[The Mobile Butcher]

Hi,
Buy a local one - sounds a good idea too me, if your not 100% on doing your own. or ask one those local men for some advice on doing your own ...might cost you a couple pints of beer, but it will be  well worth it...you cant beat knowledge from a person who knows what their on about.

the cellar with fly screen is a good place to hang the hams. once they are hung to dry in theory fly's shouldn't bother them,as long as they have being cured properly. (or a nice airy Barn would do the job) I would recommend a  minimum 6 month air dried. longer if you can resist

[Eve]

You can cut a large piece (or a few weeks' supply of thin slices) of a ham and then:
a) cover the exposed skin with fat and pepper again and put it back in your barn / cellar / bedroom
or
b) put it in your fridge with clingfilm / paper over it (clingfilm if you have a frost free fridge-freezer as in the fridge part of it the moisture is also sucked out, leaving contents to dry out).
The pepper is supposed to keep the bugs off. We still do it, even though presumably the bugs wouldn't get to it anyway because the ham is hanging in a pillow case. Old habits and all that 

We use a professional slicer and get those wafer thin slices you'd normally get in the supermarket. The theory was that the ham would last a long time - but we like it so much we eat of it every day  It still lasts for many weeks, though.

As for the 'stick a needle in and sniff it' - it's to tell if the ham is ready, but according to the pro's, us mere mortals can't deduce anything from that (though that might just be their pride / snobbery speaking  ). Mould can be green or white as long as it's dry and not fluffy. Cured meat is expected to have mould if you don't put lard on the outside, but I prefer the with-lard method as it's a sure way to keeping the skin moist and preventing the meat from rotting inside (dried-out hard skin doesn't allow the moisture to escape). And yes, 6 months or longer if you can resist - the flavour changes as it ages. 

[MAK]

I m going to save all the above comments and tips for the end of the year when we process our next 2 pigs.
Eve - you have convinced me . You have previousley inspired me to tray a dry cure saucisson / salami . We are not far off tasting it so watch this space for the verdict.

[Greenerlife]

MAK it's all very well being magnanimous and buying from a local producer, but look at it a different way - if you do them yourself you are widening the experience t o a new generation then you need to pass your enthusiasm on!  That way more ham (and good ham) for everyone.  karma.

[MAK]

Good point - and yes I should give it a crack.
however seeing these old boys carving hams and offering their sausages on a market stall is a visible message to all of traditional crafts and lifestyles - not sure many will see my hams hanging in the cellar though.