The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Tursiops2 on August 12, 2013, 12:30:06 am

Title: Use of pigs on Lavender farms in Bulgaria
Post by: Tursiops2 on August 12, 2013, 12:30:06 am

Hi all.

I'm not a smallholder, but I have a question which somebody here may be able to answer.

I've recently been doing a bit of casual work on a newly-established four-acre Lavender farm in Suffolk. The plants only went in in March, and with the recent fine weather the whole site has been smothered in arable weeds. The farm is organic, and removing them by hand is backbreaking work.

Discussing this with a friend, he mentioned that, when in Bulgaria, he'd seen (black) pigs running free on Lavender farms there. On enquiring about it, he was told that they were used to keep weeds down.

It seems improbable, but if it's true (and not a wind-up by the locals), it would be an ideal solution to what promises to be a long term problem.

I'd be extremely grateful if somebody could verify this, and/or direct me to a source of further information.

Thanks in advance
T2

Title: Re: Use of pigs on Lavender farms in Bulgaria
Post by: Brandi on August 12, 2013, 05:57:27 am

I don't have the answer myself but have you thought of contacting other lavender growers to find out how they tackle this problem?

Www.welshlavender.com (http://Www.welshlavender.com)

Best wishes for a speedy solution

Title: Re: Use of pigs on Lavender farms in Bulgaria
Post by: hughesy on August 12, 2013, 08:05:15 am

I'd be wary of introducing pigs into an area of plants you don't want destroyed. It might be the case that pigs don't eat lavender but they will root up the plants looking for anything else that they do want to eat.

Title: Re: Use of pigs on Lavender farms in Bulgaria
Post by: Bionic on August 12, 2013, 08:16:56 am

Pigs are great diggers so, as hughesy has said, even if they don't eat the plants (which they probably would) I can't see how you could train them to root up only the weeds.
If you find out differently though please let us know.

Title: Re: Use of pigs on Lavender farms in Bulgaria
Post by: hughesy on August 12, 2013, 10:29:00 am

Geese are used for weeding in some countries. Don't know how they'd get on with lavender.

Title: Re: Use of pigs on Lavender farms in Bulgaria
Post by: Tursiops2 on August 13, 2013, 01:29:52 pm

@ hughesy and Bionic: yes, it does stretch credulity somewhat, given the nature of pigs. Still, my friend is a reliable observer - he's manager of an organic market garden, so has a professional interest in such things. I will persist in my research, and report back if I ever get a definite answer  :).

@brandi: thanks for that link, very interesting. I'll pass it on to The Boss, and see if she wants to follow it up.

Obliged
T2

Title: Re: Use of pigs on Lavender farms in Bulgaria
Post by: colliewobbles on August 13, 2013, 01:32:19 pm

How about asking the big lavender people near Kings Lynn?