How Nick and Jon got into rearing Tamworth pig and why they chose this particular breed
Paddock Farm is run by the two brothers Nick and Jon Francis, who started it in the summer of 2007 when they bought two young pigs from a local pig breeder to raise for their table. They completed a pork cutting, curing and smoking course and butchered the pigs on the kitchen table, turning them into a host of porcine delights including dry-cured bacon, sausage, salami and hams. Delighted with the quality of pork, they bought in two breeding sows which farrowed the following spring, producing 17 piglets which were sold to local butchers, restaurants and friends. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and Paddock Farm was born, which is now home to the largest herd of Tamworth pigs in the country with an own on-site butchery and access to vast acres of land on which to graze its pigs. The animals live a wholesome, stress-free lives in fields and pastures. Their farm runs on simple principles with a focus on high welfare to guarantee the pigs a good life, letting them roam, root and forage outside.
Nick is particularly interested in preserving the integrity of the Tamworth breed and its unique character that makes it such a good breed for pork and was joined by Jon to set up Paddock Farm to deliver what he felt many people lacked: great meat, produced honestly, and in the most environmentally and ethically conscious manner.
How Nick and Jon rear their Tamworth Pigs
The pigs live in large paddocks in the Warwickshire countryside with traditional arcs for shelter. They are raised in family groups and fed on a carefully monitored diet to supplement their natural foraging and ensure they grow into strong, healthy porkers. Every day of the year Jon and Nick give fodder and water to the pigs and monitor every animal. The pigs grow up with an awareness of human company, but their approach is based around offering them the most extensive, natural lifestyle possible. Nick and Jon track every pig from birth right through to butchery, so that they can guarantee full traceability.
Products that Nick and Jon are offering: Meatboxes, joints, sausages, bacon and charcuterie
Nick and Jon’s favourite Tamworth Pork recipe: Coming soon
Contact details:
Address: Fulready Stratford Upon Avon Warwickshire CV37 7PE
Phone: +44 (0)1789 740945
Email: sausage@paddock.fm
Web: http://www.paddock.fm/