Off came the horse rugs, winter coats started casting like crazy. The naughty, escaping piglets caught the sun on their ears and the new goat kids arrived to warm sunshine and enjoyed sun bathing with Mum.

A week later and temperatures rocketed to freezing and then came the snow. Fortunately, it didn’t settle in the valleys but the tops were white. Back on with the horse rugs! I think the saying is “never cast a clout until May is out”.

With the advent of April came the compulsory on line movement licensing for pigs. I wasn’t too concerned, as I have been moving to the abattoir on line for months. So, this weekend I had weaners to be collected and could I set up the movement with the eAML2? No, I could not. Could I get help from the help line? No. It was a bank holiday! Very frustrating but I have since managed to set up some other movements in advance.

The weekend showing course was brilliant again. We spent much of the first day assessing conformation and locomotion in a variety of pigs. Having had vertigo for several days before I was glad to be able to look at an underline without risking falling over.

I had a very strange week feeling I had left my body. Although, I think some thought I had just lost the plot!

Everyone is gearing up to the showing season and it will be good to catch up with old friends and hopefully, meet some new ones.

I have plenty of weaners for sale and some maiden gilts.

At last we have had a dry week, cold and icy but at least dry. Several changes of coat a day were starting to get quite tiresome. How long this will last who knows? Today the snow has started and rain is predicted to follow.

The British Lops born at the beginning of January are doing well. They were regularly escaping between the bars on the gate and having fun around the yard but now they are too big to squeeze through.

Our Large Black sow is due any day and our other British Lop sow. Heat lamps are at the ready.

The British Lop boar has gone on holiday to Grizedale Arts. We delivered him last week. Grizedale Arts have just taken in some pigs, which were found wandering around near the forest, cold and starving. With no identification marks the police can’t trace the owner. Dumped? Escaped? Who knows but I doubt anyone will come forward to claim the motley crew.

Fortunately, Grizedale Arts could keep them separate from their pig and my boar and are being very careful about bio security.

The first show schedule landed on the doormat this week. Newark and Nottingham County Show is mid May.

We are holding our weekend showing course again the last weekend in March. Once more we will have the help of exhibitor and judge Steve Richardson. Further details can be found on www.pigkeepingcourses.co.uk.

Showing is a great shop window for your pigs and good fun. The pig lot are very social and you will make good friends. You are welcome to give John and I a hand at the shows if you don’t feel quite ready to take your own pigs yet.

The Showing Weekend was a great success last year, giving people to confidence to have a go.

As I have been writing this, the snow has been coming down thick and fast! No sign of rain!

As the shortest day has passed at least the days seem to be lighter for a little longer. Having said that the weather is so disgusting it doesn’t make you feel much better. Of course, this time last year we were battling snow, ice and incredibly low night time temperatures. Now, at least here in Cumbria, it is wet, wet, wet and often very windy too.

Fortunately, all our pigs are housed indoors at the moment so we are not battling knee deep in mud to feed. They are let out each day for a play in the yard and to be quite honest, some days they just want to get back into their warm beds. Actually, I know how they feel!

The horses are the same, they go out each day but if the weather isn’t good they are soon back at the gate.

Our first litter of British Lops are due any day. My British Lop Harmony sow has been regularly having litters since 2007, producing show winners over the years.  She still is good on her feet and a credit to the breed.

The young Large Black has grown well and we will soon look into finding a Large Black boar, as we would like to have a pure litter from her.

Eva, the Middle White gilt, is off to Ireland this month. She came here after the Great Yorkshire show and the plan was to take her to a Middle White boar before she left for Ireland. She, however, had different plans and managed to escape and get with my Lop boar. Just proving no matter how strong you think your pens are pigs will test them to the limit.

We have had lots of interest in the pig keeping courses for 2012. We had lots of requests for Christmas Vouchers for loved ones. We can do vouchers for all occasions. There are new courses for this year as well as the very popular showing course and the butchery course. Take a look at our updated site www.pigkeepingcourses.co.uk.

The pigs were not too impressed with the hail and soon dived for cover. It is not very helpful when you are trying to muck out and suddenly the pigs reappear. Why is it they always manage to knock your shovel over so the handle gets dirty?

