On occasions a member of our team loves getting out and about to meet our customers.

Angie our sales manager was already out the door when the opportunity arose to meet the fabulously happy pigs at The Old English Pig Company.

We must admit, we don’t think we have seen Angie get so incredibly excited. Here’s what happened…….

Its always a pleasure to drive across Dartmoor National Park and it was no exception arriving at Bittaford and the lovely Leigh Farm. Spencer and Sarah were kindly waiting to greet me and to receive their striking design produced on our Jute bags, especially ordered for the Devon Life Food & Drink Awards 2016  .

Spencer and Sarah offered me the full tour to find out exactly how High Welfare rearing of pigs really works. Such a warm greeting followed by them parting with so much of their knowledge. Everything is entirely transparent at the farm and I was not only able to meet ALL the pigs, but get stuck into a bit of belly rubbing too.

What a beautiful rare breed – The Oxford Sandy and Blacks, The traditional Old English Pig.

These pigs are happy, I mean really happy. Running around having fun with their siblings and mum.

Lovely large outdoor grazing and foraging land is provided which is rotated every 3 months and it amuses Sarah every time the fresh grass polishes up their little pink hoofs.

Would you believe me if I told you that they didn’t smell? Well not a bad one, They do in fact smell rather sweet. Spencer said it’s a bit like caramel and Yes it is, just like caramel! I have to agree.

What I learnt about High Welfare Farming.

An astonishing 98% of our pork in the U.K. is not farmed in fresh fields like these, or outdoors and free to roam. This farm is what you call FREE RANGE and outdoor reared. Like many people, I like to know where my meat is from. I want high welfare products and as an avid label reader I had no idea I have been fooled by the outdoor bred category of farming. Pigs bred outdoors but not reared outdoors or free to run around in daylight. How can no natural daylight and freedom not be our biggest priority whilst a pig is growing up. How can that be healthy? Well it’s not, and why the pigs are loaded with antibiotics which in turn is then fed to us.

The facts are:

• Outdoor bred means born outside and moved indoors for fattening.
• Outdoor reared means the pigs spend large proportion of life outdoors but will still be moved indoors for what could be 2 months.
• Free Range is what the Old English Pig Company do, where a 100% of their lives is spent outdoors in a natural environment. That’s the Label you want to look out for: FREE RANGE Outdoor reared.

If you haven’t been following the #turnyournoseup campaign, then we urge you to visit the page and watch this vital message Jeremy Irons among other celebrities are sharing with us.

Commercial pigs are 75% of our UK pork production, this means they are kept on concrete, intensively farmed in stressful conditions. Their tails are docked and their teeth are clipped which is supposed to cause less injury. Here at Leigh farm, their tails were so much a part of their character, twisting and curling and not at risk of being damaged because the pigs are not stressed. As far as the teeth, we’ll I rather enjoyed their curious little nibble on my fingers, and my boots were entirely in tact when I left.

Spencer and Sarah remain to be loyal to their ethical values, it’s a wonderful thing that the pigs have longer happier lives. Currently only two pigs go off to market a week, keeping a small ethical farm is more important. Sarah said she couldn’t grow so big that she didn’t know her pigs. Whereas commercial farms can send as many as 4000 a week to market to meet the demand for cheap meat. The point here is the value that we can all share, is in their welfare. Pay a little more and eat less. Let’s treat ourselves, not “pig” ourselves.

So I hope we can all share the priorities of the old English pig company – High welfare, cruelty free and environmentally friendly. I’m delighted we at Gojute share the same ethos. Even the rotation of the pigs roaming grounds reminded me about how our jute plants are grown. Crop rotation is healthy for growth and a natural pest control too.

 

How Jute can help

The Old English Pig Company are proudly sponsoring the Devon Life Food & Drink Awards 2016 event by supplying the jute bags for attendees. A fabulous way of connecting with other producers and potential clients.

What other product is seen every day in the home and on the high streets at the same time. Your marketing is literally on the move and a great serviceable treat for your customers.

We wish Spencer and Sarah the very best in their ethical undertaking and future sustainable growth. Wonderful passionate people who are following their strong ethical values.

Their produce is quite frankly delicious and sold to the high-end restaurants locally and throughout the U.K. Take a look at their Online Shop, the texture and taste is something quite amazing in comparison to supermarket meat.

Now if I wasn’t having so much of a good time, I could have learnt a great deal more from Spencer and Sarah’s ethically friendly insight and how legislation impacts on pig farming. However should you be a keen and budding small holder or have dreams of seeking the good life, I highly recommend a One day pig keeping course. Personally I could have stayed for days listening and learning whilst giving belly rubs to the ever so friendly Sandy and Blacks.