It stopped because it was perceived as being a \u201cpoor\u201d thing to do.\u00a0 If you kept pigs and cured your own bacon you obviously could not afford to buy it. \u00a0Such a concept seems so strange to us today, when we all love the idea of rearing our own meat. As Ireland got wealthier many people moved away from the rural farming areas to a more urbanized lifestyle in the cities. \u00a0The pork and bacon industry turned into a much more concentrated process.<\/p>\n Pigs don\u2019t do \u2018sick\u2019, they are either healthy or dead.\u00a0 To minimize loss of animals, the pigs in most farms are feed a diet that includes antibiotics \u2013 just in case they should get some illness!\u00a0 Where do all these antibiotics end up?\u00a0 In the meat, of course! When the meat is eventually processed it is extremely tasteless, anemic looking and fat free. At that point it does not even come close to resembling real pork\u00a0 There are all sorts of arguments about how this type of intensive farming is not \u2018bad\u2019 for the animals.\u00a0 However, it\u2019s not natural.\u00a0 Pigs are natural rooters and foragers.\u00a0 To be enclosed in slatted, concrete barns is just plain wrong.\u00a0 Sows are confined to farrowing pens where they cannot sit or turn around \u2013 that is not natural.<\/p>\n Th There is a tide change here in Ireland. \u00a0More people are looking for pork raised in the traditional way. Free range pig breeding is on the rise.\u00a0 In a free range system pigs have access to the outdoors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pigs are very clever animals.\u00a0 If it is cold and miserable outside they will stay tucked up in a nice bed of straw and only venture outdoors when necessary.<\/p>\n Since we started keeping pigs almost 5 years ago, we have met many people who are doing the same.\u00a0 Not a month goes by without an enquiry to buy some piglets.<\/p>\n Some folks are just keeping a couple of pigs for themselves.\u00a0 Others like us are trying to build a business selling free range pork products. Free range farming is a very different process from the intensive, profit driven factory system.<\/p>\n Our pigs are born here on our farm, at Oldfarm, Redwood, Lorrha, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.\u00a0 They usually venture outdoors within 48 hours of their birth. \u00a0It will only be a few steps outside the sty door before they scamper back inside to the cosy warmth of straw.\u00a0 The mothers all give birth naturally with no interference from us other than a watchful eye. No farrowing stalls are used. \u00a0In the five years we have been in business we have never lost a baby pig due to the mother lying on it.<\/p>\n Perky & babies<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Perky & babies<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is a most amazing thing to listen to Mother Pig \u2018talk\u2019 to her babies.\u00a0 She makes one particular noise to let them know she is going to lie down to feed them, then another happy grunting sound as she suckles. Within a short time the piglets start to nibble on feed.\u00a0 We feed our pigs a mixture of gmo free barley and wheat which is supplemented with vegetables from a local market gardener as well as whey and cheese from an organic farm.<\/p>\n Over time every pig we\u2019ve ever had has developed a preference for something or other. Perky is very partial to potatoes.\u00a0 All the pigs love cheese and apples.\u00a0 Clarence loved bananas. Socky loved celery, and for Pinky it was oranges!\u00a0 You just never can tell!<\/p>\n The difference between meat from pigs reared in a natural environment and those from factory farms is spectacular. Thankfully, there are a growing number of people who appreciate our efforts.<\/p>\n There are still challenges facing us.<\/p>\n Land<\/strong>: Extra land would be nice – but not everyone wants to lease land for pig rearing – they do a good job of clearing out weeds and roots but not everyone appreciates that, and also agricultural land is so so expensive.<\/p>\n Meal<\/strong>: costs fluctuate – depending on the crop and harvest.\u00a0 Also we are adamant about non-GMO [genetically modified organisms] and sourcing meal that has been grown in a completely non-gmo way is important to us, and could become more difficult!<\/p>\n Fuel charge<\/strong>s – which of course adds to the delivery charge.\u00a0 It would be nice if there was some sort of distribution system for small producers.<\/p>\n Education<\/strong>:\u00a0 a lot of our time is spent on educating consumers about our product – clean meat, no gmos (which an awful lot of people still know nothing about – so therefore they don\u2019t even consider that factor).<\/p>\n Labeling<\/strong>:\u00a0 there is an ongoing battle of the labels; artisan, organic, outdoor reared, free range, gmo free.\u00a0 The term \u201cArtisan\u201d is used to such an extreme that it has become difficult to define.\u00a0 We are aware of large companies, using factory reared pigs, and selling their products under the \u2018artisan\u2019 label. Yet we fit the true meaning of the category.<\/p>\n We have chosen not to go the labeled \u2018organic\u2019 route as the costs would be prohibitive.\u00a0 We are a small holding and can only produce so much meat.\u00a0 The cost of being labeled organic would price our product out of the market.<\/p>\n The Future:<\/strong><\/p>\n We are working with\u00a0Bord Bia<\/strong>\u00a0(the Irish Food Board<\/strong>) in the hope of developing a recognised free-range label.\u00a0 It is a slow process with so many interested parties having to be consulted. Taking these steps will hopefully give tomorrow\u2019s consumer a better understanding of how we rear and treat our animals.<\/p>\n Alfie and Pigs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alfie and Pigs<\/span><\/span>We are also talking to some other food producers in our neighbourhood in an effort to develop a shared delivery system.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oldfarm Pork<\/strong><\/p>\n Tel:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 00353 (0) 86 8100 125<\/p>\n Email:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0margaret.oldfarm@gmail.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Web:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0www.oldfarm.ie<\/a><\/p>\n Blog:\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 ayearinredwood.com<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/dpnlive.com\/images\/stories\/pigs%202.jpg\")
Why did this tradition stop?<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"\/images\/stories\/bacon3.jpg\")
What goes into the animals feed is enough to terrify any normal soul.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/dpnlive.com\/images\/stories\/bacon%20roast4.jpg\")
ere is good news for Irish pigs – well, for some pigs anyway.<\/p>\n![\"Perky](\"https:\/\/dpnlive.com\/images\/stories\/perky%20%20babies.jpg\" "\\"Perky")
<\/p>\n![\"Alfie](\"https:\/\/dpnlive.com\/images\/stories\/alfie%20and%20pigs.jpg\" "\\"Alfie")
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