My British Lop sows are looking in pig, as are the two gilts. I read today there will be a shortage of pork when the EU have to comply with the removal of pig crates for farrowing and it is expected many EU producers will not comply on time. It is then expected there will be an increased demand for British pork and an upturn in prices. I do hope so!

Of course, British producers complied with the removal of farrowing crates some time ago and as is the case with most rules and regulations the rest of Europe are catching up.

I find my Lop sows quite careful with their litters but I do like to have a creep area with a light and I find litters soon start using it. My oldest sow is six now and she only had a small litter in July but she looks heavier this time around. She is due early January and of course the New Year is fast approaching.

My boar hasn’t anything to do at present. He was out with some growers the other day. I always find boars more tolerant than the sows and the younger pigs always fuss around boars like they are some important pig celebrity. Not doubt the boars think they are too!

I always find it amazing that the pigs who won’t tolerate a new pig in their pen without establishing a pecking order never mind about the goats or lamb going in and helping themselves to some food.

We have finished our pig keeping courses until next year. We have a special offer on vouchers for courses next year. See www.pigkeepingcourses.co.uk for more details.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

The mild weather has brought a late crop of grass but everywhere is so sodden underfoot and animals outdoors are soon creating mud. When things are this wet we are grateful for our buildings and feel for those with stock outside.

All our British Lop pigs are warm and cosy indoors and enjoy a trip to the field to have a good dig. Often coming back in transformed into Large Blacks! Talking of Large Blacks our Gold Vase gilt has really grown on well.

Matilda our goat has just been served so next year we can maybe put an orphaned lamb onto her as she will kid at lambing time. Her young daughter is off to a new home soon and her son is driving us mad. Teenage hormones!

This is our last school holiday of the year before Christmas so we have been busier with rides but won’t be breaking any records. We have two new arrivals, a Shetland who we drive and a yearling Fell pony filly.  The Shetland is brilliant in the trap and I whiz round the village with her when I can. Totally unflappable and hasn’t given the pigs a second glance. The yearling has only been here a couple of days but so far has been fine with all our other animals. Animals are so sensible, I find the owners usually create the problems.

Our British Lop sows have both been served so we will have at least one January litter. We have had some very good gilts from our July litters so will be watching closely how they come along over the winter.

As ever, our Westmorland County Show committee ignored the rain and provided, once again, a fabulous day out for all. Stock entries were up across the board and whilst some of the equestrian classes suffered a few no shows, probably because of the soft ground, there was an excellent show of cattle, sheep and pigs.

It can be quite difficult finding the entries for these late shows. Many of your gilts will have litters by this time and boars may have been sold in readiness for serving for January litters. We knew our gilts weren’t brilliant but I had entered my six-year-old British Lop Harmony sow. She had only had a small litter in July and I thought I would just see how she looked on the day. Apart from having the obvious signs of milk she was in super condition and I weaned her just before show day. She scrubbed up a treat and took her class in great style as she still walks amazing well. She was then Champion of her section. One of our other gilts was reserve champion. So, we were very pleased.

John had an even better day with Champion Saddleback, Oxford, Sandy and Black and Hampshire in the breed classes followed by Overall Supreme. The whole Sutcliffe team have worked so hard this year, especially John’s grand children.

So, that is all our shows over but already we are looking to next year. Picking our July’s that might be next year’s potential winners.

We have a couple more pig keeping courses left for 2011 and we have a one-day butchery course in October. We will be assessing pigs and discussing finishing at the farm in the morning followed by an afternoon at Airey’s butchers where we will see their slaughter facilities and have a butchery demonstration. All the details are on www.pigkepingcourses.co.uk.

Anyway, when I wrote last Matilda was due to kid. Towards the end of May she had twins. One nanny and one billy. So, an improvement on last years two billies. She had them in the feed room, again. I guess it is tucked at the back of the stables and she must feel safe there. I don’t know if it was the good weather when they were born but they have grown really well.

We have had a pet lamb this year. One of a set of twins, his Mother only had one quarter and the other twin was a bit sickly, so the farmer let us have “Jacob” as he his called. He is an absolute character. Matilda isn’t keen but he does play with the kids when she isn’t looking. They are a bit mean sometimes jumping up where he can’t get and I am sure, laughing at him.

