Pigs for the Freezer: A Guide to Small-Scale Production

Small-scale pig keeping is expanding, not only in the countryside but also in urban areas. However, at the outset the prospect of owning pigs can be frightening for the uninitiated. Pigs for the Freezer is aimed at the small-scale producer in a suburban or urban environment as well as smallholders who want to keep a few pigs for the first time. It guides the reader through the day-to-day routine of looking after pigs and provides essential information. Moreover, it touches on the emotional side of sending your pigs to slaughter and demonstrates how the carcasses should be butchered. Finally, the author provides a selection of delicious recipes using just about every part of the pig, including the ears.

Subjects covered include:

Choosing a breed to fit your environment and requirements

Buying stock with the freezer in mind

Urban pig keeping

Housing, equipment and training courses

Pig keeping on a small budget

The daily routine procedures, pig health and welfare, and rules and regulations

Sending your pigs to the abattoir

Butchery, smoking and curing, sausage making and specialist meats

Pigs as a tool for managing the land, forests, coppices and moorland