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The Pigs
'I was here first.'
Since leaving school at sixteen, Charles has enjoyed a working life on many of the UK's pig farms. His love affair with these, came when he was still at school for his parents kept pigs on the family farm. In those early days, he would often aid his father at bedding and feeding times.
His very first job was to take him away from the family, and he took up residence on a piggery in Yorkshire, near the little township of Pickhill, He learned much and what he learned has kept him in good stead, wherever he went.
By taking on different roles on the various piggeries, he soon found a love for working within the farrowing sows, both indoors, in farrowing rooms, and outside in farrowing paddocks.
When asked, 'Do you prefer indoor or outdoor pigs?' Charles will always say outdoors, for he feels they are healthier and much happier being in a field, than cooped up in a shed.
The meat you get from outdoor rearing, he believes, will always taste better, than any indoor reared pig and he is not alone in this sentiment.
During the past few years, he decided travelling was a way for him to see how pig farming differed, from farm to farm, all across the country and he signed on as a relief pig specialist, for an industry known agency and during his time with them he worked for, who he believes to be, one of the country's leaders in outdoor pig production. Mark Hayward, of Dingley Dell Pork who runs the family oriented farm along with his brother Paul. They produce good quality food and sell directly to quality outlets. Their website is www.dingleydell.com
Here are a series of photos taken from all around the UK. Some of these are smaller photos, taken on a mobile, and blowing them up makes them too distorted. Enjoy.
His very first job was to take him away from the family, and he took up residence on a piggery in Yorkshire, near the little township of Pickhill, He learned much and what he learned has kept him in good stead, wherever he went.
By taking on different roles on the various piggeries, he soon found a love for working within the farrowing sows, both indoors, in farrowing rooms, and outside in farrowing paddocks.
When asked, 'Do you prefer indoor or outdoor pigs?' Charles will always say outdoors, for he feels they are healthier and much happier being in a field, than cooped up in a shed.
The meat you get from outdoor rearing, he believes, will always taste better, than any indoor reared pig and he is not alone in this sentiment.
During the past few years, he decided travelling was a way for him to see how pig farming differed, from farm to farm, all across the country and he signed on as a relief pig specialist, for an industry known agency and during his time with them he worked for, who he believes to be, one of the country's leaders in outdoor pig production. Mark Hayward, of Dingley Dell Pork who runs the family oriented farm along with his brother Paul. They produce good quality food and sell directly to quality outlets. Their website is www.dingleydell.com
Here are a series of photos taken from all around the UK. Some of these are smaller photos, taken on a mobile, and blowing them up makes them too distorted. Enjoy.
Tales from the piggeries.
What follows are true events as I remember them, albeit with bit of humour added in.
For ease of use I have compiled the stories into chapters, but they are not chronological and skip, both from farm to farm, and back and forth through time.
Enjoy.
Please note: These files are in PDF format. To view them you need adobe acrobat reader. For the latest version Go here.
I'm really behind on these. Instead I've been concentrating on the fiction. Keep checking back though, one day I'll dedicate the time to writing more.
Chapter 1.
Chapter 2.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 4.
Chapter 5.
For ease of use I have compiled the stories into chapters, but they are not chronological and skip, both from farm to farm, and back and forth through time.
Enjoy.
Please note: These files are in PDF format. To view them you need adobe acrobat reader. For the latest version Go here.
I'm really behind on these. Instead I've been concentrating on the fiction. Keep checking back though, one day I'll dedicate the time to writing more.
Chapter 1.
Chapter 2.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 4.
Chapter 5.
Odd bits
I had to share this video. Pigs can be clever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTXFC_xPsEM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTXFC_xPsEM