# The pigs (sensitive vegetarians ignore this thread)



## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

I took Ant and Dec off to the abattoir on Monday morning. Yesterday I went back to collect them. The butcher informed me that they were the biggest pigs there that day. Upshot is that one of my large chest freezers is now full to the gunwhales with pork. I got back 185lbs from one and 190 from the other. In total 375 lbs of meat.
Both pigs cost me a total of around £400. That includes the cost of buying them, the cost of feeding them and the cost of killing and cutting to my requirements. They come back all bagged and labelled. So, I have a freezer full of chops, joints, diced and minced pork and it all cost me £1.06 per lb.
I've already given some away to people I know with children. No doubt more will go the same way. I should get my smoker in a week or so, so that I can start making smoked ham and bacon.
It is so worth rearing your own meat if you have the space.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

oooooooooo wow!! thats a HELL Of alot of food for you!!! any bacon spare


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## abandonallhope (Jun 19, 2009)

Can't believe you named them, things with names are pets not food. :lol2:

TBH, it's somthing I've considered doing, I have a huge garden and could easily have a couple of lambs, chickens and possibly a goat. It's the only way you can guarantee the meat has not been pumped full of water, the animals where looked after while they were alive and you've got good quality meat for a fraction of the price.


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

I agree with rearing your own meat but I must say I couldn't do it if I'd named them!

I'd have to be shouting 'piggies' when I went to feed them rather than calling them by individual names.

I can't even name my rats and mice that I am going to cull..I go in the shed at feeding time saying 'where's all the babies'. Anyone with a name is a pet and gets cremated when they pass.

I did used to cull my own geese a few years ago but never culled the ones I'd named only the ones I'd bred from them.

Just to add I am so jealous that you have home reared pork to eat. I bet it tastes totally different to the 'normal' pork we have to eat.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

freekygeeky said:


> oooooooooo wow!! thats a HELL Of alot of food for you!!! any bacon spare


 It isn't all for me though. One of them is for my son. I'll probably give away half of mine.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> It isn't all for me though. One of them is for my son. I'll probably give away half of mine.


itwoudl last for ages if you ate it all buy your self wouldnt it.. crazy crazy crazy


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## abandonallhope (Jun 19, 2009)

So does anyone else feel like a pork raid on fenwomans house?


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

saxon said:


> I agree with rearing your own meat but I must say I couldn't do it if I'd named them!
> 
> I'd have to be shouting 'piggies' when I went to feed them rather than calling them by individual names.
> 
> ...


I have no problem eating something I name. For me, in my mind, name or no, it is either pet or livestock.Livestock gets eaten, pet gets kept.
These 2 were reared on mainly porridge made with barley meal and goats milk, plus as much veg and fruit as I got them. Very little bought in pig nuts. The last months they had beetroot, apples, pears, corn on the cob, marrows, garlic, cabbages, carrots, bananas, boiled potatoes,and loads more so yes, they'll taste better that shop bought factory farmed pork.
It doesn't bother me killing surplus cockerels since they will always be 'meat waiting to happen'. 
And when I get meat rabbits, I'll enjoy the breeding stock, and enjoy the cute baby bunnies, but when they are of a size, I'll weep no tears over culling them to eat either. It's the natural order of things. There is a food chain, and those highest up on it, eat the ones lower down on it. Nature made it that way. Generally, any living creature with eyes facing forward, are predators, and anything with eyes on the side of their heads are prey.
If I didn't rear my own meat, quite simply, I would not eat meat as I swear I can taste the misery of factory farmed stuff and would choke on it.
They both had a lovely life snudging about in their pen, snoozing in the sunshine all summer long and splodging in their mud wallow if it got too warm.But ultimately, 2 large Gloucester old spots boars will always be destined to be eaten.
Anyone close enough to call in, please do and you can have some of my pork.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

abandonallhope said:


> So does anyone else feel like a pork raid on fenwomans house?


 No need to raid. I give away freely anything I have plenty of.


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

That's a bargain!

We're not allowed to keep pigs. :-(


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Grond said:


> That's a bargain!
> 
> We're not allowed to keep pigs. :-(


 whyever not??:gasp:


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> whyever not??:gasp:


It's a newish house and it's written into the deeds.

Pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, ducks all barred!


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Grond said:


> It's a newish house and it's written into the deeds.
> 
> Pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, ducks all barred!


same with us, we dont have room for pigs etc but chickens we do


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

I was talking to someone a couple of weeks ago and they were telling me that when she was a little girl, all the families in a street would club together to buy a piglet. One of them would build a sty in their garden and look after it, while the other families would help pay for the food and save scraps etc (illegal nowadays as you cannot feed kitchen waste) and then in the autumn, the pig would be killed and the meat all shared between the families. Now that's community living. I rear a pig for my son and share my surplus with friends and next year I am going to rear one for my son and another for a friend of mine. She'll pay for the piglet and all it's food and the slaughter costs but it'll be kept here. Someone in the local smallholder's club offers to rear a pig for people too so I think it must happen elsewhere in the country among country folks who value the more important things in life over money. It might be worth making enquiries wherever you live. Even if you cannot keep a pig on your own land, perhaps there is someone like me or this other chap locally, who is willing to rear one for you?
I think some of the old wartime values of helping others where possible without expecting to be paid for it, might be a good thing to have in this modern world.


