Major Updates

I have been rather absent recently, but there have been a number of additions to our smallholding. Taking them in chronological order, first we collected two pedigree Oxford Sandy and Black gilts from near Watchet.



They are both birth notified pigs, and the breeder is obtaining the herd book certificates for us. This means that we can breed from them and, assuming we use a registered boar, register their offspring as pedigree OS&B which can attract a premium both for their meat and as breeding stock.

We have now moved all eight pigs to a local Estate. At the moment this is a bit of a joint venture with the landlord as he has some areas of woodland that are overgrown with brambles. The Estate also has amazing gardens which are currently being redesigned and will hopefully be opened to the public in the future - the plan is to be able to sell meat produced on the Estate to visitors to the gardens. The pigs caused a great stir when they arrived - half the Estate turned out to meet them! They've now settled in and seem very happy, if a little uninterested in the brambles - we're planning to cut their feed down a bit in the hope they do some more foraging.



Earlier this week we collected six point of lay bluebell chickens. We have a small shed in our garden (one of three - check us out!) which the previous owners left behind that we've (read: Ed) converted in to a chicken house, complete with an old sideboard (also left behind) as a nest box.



They also have an outside run, which we're planning to put a roof on for extra fox protection, particularly if we're a bit late getting them in.



That's about it on the smallholding updates, though I did look at a pony the other day........