[Bionic]

The meat looks great and the butcher commented on what a nice pig she was, thanks Mandy (blinkers). 56 kg dead weight.
As we only ended up with one pig I decided not to go for bacon but as it all looks so lean I am regretting that decision now 
This was a GOS and it looks a fair bit leaner than my OSB's last year
 

[Rosemary]

Enjoy 

[jimmy]

Cool We have 3 going off in 2 weeks time. We have a chest freezer ready, but not really sure how much space it'll take up. 1 is going to neighbours, so we may have 2 to put in the freezer

Ours are a similar weight I think (By measuring).

How much space does a pig take up approx?

[Bionic]

1 pig has just taken up the whole of an under the counter type freezer but that doesn't iclude the 13.5 kilos of sausages. Assuming your chest freezer is a fair size then you should be able to get the 2 in there.

[Backinwellies]

Book me in for a pork lunch!!! 

[Blinkers]

That's a good weight Sally - well done you.     Try a couple of Berkshires next summer 

[Cjnewton82]

I have just got 3pigs in one chest freezer although it was one heck of a Squeeze!!
Out of my 3 pigs i had 53.5 GOS 55.5 LB and. 59.5 SB dead weights. My GOS and SB were really lovely  But my LB was so fat the fat was bigger than the eye of the meat a complete disaster. It's so bad I will Probably never going to keep LB again.

[caracroft]

Hi all, and well done Bionic. 

We are in a similar position.  We have 3 SB and our plan is to send the boy off first and then the 2 girls a bit later for bacon.   How big a chest freezer will I need for 3 pigs?  I have been scouring the second hand columns and sites like EBay and am really finding it hard to get one near us and dont want to get one that is too small either. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also This is our first time and I'm not sure what happens with the slaughtered pig.    The abattoir we have had lined up do offer a cut and kill but say they only do a basic cut (although they have a full butchery on site and sell to the public!)

1. I dont know what a basic cut is but I presume it will be no good for a family of four and it will be all joints ?
2. Can I take my pig home and to a butcher local to me?  What rules and regs are there for that as Im struggling to find out.- this particular abattoir say they can deliver it to one of their own butchers but I dont know any of them and that would be a distance to travel back to to get the meat. Is this normal?  I understand it needs to be kept cold but has anyone taken their pig home to either butcher themselves or deliver to a butcher they know.

Thanks for any help
Cara

[smudger]

Cara


If its just for yourselves, can just collect and put in back of car (although 3 carcases cold be a lot [size=78%]), [/size][/size]but I wasn't keen on doing that even for myself (we fancied being shown how to do it). However I have heard even those who sell to public do it, but guess its down to weather / distance.[size=78%]

[/size]Ask abbatoir for their cuttig list. It may be they just don't do the 'charcouterie' end but will cut into small joints. all depends if you want things off the bone, rolled etc.[size=78%]

[/size]However, can't have own pigs slaughtered and not have gammon, sausages and bacon!  Find out about the butchers they use or ask your own?[size=78%]

[/size]Our 2 pigs more than filled one freezer (our new one and probably 30% of the old).[size=78%]

[caracroft]

Hi Smudger

Thanks for your reply, could you tell me how big your two freezers are?  We have seen chest freezers all different sizes.

Thanks
Cara

[Cjnewton82]

my chest freezer is a 4foot by 2foot and 3feet deep we got our  3 pigs in ours.
try freecycle thats where i got mine and i brought a extra one from ebay for £14 last night

[colliewobbles]

The meat looks great and the butcher commented on what a nice pig she was, thanks Mandy (blinkers). 56 kg dead weight.
As we only ended up with one pig I decided not to go for bacon but as it all looks so lean I am regretting that decision now 
This was a GOS and it looks a fair bit leaner than my OSB's last year

This has made me hopeful - our 2 GOS go off next Monday. 

On the freezer front - I was lucky enough to pick up a large Zanussi chest freezer for £60 last week from a local charity shop that refurbishes electricals.

[caracroft]

Thanks CJ that gives me some idea what to aim for and good idea Colliewobbles, there is an electrical charity shop quite near us and Id completely forgotten about it!!!     

[County Dangler]

If you happen to have any fishing tackle shops near by then it's worth asking them. I get offered at least one a month, usually for next to nothing or for free.