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

Fenwoman,

I'm a 'soft a**e' though and if I name it I keep it.
I wish I could have been like you, that's meant as a compliment, when I had my goats, geese and chucks. 
I had to get someone else to cull the geese I couldn't do it.
I had my goats to cull and when the time came I just couldn't do it. Maybe now it might be different but I'm not in a position to own them now!

How I wish I lived near you. With their diet the last few months they are going to taste fantastic.

If everyone could live as you do there would be no problem with people not being able to afford decent diets.


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

why is this in the other pets and exotics section :lol2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Grond said:


> It's a newish house and it's written into the deeds.
> 
> Pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, ducks all barred!


 awww rotten old meanies. Flipping cheek too though. If it's your property and you paid for it, you should be allowed to do what you like in it as long as it doesn't bother your neighbours. It's like buying a new car and the car manufacturer telling you that you aren't allowed to drive on Sundays and never to drive to this place or that.
I live in a very rural area in part of an old farmhouse so keeping livestock is considered normal around here.


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## abandonallhope (Jun 19, 2009)

Grond said:


> It's a newish house and it's written into the deeds.
> 
> Pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, ducks all barred!


Goat?


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## diamondlil (May 7, 2008)

What I'd give for some of that pork! I hope you enjoy every morsel!


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## Sid.lola (Jan 10, 2008)

I think all meateaters should have to do this at least once. Or kill a meal. Too many people eat meat and have no respect for where it comes from because they don't like to think of the cute ikkle aminals.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

saxon said:


> Fenwoman,
> 
> I'm a 'soft a**e' though and if I name it I keep it.
> I wish I could have been like you, that's meant as a compliment, when I had my goats, geese and chucks.
> ...


 Share everything. It's my way. If I make a new friend, I show them where the produce auction is and go with them a few times until they feel comfy bidding. I show them how to make jams, chutneys and the like.
Today my car went in to be fixed and the mechanic's wife drove Chalky and me all the way home (about 15 miles) with her 2 little kids in the car, so she got a nice big joint for their Sunday dinner. I'm really looking forward to making ham and bacon again and giving some of that away too.I will also do sausages again. I like it because I'm hoping to inspire people and perhaps when they taste good food, at some stage in their lives, they might be in a position to do the same.And if it meant that someone changed their shopping habits and bought free range pork instead of Danish or Dutch stuff from stalled sows, then I will be more than delighted.
I am odd. I know I'm odd. I hate laying the money game. I prefer to barter or swap and I share what I can spare, but loads of people around here think along the same lines so I can't be that odd can I?:lol2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> why is this in the other pets and exotics section :lol2:


well they are 'other' pets aren't they? They aren't the normal run of th emill pets? They aren't pets at all, but there is no livestock section.
Would a Mod please move this if this is an inappropriate thread for this section.


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> well they are 'other' pets aren't they? They aren't the normal run of th emill pets? They aren't pets at all, but there is no livestock section.
> Would a Mod please move this if this is an inappropriate thread for this section.


I wasnt having a go or anything i was just wandering because this thread is about eating them not keeping them as pets :lol2: some people can take offence to that seeing it in the pet section


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

ryanr1987 said:


> I wasnt having a go or anything i was just wandering because this thread is about eating them not keeping them as pets :lol2: some people can take offence to that seeing it in the pet section


(hence the title..)


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> Share everything. It's my way. If I make a new friend, I show them where the produce auction is and go with them a few times until they feel comfy bidding. I show them how to make jams, chutneys and the like.
> Today my car went in to be fixed and the mechanic's wife drove Chalky and me all the way home (about 15 miles) with her 2 little kids in the car, so she got a nice big joint for their Sunday dinner. I'm really looking forward to making ham and bacon again and giving some of that away too.I will also do sausages again. I like it because I'm hoping to inspire people and perhaps when they taste good food, at some stage in their lives, they might be in a position to do the same.And if it meant that someone changed their shopping habits and bought free range pork instead of Danish or Dutch stuff from stalled sows, then I will be more than delighted.
> I am odd. I know I'm odd. I hate laying the money game. I prefer to barter or swap and I share what I can spare, but loads of people around here think along the same lines so I can't be that odd can I?:lol2:


That's the way I'd love to be able to live.

