[MAK]

My 47 year old neighbour tells me that all the beef farms around here used to keep pigs as part of their smallholding life. The baker and grocer still visit each cluster of 4-5 homes but most homes were self sufficient in veg, fruit, eggs, poultry and pork.
Apparently there was a rota for home killing a pig with neighbours helping with the kill,burchering and processing. Hams were hung in the loft to dry or smoked, pork was salted in large clay pots but fresh cuts were distributed to other pig keepers who would return the act when they killed their pig.
What a mission! We home kill, butcher and make hams,bacon and sausages and simply dump the rest in freezers. I know this to be pretty full on but imagine having to preserve as much of the pig as you can (without a freezer) and distributing other cuts amongst other homes in the area.
We are the only household keeping pigs in our hamlet but neighbours and even their home help bring veg and fruit for the pigs to eat - they get some pork in return.
I guess the advert of the freezer changed relationships between rural communities. 

[MikeM]

like it, it was a relationship that was built on cooperation and trust, not competition and greed. I think something like that could be set up again, though there will always be those who would wish to profit from others and exploit the system. I guess something like LETS would be the modern equivalent.

[MAK]

yes - a bit like living on a kibbutz without the pigs.
I would be happy to live like that and share resources. There is an empty hamlet with 5 houses ( barns attached) near us that would be great for an extended family to move into and share their labours.   

[Herdygirl]

Sounds  interesting, where is that?

[MAK]

In the Limousin
23240 is a commune in a department called La Creuse.