[Bumblebear]

I enquired about a pig keeping course for hubby and me as we're thinking of keeping a couple of weaners and I wanted to do it 'properly' as we've never kept pigs before.

I phoned someone I found online and when they sent me through their info (by email) it  seemed more like I was buying a "pig experience day out", rather than a beginner stockman course.  To be honest I don't care a jot about "photo opportunities with piglets"  or "lunch in a 4* hotel"  I just want the gen on keeping pigs!

Are all courses like this?  Do you peeps think that forums like this one; good old google; and a few good books are enough to get started?

[robert waddell]

where in the country are you
what you are looking for is a course at an agric college     i am not a great believer in all these courses   some are better than others    quite a good earner if you have the nuts to pull it of     at least  £75 per person plus sell them a few weaners as well    i would say if you went to a local pig keeper with years of experience they are happy to talk pigs all day long   just my opinion

[Bumblebear]

That's kind of what I was thinking.  We are in Norfolk and you look like a pig-keeper kind of guy   We wanta couple of weaners to raise for bacon so, until I find my local, talkative pig-keeper can you tell me what you reckon is a good space for 2 x baconers? I've read 10mx10m (excluding ark) is enough - does this sound right to you?

Ironically we are surrounded by commercial pig farms where we live!

[robert waddell]

i would give them a bit more but it depends on your soil conditions and rainfall  and it will end up being bare earth after they are in there

[HappyHippy]

Our beginners pig keeping course certainly isn't a 'piggy experience session' (though we do offer one of those too for folks who aren't ever likely to keep porkers but want to find out a wee bit more and spend a bit of time with them and get some photo's and cuddle some piglets  )
On our beginners pig keeping course you would be getting hands on, learning how to check your pigs over, identify and treat common ailments, weigh them, looking at underlines and confirmation, learning (and trying for yourself) jagging, tagging, moving etc as well as a lot of information on record keeping and legalities, housing, fencing, feeding, slaughter and burchery etc - the feedback we've had is that people leave feeling confident they have all the info and skills needed to raise weaners to slaughter and the reassurance of being able to pick up the phone or email if they ever run into problems in the future.
I'm sure there are courses out there that might not be as good as others and you might get someone local to you who's prepared to teach you, but it can take quite a bit of time and obviously doing it all in one day gives you all the info in one go (and a big book of information to take away) 

It's entirely possible to do it yourself, using books and having the back up of forums for advice - that was how I started  But by going along to a course you get the benefit of others years of experience, learn from their mistakes (without making them yourself) and should get a real idea of what it's like to keep pigs.
HTH
Karen 

Edit - if you're planning on keeping 2 pigs to bacon weight, I'd say a minimum of 20m x 20m would be more suitable and with the weather as wet as it's been and depending on your ground you might need 2 areas of this size so you can rotate your ground to save it from getting too muddy. Have a read back through the pig section on the forum (and on the main TAS website) for a quick guide or on the web check out my website (shameless plug  ) or the info on the Scottish Pig Keepers website for a quick 'how to' for starting with pigs 

[Bumblebear]

Where can I find your website Karen?  (I fell for the shamelss plug )

We were thinking 2 areas with an ark in the middle, with one being used at any one time. 

[Bumblebear]

Found it.

[HappyHippy]

Two areas and an arc is ideal  If you can put a door in each end of the arc and have the option of closing and opening them it's ideal.
My website is here http://yonderton-com.webs.com/keepingpigs.htm
That should take you to a bit of info on keeping them  And there are some cute pics in the photo album too 
Karen

[rispainfarm]

I presume you looked at Pig paradise website, their courses are very good, and you learn a heck of alot, it is geared to earning money though with pigs, which isn't what you always want if you are looking to keep a couple of pigs. Our courses were never pig experience days out, they were full on and people went away with the knowledge to start keeping a couple of pigs for the freezer. We also had breeding days which were geared just for breeding. There are some very good courses out there Karen included  the BPA might be able to help as well as magazines such as smallholder that advertise.

[oaklandspigs]

Or you could try ours !
 
Based in the South East, ours covers
 
How much space do I need, what about housing, what sort of fencing?
 

• What equipment do I need?
• What can I feed, how much, what will it cost ?
• Where do I buy stock from, what to buy, how much should I pay ?
• What are the regulations I need to follow?
• How easy is it to breed and what’s involved ?
• How do I keep them fit and healthy ?
• How do I find an abattoir and a butcher ?
• What meat do I get, how much, what can I do with it?
• 
  It is a mix of outdoor and indoor sessions, and not what the one you got a brochure for is about (we know the one you mean).
   
  As per HH, this course is designed to give you all you need to know to set up.
   
  Visit our website for futher info
   
  www.oaklandspigs.co.uk
   
   
   
   

[Bumblebear]

All you guys with training courses sound fabulous BUT, doesn't anyone do one in Norfolk/Suffolk?!   

I think I'm going to have to wing it....

[oaklandspigs]

[advert on]
We are 2-3 hours from Norfolk, and a day with us could easily repay both petrol and cost in saving say 2 couple of vet visits or unnecesary fencing, buying the wrong ark or the myriad of other things that you might get wrong by "winging it"
 
But you can always buy our book - at £17.50 it covers all that you need to know - the course lets you see this in action, but the book will still give you everything you need to set up and produce great meat - you can buy it from our website
[advert off!]
 
 
 
 

[Beewyched]

There's nothing better than a real "hands-on" experience & it's always helpful to have someone to turn to for advice & support.  If you get your piggies from a responsible breeder, they will be all too happy to do this.
I'll give a big    for Oaklands' book too.
 
 

[oaklandspigs]

There's nothing better than a real "hands-on" experience & it's always helpful to have someone to turn to for advice & support.  If you get your piggies from a responsible breeder, they will be all too happy to do this.
I'll give a big    for Oaklands' book too.
 

Thanks Beewyched 

[Beewyched]

No probs - speak as I find