I'm sure you inspire many people, once they get to know you, if only everyone could afford to buy anything other than 'farmed' produce I'm sure many would.
I know I would but I'm forced, at times, by the economic climate at the moment to buy what I can get at the time.
I used to buy organic/free range when I lived in my last house as they farm was just down the road but it's too expensive to travel to the farm now.

I am going to have to meet you one day you know I'm sure we will get along I'm a bit 'odd', or so people say, as well.


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

freekygeeky said:


> (hence the title..)


 this is the pet section not the meat and fruit and veg section... surely this is better off in the off topic section where people are less likley to take offence. although i do fancy a bacon sarnie


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

I predict a bacon overdose :mf_dribble: :lol2:


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> this is the pet section not the meat and fruit and veg section... surely this is better off in the off topic section where people are less likley to take offence


 Not when she's given adequate warning in the thread title. Plus the piggies have been discussed on this section since the bought them. Much better for their outcome to be discussed here than in off topic which is full of crap anyway in my opinion : victory:


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

spider_duck said:


> Not when she's given adequate warning in the thread title. Plus the piggies have been discussed on this section since the bought them. Much better for their outcome to be discussed here than in off topic which is full of crap anyway in my opinion : victory:


:lol2: true that section is full of shite lol im not too fused about it personally but some people on here are abit sensitive and think the pet section is for pet and not eating your pets :lol2: never mind though..


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> this is the pet section not the meat and fruit and veg section... surely this is better off in the off topic section where people are less likley to take offence. although i do fancy a bacon sarnie


 why would anyone take offence?The title clearly says "sensitive vegetarians ignore this thread", so I would assume that anyone likely to be upset by the subject would not be reading the thread. And if you are not vegetarian and have read the thread, why would you be offended? It seems to me that you have some sort of agenda here and have posted with the sole intention to cause problems since you haven't commented about the subject or content but merely moaned about it being in this section. Why didn't you moan when I posted about Ant and Dec at other times over the weeks?


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

Besides, how can anyone get offended over SOOO much pork? Thats a thing of true beauty that is :flrt:


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

spider_duck said:


> Besides, how can anyone get offended over SOOO much pork? Thats a thing of true beauty that is :flrt:


 i agree i'm starvvinngg now!


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> i agree i'm starvvinngg now!


Ive got a bit of bacon in the fridge, but ive already had tea..........aaaaaargh :lol2:


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> why would anyone take offence?The title clearly says "sensitive vegetarians ignore this thread", so I would assume that anyone likely to be upset by the subject would not be reading the thread. And if you are not vegetarian and have read the thread, why would you be offended? It seems to me that you have some sort of agenda here and have posted with the sole intention to cause problems since you haven't commented about the subject or content but merely moaned about it being in this section. Why didn't you moan when I posted about Ant and Dec at other times over the weeks?


But it's you Fenwoman,

Everyone will want to look.
I think they should know by now if you give a warning they shouldn't look at the thread.
You'll always have the ones who moan about what you post.

I still couldn't eat Ant and Dec if I'd reared them they would have been called 'piggies'!!!!!!!!!:lol2::lol2:


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Yesterday I went to a local market and needed some eggs as the birds at the sanctuary have nearly stopped laying. I stopped at an Organic stall selling cheese etc and asked "Are your eggs free range?" He says "erm I think so" i said "well they either are or they aren`t". He said "they come from uncaged birds" This is when I got really angry as uncaged birds are not free range they are Barn birds so instead of stuffing small numbers of chickens in small cages they stuff hundreds of birds in a barn:bash: Stupid man was meant to be selling organic food and he didnt even know the difference between free range and uncaged birds. Needless to say we went without eggs as I refuse to eat anything other than free range.
Im off to the sanctuary tomorrow and will get just a few eggs as some birds are still laying but rather this than buy eggs that are not truly free range


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> why would anyone take offence?The title clearly says "sensitive vegetarians ignore this thread", so I would assume that anyone likely to be upset by the subject would not be reading the thread. And if you are not vegetarian and have read the thread, why would you be offended? It seems to me that you have some sort of agenda here and have posted with the sole intention to cause problems since you haven't commented about the subject or content but merely moaned about it being in this section. Why didn't you moan when I posted about Ant and Dec at other times over the weeks?


 :lol2: why would someone take offence....urm maybe because this is the PET section that's why. i personally don't care where this thread is but some people will.


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

spider_duck said:


> Ive got a bit of bacon in the fridge, but ive already had tea..........aaaaaargh :lol2:


 lol! im all out of bacon i'm tempted to go stealing from the OPs freeza full of pork! :lol:


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

ryanr1987 said:


> :lol2: why would someone take offence....urm maybe because this is the PET section that's why. i personally don't care where this thread is but some people will.


 
There was warning in the title...Duh!!!!! if you take offense dont' read it!!!!!
Therefore you dont' need to post either!!!!


