We are already taking pre-orders for pannage pork this year – with the acorn-fed New Forest Pigs being extremely popular. This is what pork would have tasted like hundreds of years ago, with the pigs allowed to wander freely throughout the New Forest hoovering up acorns, bracken and anything else that takes their fancy. With a good acorn year, the flavour of the meat should be rich and buttery.
The pannage season has now started in the New Forest (http://www.verderers.org.uk/index.html) and after the spring rain, it looks like there will be a bountiful crop of acorns this year. Our pig farmer has not yet put his pigs out onto the forest floor as the acorns are still up in the oak trees, and it will require one or two decent Atlantic storms and the start of Autumn to bring down this rich harvest.
Once again, we are expecting the pannage pork to be available from December to January, depending on weather conditions. (if it stays warm, then the pigs put on weight more quickly and should be ready earlier, if we get early frosts, then later).
Pannage pork will be available in the farm shop in individual cuts, but we send out quarter, half and whole pork boxes as well. The price will be around £9/kg with the weights varying on the individual. We can also send whole legs for curing and air drying. Please contact us directly if you are interested and you can specify how you would like your pork prepared with our cutting list.