A One Day Course 

This course introduces you to keeping pigs for either meat or as pets.  Pigs make a fantastic addition to a garden farm;  Aside from the simple pleasures of keeping pigs they also help to clear and improve a patch of land for future planting and will clear your surplus veg and cuttings.   

You will learn how much space you need and what is involved in small scale pig keeping to ensure you go away feeling confident to start keeping pigs yourself in a back garden or smallholding type set up.  We will also discuss the importance of sustainable farming, and of preserving our traditional rare breed pigs.

Course Programme:
1 day, 9.30am - 4.30pm

What To Expect:

1. Introduction to Pigs

You will learn about native British breeds as well as breeds from further afield, their characteristics and qualities both for meat and as pets.

2. Legalities

A step by step guide to getting it right and what you need to do before putting pigs on your land

3. Husbandry and Feeding

Next to the pig paddock you will learn about the needs of the pig, their feeding and what you should expect from your first weaners or pet pigs.

4. Which Pigs are right for you?

We will hold an open discussion on the purpose of your pigs, how much they will cost you and which breed you are looking to keep.

5. Pig Diseases

What to look out for, how to treat and when its time to call the vet.

6. The Final Journey

Next to the pig paddock you will learn what is required to maintain a high level of welfare, reduce stress and make sure your pigs' slaughter is as good as its life as well as the paperwork you will need to present at the abattoir.

An introduction to pig keeping is a basic introduction for people who are interested in keeping pigs either for meat or as pets.

All topics regarding small scale pig keeping will be covered to ensure you leave the course feeling confident to be able to start keeping pigs yourself.

Refreshments will be provided including homemade cake.  Please bring your own packed lunch.

Keeping livestock is not a fair-weather hobby, so please be prepared to go outside even if the elements are unfavorable.

Parking is available at the entrance to our farm and our training room is just a short walk down our track.

What To Bring:

Waterproof Wellingtons or boots that you are happy to place in a foot dip and waterproof trousers if you have them. Clothes you are not too precious about as we will be going in with the pigs. A warm weatherproof rain jacket if poor weather is forecast. Bring along a notepad and pen, but course notes for your annotation will be provided. 

Cancellation Policy:

To ensure all attendees get the best experience from their training we only run our courses in small groups. 

We therefore have to operate with a strict cancellation policy:  Refunds or booking transfers are not given for cancellations made within 2 weeks of the course.  If a cancellation is made with more than 2 weeks notice but within 6 weeks of the course date then we will try to re-sell your tickets if we are successful then a refund will be issued for the full amount less a £10 administration fee.  If a cancellation is made with more than 6 weeks notice then a full refund will be issued.

Course Tutors:  

An introduction to each of our tutors