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

saxon said:


> But it's you Fenwoman,
> 
> Everyone will want to look.
> I think they should know by now if you give a warning they shouldn't look at the thread.
> ...


But 'Piggies' is a name .....:whistling2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> lol! im all out of bacon i'm tempted to go stealing from the OPs freeza full of pork! :lol:


 oh do feel free :lol2::lol2::lol2:
You do know how many dogs I have don't you? 
It would be really funny watching anyone trying to steal anything from here.
a/I have nothing worth stealing
b/ Big Ursa would take a very dim view of anyone coming into his house without his 'Mumsie' inviting them.
c/ why steal? You need, I have spare, I give. Want some eggs and tomatoes to go with it? Just say so.:Na_Na_Na_Na: Tis the country way.lol


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

LOL! I can imagine you waking up to find Ursa sat on an intruder :lol2:


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> oh do feel free :lol2::lol2::lol2:
> You do know how many dogs I have don't you?
> It would be really funny watching anyone trying to steal anything from here.
> a/I have nothing worth stealing
> ...


 :lol2: dogs don't scare me esp when food is envolved


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> Yesterday I went to a local market and needed some eggs as the birds at the sanctuary have nearly stopped laying. I stopped at an Organic stall selling cheese etc and asked "Are your eggs free range?" He says "erm I think so" i said "well they either are or they aren`t". He said "they come from uncaged birds" This is when I got really angry as uncaged birds are not free range they are Barn birds so instead of stuffing small numbers of chickens in small cages they stuff hundreds of birds in a barn:bash: Stupid man was meant to be selling organic food and he didnt even know the difference between free range and uncaged birds. Needless to say we went without eggs as I refuse to eat anything other than free range.
> Im off to the sanctuary tomorrow and will get just a few eggs as some birds are still laying but rather this than buy eggs that are not truly free range


I agree shell. Trouble is that most birds will have just moulted or be still moulting so not really laying well at the moment. Mine are the same although nearly finished now and the land looks like a snowstorm. The only ones still laying well are my little Dutch bantams and you need 6 of theirs to cover one bit of toast with scrambled eggs lol. I keep saying I'll preserve eggs and always forget to do so. When they are laying well, you can preserve them whole in something called isinglass in jars to use up in winter or when they are moulting.


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> :lol2: dogs don't scare me esp when food is envolved


Ah but you havent seen the size of ursa :lol2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> :lol2: dogs don't scare me esp when food is envolved


 I think you'd be a tad worried with 25 of them trying to bite you and expecially all 65kg of big Ursa showing you that he is a little miffed that you are trying to pinch his 'mumsie's' grub.


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

spider_duck said:


> Ah but you havent seen the size of ursa :lol2:


:lol2: what breed?? only dog breed that i would actually be scared of would be a caucasian ovcharka but even that wouldnt stop me from getting my chopds around some pork


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

spider_duck said:


> LOL! I can imagine you waking up to find Ursa sat on an intruder :lol2:


 Hehe. I think if he'd sat on someone the whole night, the poor intruder would be very flat by the time I'd found them. He's no 'fairy twinkle toes' is my big lad.


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> I think you'd be a tad worried with 25 of them trying to bite you and expecially all 65kg of big Ursa showing you that he is a little miffed that you are trying to pinch his 'mumsie's' grub.


 ok ok 25 is abit unfair  looks like it's shopping tomorrow moring then :lol2:


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> Hehe. I think if he'd sat on someone the whole night, the poor intruder would be very flat by the time I'd found them. He's no 'fairy twinkle toes' is my big lad.


 But I bet hes great for kisses :lol2: Id rather be sat on by ursa than phoebe mind, while hes about 3-4 times heavier, phoebe tends to use her teeth if you move the tiniest amount :lol2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> :lol2: what breed?? only dog breed that i would actually be scared of would be a caucasian ovcharka but even that wouldnt stop me from getting my chopds around some pork


 breed has nothing to do with anything. Ursa is part rottie and part Newfoundland. He is a great lump of a dog.If you wouldn't be worried by something that size getting upset with you, then you must be brave or daft. I wouldn't go onto any large dog's territory without being concerned or worried, but then I have been around dogs for several decades and understand the potential for bad things happening.Even a golden retriever is capable of causing some serious damage if not putting someone in hospital.


