Eighty percent of pig production in Britain takes place on farms with vast herds of 1,000 or more pigs. Phil's farm, where his animals live very different lives from those reared using today's mass production methods, is a haven of peace.
Phil keeps Large White Pigs, a traditional British breed developed in
Yorkshire some two centuries ago and prized for their high quality, low-fat
meat. He has two boars - Yoyo and Charlie - and 30 sows. His sows produce an
average of just over two litters a year. Each litter averages 12 piglets, of
which ten might be expected to thrive and be reared.
The small scale of production does not warrant Phil considering membership of any quality assurance scheme, as this would increase the price of his products.
Phil describes his close relationship with his pigs:
"They live in a stress-free environment, and their low
numbers means that I can treat them as individuals. They all recognize and
respond to my voice.... and are correspondingly wary of strangers."
Phil thoroughly enjoys pig rearing on such a small scale. This, combined with close daily contact between human and animal, is the key to an unstressed life for his pigs.
If you want to buy directly from Phil, contact him by telephone and he will usually be able to supply you from his freezer. He will also be present at ?most? Purbeck Products markets and events.
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