bout Our Farm and Animals
Pike Farm is located near the town of Bury in the Northwest of England. We keep pigs, cows and chickens; as free range as safety will allow. We want to farm the land in harmony with nature, giving back as much as we take from the land.
In this section we're going to look at the animals we farm, their welfare, and the methods we use that actually improve the environment for future generations.
We rely on many traditional methods; but we have a very modern, environmentally aware attitude to farming. We also really like pigs...
Our Animals and Their Welfare
We keep our animals 'free range', that is to say we don't put them in a little cage so as to save space and improve profits. So we want to let the animals roam free; but just how free range, is free range?
Firstly we must consider the fact that farm animals are domesticated animals that have over thousands of years formed a symbiotic relationship with humans. They have enjoyed protection from natural preditors and regular free meals; while we have enjoyed a self re-newing food source that is always near to our settlements. We need to protect our animals from preditors and from modern dangers such as busy roads. So we put a fence around the farm boundary.
Next we must consider the fact that some animals just don't get on. Pigs for instance are very territorial and like to fight if they feel their territory is being compromised. So the pigs must be separated from the other animals; and sometimes from each other. So there are fences within the farm boundaries and also separate buildings to provide shelter for the animals.
Pike Farm is as free range as possible, the animals have lots of space within their fenced areas. We have a lot more land than is necessary for the number of animals we keep.
Improving the environment?
At Pike Farm we're committed to actively improving the environment. Pigs are the ultimate ploughing and fertilizing machine. All day long the pigs trample the ground and dig with their strong snouts; turning over huge amounts of soil and well, add their own, fertilizer, as they go. Areas of grass that our pigs occupy soon become a mud bath, the pigs love it.
We have more land than we need so that we can move the pig areas about and allow areas to lie fallow, its similar to the well-known system of crop rotation but much more efficient. Our soils become more and more fertile each year without the need for assistance from harmful chemicals. Nutrients will remain in the soil for many years to come, supporting a wide range of natural life. As rain seeps through the soil, nutrients are carried down over a wide area.
We use natural materials where possible to minimise impact on the environment. All packaging used in connection with our online store is re-cyclable/re-usable and easily returnable to us in the special bags provided.
We Love Pigs, but we Sell Pork...
We don't wish to cause offence to anyone but we feel that we should mention the pigs we sell as pork. It costs a significant amount of capital to establish and maintain a farm, together with a great deal of hard work. The only way we can sustain ourselves and the farm is by selling pork. As you can see we care about animals a lot and we did a great deal of research into the available options in order to find the most humane methods available to convert pigs into pork.
A local man Jim Laws, with over fifty years experience as a pig keeper and butcher performs the the 'Finishing Process' for us. We trust Jim because we know he cares about the pigs and will make sure they don't suffer unnecessarily. We drive the pigs over to Jim ourselves, it is always quite emotional for us but by travelling with them we are giving the pigs a last gesture of respect. The pigs we sell as pork provide funding for our breeding program (more here...) and, allow many pigs to live long and happy lives with us on the farm.