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> breed has nothing to do with anything. Ursa is part rottie and part Newfoundland. He is a great lump of a dog.If you wouldn't be worried by something that size getting upset with you, then you must be brave or daft. I wouldn't go onto any large dog's territory without being concerned or worried, but then I have been around dogs for several decades and understand the potential for bad things happening.Even a golden retriever is capable of causing some serious damage if not putting someone in hospital.


cool mix that would explain the 65 kilos :lol2: nah i wouldnt actually be worried about a dog that size not in a stupid or brave way just how i am. have been attacked by quite a few dogs from gsds to a great dane amd know that they can mess you up. have learnt a few techs how to deal with them physically not that i go around trying it more of a defence thing i learn plus i weight 107 kg myself lol. i wouldnt line up to get bit though that would be stupid. you got any pics of her curious what a newfie and rottie mix looks like :flrt:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

spider_duck said:


> But I bet hes great for kisses :lol2: Id rather be sat on by ursa than phoebe mind, while hes about 3-4 times heavier, phoebe tends to use her teeth if you move the tiniest amount :lol2:


 He's a great dog and has many fans. He is very benign and looks upon every human as his friend unless proved otherwise.
He has a job to do every miorning which he does diligently and gets upset if Chalky mucks about and puts him off. He finds the milk bucket and carries it all the way from the house, right down to the goat yard and puts it by the goat shed for me while my arms are full of hay. He takes the job very seriously and is proud of his position as 'milk bucket monitor' :lol2:
He also helps me to find walnuts. The tree cropped heavily this year and as the branches hang over the laying hen run which is filled with straw, I can;t always find them, and even if I can, last week I couldn't bend to pick them up. So I showed him one and told him it was a walnut then asked "walnut, find it, mumsie give". So he knew I needed him to sniff them out, then pick them up and bring them to me. I think I have about 3 kilos of them in the pantry so far and more still to fall. Coffee and walnut cake in the making I think. I'll make 4 of them and freeze them.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

£400? It would have been cheaper to buy 2 pigs from a butchers. But I supose at least you know the pigs were well treated and looked after if you rear them yourself.


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> He's a great dog and has many fans. He is very benign and looks upon every human as his friend unless proved otherwise.
> He has a job to do every miorning which he does diligently and gets upset if Chalky mucks about and puts him off. He finds the milk bucket and carries it all the way from the house, right down to the goat yard and puts it by the goat shed for me while my arms are full of hay. He takes the job very seriously and is proud of his position as 'milk bucket monitor' :lol2:
> He also helps me to find walnuts. The tree cropped heavily this year and as the branches hang over the laying hen run which is filled with straw, I can;t always find them, and even if I can, last week I couldn't bend to pick them up. So I showed him one and told him it was a walnut then asked "walnut, find it, mumsie give". So he knew I needed him to sniff them out, then pick them up and bring them to me. I think I have about 3 kilos of them in the pantry so far and more still to fall. Coffee and walnut cake in the making I think. I'll make 4 of them and freeze them.


Aww bless him! I wonder if I can teach Phoebe to fill the dishwasher :hmm:


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> £400? It would have been cheaper to buy 2 pigs from a butchers. But I supose at least you know the pigs were well treated and looked after if you rear them yourself.


Lol which butchers do you go to? The ones ive been too cost a bomb :lol2:


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

i think 400 is quite a decent price considering the weight


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> £400? It would have been cheaper to buy 2 pigs from a butchers. But I supose at least you know the pigs were well treated and looked after if you rear them yourself.


The meat off her pigs cost just over a pound a kilo!

Show me a butchers where I get those prices and I'm there!


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

R.J.Trevarthens cornwall I used to get whole pigs for £150 each roughly at normal price. But I worked there so was getting them at £80 a pig.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> cool mix that would explain the 65 kilos :lol2: nah i wouldnt actually be worried about a dog that size not in a stupid or brave way just how i am. have been attacked by quite a few dogs from gsds to a great dane. have learnt a few techs how to deal with them physically not that i go around trying it more of a defence thing i learn plus i weight 107 kg myself lol. i wouldnt line up to get bit though that would be stupid . you got any pics of her curious what a newfie and rottie mix looks like :flrt:


Ursa is a 'him' lol and you can see his head in my avatar. I took the pic while he was laid on my bed with his head over the edge looking at me.
One dog, you could deal with, but several dogs trying to bite is another matter.
Here he is though. Handsome chap ain't he?


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

I want big slobbery ursa kisseeeeeeees :flrt:


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## ryanr1987 (Mar 7, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> Ursa is a 'him' lol and you can see his head in my avatar. I took the pic while he was laid on my bed with his head over the edge looking at me.
> One dog, you could deal with, but several dogs trying to bite is another matter.
> Here he is though. Handsome chap ain't he?
> image
> ...


 aww he is beautiful! big teddy bear :flrt: he looks very big i bet it's lovley cuddling up to him in the winter! i want him lol


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> £400? It would have been cheaper to buy 2 pigs from a butchers. But I supose at least you know the pigs were well treated and looked after if you rear them yourself.


