Archived News

1st June 2009

It’s great to have children who are interested in the countryside, nature and even self sufficiency.  Despite the farm business ceasing egg, pork and milk production many years ago, our boys have instigated the keeping of free range hens and three breeding pigs and constantly ask to keep a house cow to provide us with milk.

Having seen live traps in use where rabbits have devoured crops, George was delighted to receive a couple of his own traps on his last birthday; he can while away many hours in the fields, whether or not he catches anything.

At the weekend, two plump rabbits were caught and quickly dispatched, skinned and gutted by George, producing the freshest of ingredients for dinner with zero food miles. George must have spent half an hour looking through recipes books and marking all those meals we should try.

Not only is this a lesson in self sufficiency and patience, but also in entrepreneurial skills as George can sell the best rabbits locally.  Well, this was possible on Saturday but became far more difficult overnight.

George’s own traps plus some of Laurence’s, were reset on Saturday evening and filled with carrots.  However by the time George returned early Sunday morning, he discovered that four were missing, presumably stolen.  The only alternative being that an incredibly strong fox or an Olympic team of foxes managed to carry away four traps without leaving a mark on the ground. 

As I said at the top of this piece, it’s great to have children interested in countryside and nature, keen to do something other than watch T.V. all weekend.  Nature in the wild is fascinating and beautiful, but sadly George seems to be the victim of the rotten side of human nature, a lesson I’d rather he hadn’t had.

Eight of our weaners were sold today and set off to their new home in Kent.  Pigs are great characters and it’s a shame we can’t keep them all, especially those from our first litter.  I understand that once fattened, they will provide meat to restaurants in Canterbury.