza
Henrietta Balcon uses fresh figs to create an unusual dish at Harvest time
Goodbye to the birds of spring and summer
If you look and listen you might be able to see them preparing to leave says The RSPB
Get ready for the colder weather in the warmth of late summer
Claire Waring advises on doing the best to make sure your colonies survive until next spring
Preparing the Veg Patch for Winter
Lee Senior says, a well-run plot can excitingly continue to produce good quality, tasty, fresh food for much of winter
Time to prepare to plant your orchard
Wade Muggleton, smallholder and author of The Orchard Book, shares his practical experience so you can create your own fruit collection
Choosing feed for the autumn
As autumn approaches, Joanna Palmer, nutritionist at the Smallholder Range, offers advice on choosing the right feed to support your adult birds through their annual moult and ensure your young birds grow and finish well at this time of the year.
Vet advice from an experienced poultry vet
Reflecting on how much the humble hen has helped people world wide plus advice on stopping the scourge of red mite
Give your hens some support
Paul Donovan looks at the right and wrong ways of handling birds