 really cheaper? You can buy pork for £1.06 per lb where you are? That's around £2 per kilo. Name the butchers where you which sells pork chops and joints for £2 per kilo. He'll have people from all over the UK buying from him :lol2::lol2::lol2:
ASDA smart price (factory farmed imported) pork chops cost £4.27 per kg so your butchers cheaper than £2 per kilo ones will fly off the shelves.:gasp:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

spider_duck said:


> Aww bless him! I wonder if I can teach Phoebe to fill the dishwasher :hmm:


Even if you can't get her to load it, she will pre wash the dishes really well hehe.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

I love Ursa he really is a stunning boy:flrt:


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

No certainly not pork chops individualy for that price, But when you are talking about buying meat it is not as simple as saying so a pig costs you £150 for 150lb pig thats pork chops for £1 a lb. The belly,trim,hocks,shoulder and shoulder hocks are cheap. Pork chops/Steaks,tenderloin and leg are much more so a whole pig yes it is £1 a lb but the chops no they would not be.


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> Even if you can't get her to load it, she will pre wash the dishes really well hehe.


 Now theres something shes VERY good at! Especially coffee and tea :lol2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> R.J.Trevarthens cornwall I used to get whole pigs for £150 each roughly at normal price. But I worked there so was getting them at £80 a pig.


 And when was this exactly? What weight were they? Around here, you can't buy a half pig for less than £100 and last time I had half a pig I got about 10lbs of crap manky sausages, and only about 39kg of meat in total. At least mine are fed properly with hardly any pig nuts and I have them cut to exactly my spec' with no sausages as I make my own.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> And when was this exactly? What weight were they? Around here, you can't buy a half pig for less than £100 and last time I had half a pig I got about 10lbs of crap manky sausages, and only about 39kg of meat in total. At least mine are fed properly with hardly any pig nuts and I have them cut to exactly my spec' with no sausages as I make my own.


 Yes exactly that is the benefit of rearing your own it is worth the extra just for the fact that you know what thay have been feeding on. This was about 1 1/2 years ago when I last bought one. Also as I live in cornwall the farms, slaughter house's and butchers are all within close distance so there is no cost added on for transporting the animals back and foreward which brings the price down, also wages are not quite the same down here so they are not paying so much on a wage. The slaughtermen outside of Cornwall are on very good money compared to down her as are the butchers so that would add to the costs alot.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> No certainly not pork chops individualy for that price, But when you are talking about buying meat it is not as simple as saying so a pig costs you £150 for 150lb pig thats pork chops for £1 a lb. The belly,trim,hocks,shoulder and shoulder hocks are cheap. Pork chops/Steaks,tenderloin and leg are much more so a whole pig yes it is £1 a lb but the chops no they would not be.


 but the belly will be smoked to make bacon, I roast the hocks as a joint for one person (even hock to buy in the butchers is £2.50 per kg) I had no steaks. I had literally joints in 1-2kg , mince, diced,loin chops and spare rib chops. I got the heads to make brawn with. The bones, pluck and offal was minced for pet food.And my pigs were not a measly 150lbs. I grow mine to the weight I want them and have Gloucester old spots because I prefer fatty meat which I cannot buy because everyone sells lean meat and no big pig rearer puts in the effort to feed as I fed mine with barley meal porrige made from a gallon of goats milk daily plus nothing else but fruit and veg and what they find for themselves.So I get the meat that I want, cut the way I want with the flavour I want at a very cheap price.The £1.06 was rounded up. In all probability it would actually be less if I added up exactly. Heck, I was lucky to get weaners at £30 a piece at the time as the pig market had gone mad in April and most weaners were between £45 and £60 each.
Still, no doubt your butcher will be able to thanks you for all the business you have sent his way. At those prices you quoted he'll sell loads. Shame he won't actually make any profit on them though hehe. The price of concentrates shot through the roof about 3 years ago when wheat went up.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ryanr1987 said:


> aww he is beautiful! big teddy bear :flrt: he looks very big i bet it's lovley cuddling up to him in the winter! i want him lol


 haha Ryan I'll put you on the list of people who want Ursa if I ever want to get rid of him. I think you are about 27th on it so don't hold your breath :lol2:
Cat and Ditta on here have met him as has Nerys and EmmaJ.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

Yes you are right fatty meat is very difficult to come by now the fatty pigs and retired breeders just get used for sausages and burgers these days.


