Author Topic: East Sutton Park prison to close (Read 3802 times)

oaklandspigs · « **on:** October 25, 2013, 05:10:21 pm »

The Ministry of Justice announced today that East Sutton Park prison will close.

Some TAS members will know that East Sutton Park is a womens’ open prison, and has the Colonyvalance herd of British Saddlebacks. They also breed saddleback cross pietrain for their own farm shop which is open two days a week as well as selling at farmers’ markets. These disciplines combined caring for livestock, food preparation and customer service and added considerably to the rehabilitation of the prisoners.

One of the most famous residents of the prison is Tracy Mackness who left the prison in 2007 and six years later she now runs the award-winning Giggly Pig Company, with a 700-pig farm and shop near Romford.

They also featured on a Jimmy's Farm show, when Jimmy bought his first boar from them -called appropriately Porridge - we had his brother who we called Prince!

The Prison had just decided to start showing again, and had planned to exhibit at the South of England Show.

The British Saddleback Breeders Club had their AGM there in October, and closure of the prison will be a loss to the pig keeping world.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2013, 06:01:39 pm »

Sad news indeed

caracroft · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2013, 12:46:06 pm »

That is sad news - what will happen to the herd?
Cara

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2013, 10:18:00 am »

I wonder sometimes if the powers that be really look at the actual benefits of keeping this place open or they just look at the bottom line full stop

Sad news, hope somebody can take on their herd or at least some of the lines, the Saddleback seems to be on the decline again and the BPA breed survey will be very interesting this year.
Mandy

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #4 on:** October 29, 2013, 01:00:49 pm »

The British Saddleback Breeders Club will try and re-home - the timing is very uncertain at the moment, but the club is already in contact with them. We at Oaklandspigs will take a few as we've known Lorraine and Chris who run the pigs for years.
The crossbreds will probably go into Ashford Market for peanuts

Bodger · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2013, 09:17:24 am »

Slightly off topic but this has given me some food for thought. There's a Pietrain boar fairly close by and I was wondering how Pietrain x GOS might turn out?

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #6 on:** October 31, 2013, 09:24:52 am »

Quote from: Bodger on October 30, 2013, 09:17:24 am

Slightly off topic but this has given me some food for thought. There's a Pietrain boar fairly close by and I was wondering how Pietrain x GOS might turn out?

Bodger will PM you
Mandy