[smiffy]

A quick into,

We bought 24 acre on the Yorkshire Lincolnshire boarder last year. Although we have had horses for as long as I can remember we decided to try for a more sustainable lifestyle.

It begain with a exhausting three months of fencing six acre, by HAND!!, at weekends. We spent months trying to decide what livestock.

Started with Charlie and lola two dorking.

I decided I wanted Northern dairy shorthorn cattle and John told me no chance... everyone I mentioned it to laughed and told me they were britans rarest cattle and wished me all the best. I finally met a lovely couple in Durham who due to someone elses miss fortune had two pure cattle for sale, I snapped them up and also aquired a 4 month old bull calf to breed with them next year.

after reading an article on Mangalitzas we trafvelled to aberdeen and purchaed two gilts and a boar. The gilts have just had babies 13 in total.

Our chicken population has increaseed to 21 plus some in the incubator, some in the brooder and 9 + 2 turkeys just off the heat.

Our next move is to prepare an area for growing veg next year, hopefully the barn will be up soon as we have recieved the ok from planning (how difficult are planning!!!!!!!).

The only problem we are finding now is that work gets in the way.

Kind regards

Tracey and John

[Townie]

Hi Tracey and John,.. nice to meet you both.

Sounds like you have your hands full down there .... a great adventure tho 

[Rosemary]

Hi, both and welcome to the forums.

Sounds like you did it all in reverse - most folk start with the veggies, then the chooks then the pigs. Most of us never get to the cows! We'll look forward to learning a lot form you both.

[smiffy]

We are loving the adventure townie.

Rosemary, we started with cows by chance we made a list and they were available 1st, we tried vegis in the garden last year.... but the slugs and snails ate more than us!!

We are taking loads of advice along the way and having great if not exhausting fun.

Tracey

[stephen]

hey welcome to the forums! 

[carole]

Hi and welcome from another Mangalitza breeder, but I am in Brittany. What colours have you got? mine are the swallowbellies, would be great to see pics and share experiences of this fantastic breed.

Carole

[pigsatlesrues]

Hi there! Really interested in your Mangalitzas - Carole and I are kinda joined at the hip on this breed - we got ours from her.

Are you going to fatten any of yours? I have read a few articles on this and from what I have read, no one seems to be eating them yet in the UK.

Really looking forward to seeing some pics of yours.

Kate 

[smiffy]

Hi Carol and Kate

Just read your messages

We have two blonde sows and an unrealated as you can get in the UK boar. The sows have just had piglets, 13 between them, Milly had 7 and Molly had 6. They are all doing well and are now out and about, athough Mollys prefere the pig hut! Milly's hide in the long grass

We also have a red boar and are trying to track down some females to breed with him.

We are going to sell what we can, but are hoping to keep a couple of boys for the freezer.

The take up on this breed in the UK is pretty slow and a few of the breeders I have spoken to are giving up or have given up breeding. They paid an awful lot of money for their stock and have had trouble selling the youngsters on.

I am facinated by the breed, they are a fantastic pig, freindly, docile, hardy and really good doers.

This is Molly
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/doncasterr1/molly.jpg
and babies a few hous old
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn95/doncasterr1/pigs.jpg

If you know of anyone in the UK who is looking for Managalitza..... send them my way 

tracey