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## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

fenny i know me and you have had are arguements but hey i wish i lived near you to be able to help or rasie my own meat would be amazing i used to hatch kill and eat my own quails and they tasted better than shop bought stuff ov what home grown and rasied stuff does not taste better at least now i can get home free ranged geese turkeys chickens and quail from my friends farm but to have beef pork and goat would be amazing : victory:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Found this JC
Buy Farm Produce Direct - Top Quality Meat Directly from the Producer - Hand Made Meat - Half a Pig

Pig - Half (318) - Meat - Cornish Pork Farm Shop Cornwall - Lobbs Farm Shop, Heligan, Cornwall, UK

Buy Organic Pork Online, Organic Pork, Pork Joint, Pork Sausages, Pork Leg, Gammon steaks | Well Hung Meat

Lovaton Farm - Free Range Pork Price List

So it seems that around £150 for half a pig (side of pork) is not unusual at all.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

I would love to raise and grow my own food if I had the land, it stops you been so dependant on the supermarket crap.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> Found this JC
> Buy Farm Produce Direct - Top Quality Meat Directly from the Producer - Hand Made Meat - Half a Pig
> 
> Pig - Half (318) - Meat - Cornish Pork Farm Shop Cornwall - Lobbs Farm Shop, Heligan, Cornwall, UK
> ...


 Lobbs are usualy expensive anyway but it would seem that the prices have increased a fair wack since I took my very early retirement.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

Sid.lola said:


> I think all meateaters should have to do this at least once. Or kill a meal. Too many people eat meat and have no respect for where it comes from because they don't like to think of the cute ikkle aminals.


 I don't think many people would want to eat meat if they had to kill it. I anoyed my old boss where I was butchering and got transfered to the slaughterhouse I was there two weeks. It was awefull, or i'm turning soft in my young age.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

adamntitch said:


> fenny i know me and you have had are arguements but hey i wish i lived near you to be able to help or rasie my own meat would be amazing i used to hatch kill and eat my own quails and they tasted better than shop bought stuff ov what home grown and rasied stuff does not taste better at least now i can get home free ranged geese turkeys chickens and quail from my friends farm but to have beef pork and goat would be amazing : victory:


I don't mind arguments. I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with me if they can debate their point. And it wouldn't influence me if we met in real life either. I certainly never expect my real life friends to just agree with me all the time. How boring would that be? They and I can disagree but we are still friends. 
Not sure if this is any help to you but there is a central Scotland smallholders association and you might be able to get a member to raise a pig for you like I am going to for one of my friends.
Central Scotland Smallholders' Association
Or even buy meat from one of the members.
You also have a number of producers around Edinburgh according to 
http://www.bigbarn.co.uk/
You might be able to buy properly reared stuff from one of them including half a pig if you have a big freezer. In fact, for anyone wanting to buy from local producers in bulk, the big barn site is really useful.


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> I don't think many people would want to eat meat if they had to kill it.


I have no problem with killing things humanely for a purpose.

If it was a choice of kill it yourself or don't eat meat, then pass me the bolt gun!


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

Grond said:


> I have no problem with killing things humanely for a purpose.
> 
> If it was a choice of kill it yourself or don't eat meat, then pass me the bolt gun!


 Yes I would if that was the case but it is not nice, especialy roding the food pipe when the nerves are still going


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> I don't think many people would want to eat meat if they had to kill it. I anoyed my old boss where I was butchering and got transfered to the slaughterhouse I was there two weeks. It was awefull, or i'm turning soft in my young age.


If I had the means to kill instantly and humanely I would kill my own pigs. I already kill the cockerels and will be doing the same to the meat rabbits. If you eat meat, an animal has to die, there's no way around it. The lads in my local abattoir (only 4 miles away) are pretty good. They have always allowed me to stay and watch them so that I can be 100% sure that the job was done right and with every respect to the animal.There aren't many abattoirs which would allow that.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> If I had the means to kill instantly and humanely I would kill my own pigs. I already kill the cockerels and will be doing the same to the meat rabbits. If you eat meat, an animal has to die, there's no way around it. The lads in my local abattoir (only 4 miles away) are pretty good. They have always allowed me to stay and watch them so that I can be 100% sure that the job was done right and with every respect to the animal.There aren't many abattoirs which would allow that.


 You have a much stronger stomach than me then, the promise of £13 an hour couldn't keep me there, No not many abattoir's would alow that with DEFFRA breathing down your neck all day every day.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Jczreptiles said:


> Lobbs are usualy expensive anyway but it would seem that the prices have increased a fair wack since I took my very early retirement.


 I think it was because of the price of wheat which shot up from around £80 per tonne to £240 per tonne a couple of years ago. It meant that all animal feed went up accordingly and then the price of meat went up as a knock on effect. I was buying layers pellets @£3.40 per 20kg sack and it shot up to £5.40 and that was for a tonne pallet load so gawd knows what it would have been per odd sack. Even though the price of wheat has dropped again, the price of stock feed never went down enough.


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> I was buying layers pellets @£3.40 per 20kg sack and it shot up to £5.40 and that was for a tonne pallet load so gawd knows what it would have been per odd sack.


£9/sack at the place we buy them! I add them into my food for the mice!


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

Trouble is prices hardly ever go down do they. The V.A.T relief for instance, Supermarket profits were up 2.5% when every other buisness was struggling, I wonder why:whistling2:


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## bosshogg (Nov 19, 2006)

I pay £5.95 - £6.50 a sack for Layers, I tend to get it when I get my rodent order so is normally £5.95 only pay the local argric shop more when I'm desperate and cant get up to my normal place.

and I am uper jealous of you Fenwoman!! I would love to be able to rear my own large livestock but till I get a small holding or win the lottery I can only do a few chooks and ducks, I am quite lucky that a friend lets me raise a good number on his yard, we get DO chicks delivered for 80p each and the ducks £1.40 when we cull them there around 6lb for a cockreal and 9lb for a duck.

I love pigs grew up on a pig farm were the pigs were outside not inside have many a happy memory helping my dad wean them, he would sit me on top of the ark with some pebbles to keep mummie pig away while he shipped a full load of piglets down to the farm, and then when he got back would chuck me in the ark to grab the piglets as I was small enough to stand up in the arks.... nothing like home raised pork though mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

:mf_dribble::mf_dribble::mf_dribble:


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## lizardloverrach (Dec 1, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> Ursa is a 'him' lol and you can see his head in my avatar. I took the pic while he was laid on my bed with his head over the edge looking at me.
> One dog, you could deal with, but several dogs trying to bite is another matter.
> Here he is though. Handsome chap ain't he?
> image
> ...


OOHHHHHH Ursa......must you torment me with these pictures.....god he's gorgeous. sorry nothing much to say on the pig front except enjoy your meat...and will Ursa be getting some?:lol2:


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## pepsirat (Feb 5, 2009)

I dont eat meet but im glad you rear your own. I wish more people would do that. I have no problems with people eating meet only the way its raised.

So good on you and i think naming them shows that you respect them.


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## 2manydogs (Oct 23, 2007)

didnt read all the thread but just wondered what the cracklings like :mf_dribble:


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> Yesterday I went to a local market and needed some eggs as the birds at the sanctuary have nearly stopped laying. I stopped at an Organic stall selling cheese etc and asked "Are your eggs free range?" He says "erm I think so" i said "well they either are or they aren`t". He said "they come from uncaged birds" This is when I got really angry as uncaged birds are not free range they are Barn birds so instead of stuffing small numbers of chickens in small cages they stuff hundreds of birds in a barn:bash: Stupid man was meant to be selling organic food and he didnt even know the difference between free range and uncaged birds. Needless to say we went without eggs as I refuse to eat anything other than free range.
> Im off to the sanctuary tomorrow and will get just a few eggs as some birds are still laying but rather this than buy eggs that are not truly free range


Unfortunately it's allowed to label barn-raised birds as "free-range", as they are not caged. 



fenwoman said:


> Ursa is a 'him' lol and you can see his head in my avatar. I took the pic while he was laid on my bed with his head over the edge looking at me.
> One dog, you could deal with, but several dogs trying to bite is another matter.
> Here he is though. Handsome chap ain't he?
> image
> ...


I don't tend to take much interest in big dogs like Ursa, but he's yummy. :flrt::flrt::flrt:


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## ownedbyroxy (Jan 27, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> image



Poor Ursa. He looks so sad and low. Am sure he's whispering to you that he wants to come live with me..... That's what'll perk him up. :lol2:

May as well as if i can have him - it's not as if i can slip him into me handbag and steal him! :whistling2:

Seriously though, if i ever go your way, pop the kettle on!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

ownedbyroxy said:


> *Poor Ursa. He looks so sad and low. Am sure he's whispering to you that he wants to come live with me..... That's what'll perk him up*. :lol2:
> 
> May as well as if i can have him - it's not as if i can slip him into me handbag and steal him! :whistling2:
> 
> Seriously though, if i ever go your way, pop the kettle on!


 
Excuse me, join the back of the queue as Ive always been first in line for this scrummy boy:flrt:


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I would love to be able to do this, I don't think I ever could though. I have given up mostly on breeding rats & mice for food as I am too much of a wuss to cull them, I've tried and I know it needs to be done, that's why they were bred, they had a good life, it's pain free.... but I just can't go through with it!

I am really hoping to move out to a rural location in the next 2 years and at least be able to keep chickens then - we can't at the moment because we are in the city limits so no "livestock". But I doubt I'll ever be able to raise my own meat as I'd get too attached. I would love to find someone with a bit of land who raises their own who I could contribute back and get a freezer full though, and I think that exchanging skills and trades is a great way to do things rather than offering cash all the time.

I buy free range and organic meat but it costs a fortune in supermarkets and you can still never be 100% sure about how fresh it is or exactly how the animal was raised.


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## Nebbz (Jan 27, 2008)

do you know, ive never had a bacon, sausage, and egg sarnie like the one i had from my mates home made pigs...ooooooooo my mouth waterss! it taste so much better because you know they had a good life and stress free..

mmmmm


hungry now! :devil:


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