We had three litters in July. My old British Lop sow only had a small litter this time but her daughter is rearing 13. Our black has 8 strong Lop crosses.

We have done the Cheshire Show where our Harmony sow was Lop Breed Champion and a pair of Lops second in the carcase classes. On the hoof, I might add! Then we went to Yorkshire where our Berkshire was poorly so didn’t leave her pen and our Lop was fifth in the July classes. We have just done our entries for Westmorland and hope the Berkshire will get into her class this time.

The British Lop breed generally has had a good year moving up on the RBST watch list from endangered to vulnerable. However, the Large Black has moved down to become the rarest of our traditional breeds. This in mind we bought a March Large Black, Gold Vase female line, who went to Yorkshire to represent pigs in the RBST tent.

She is lively gilt and I was a bit concerned that she might squeeze through the gates that made her pen. Alterations made, we left her with Ruth and team ready to welcome the public when the show opened the following day. Not being with us long she isn’t that handled but she had a great time being scratched and tickled and even met Prince Charles when he visited the show.

On the last day of the show we wondered how best to collect her from the RBST tent as it was not going to be easy to get the trailer up there though the crowds and back to the pig lines for our other two. We decided it would be easier to go up and put her in the back of the pickup. This we did and even then the sun bathing public weren’t too helpful.  We popped her in an empty pen at the pig lines and collected the trailer. Here the fun began!

Whilst loading her she managed to give us the slip and off she went, straight for the sheep lines at full gallop. Back to the pin pens. Relief. Oh No, helpful member of public gets in way. Round the pig lines. Once. Twice. Lost count. This isn’t good. Great, in a pen. Quick shut door! Plan B. Carry Large Black gilt and place in trailer!

If you are thinking of showing we are planning another showing course next year.

Our next pig keeping course is in September. In October we have a Butchery course. All details on www.pigkeepingcourses.co.uk.

Here in Cumbria we got off reasonably lightly compared to the East coast but I wonder if we will be so lucky this time round. Having had a few warmer days with most of the snow melted and running water again today started with rain. It then turned to sleet, then to snow, which didn’t settle as the ground was wet but then it froze. The yard is extremely slippery.

Having been unable to get to my normal supply of haylage in the last freeze because the fell road is not gritted I thought today would be well spent stocking up. I can sleep soundly tonight knowing we have plenty of haylage and straw. In emergencies I do have good neighbours so the horses haven’t been going short.

Our last litter of British Lops arrived just before the freeze but they are doing fine despite nighttime temperatures reaching minus sixteen. Our next litter is due on the first of January.

Our Hampshire gilt should also be due in January but she does not look as though she has held. This is really disappointing and I think we are just not going to get her in pig.

I have been on the look out for pigs for my friend in Ireland, Primrose. This week I bought her a Berkshire weaner. She is a really happy little pig and hopefully, a Saddleback, Middle White and Gloucestershire Old Spot will soon join her.

Our pig keeping courses have gone really well and next years dates are now up on the web site – www.pigkeepingcourses.co.uk

We have a really exciting opportunity in March when we are running weekend course on showing pigs with Steve Richardson, a well-known exhibitor and judge.

As Christmas approaches may I take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

There has been frost some mornings but as the first anniversary of the flooding in Cumbria approached we had some severe downpours. There was a horrible feeling of deja vu as roads became impassable due to swollen rivers. However, we were spared a repeat of last years November misery and now our thoughts are with the residents of flooded Cornwall.

Our pig shed did flood as the heavy rain higher up the fells came gushing down, bringing several ton of stone from the path with it. I did my best impression of King Canute but to no avail. The pigs were up to their knees as the first water blocked the back drain with straw. Once released the water flowed through whilst the pigs seemed rather bemused. No harm to the pigs was done but all the beds had to come out, which given the price of straw this year was rather gutting.

Our two British Lop sows are looking well in pig. One is due this month and the other early January. Our Hampshire gilt is also due in January. Our litter from the British Lop Mary sow have done well and I am really pleased with the shape the young Duke boar has put on the back ends. Three went off to their new home this week and I have been sent some lovely photographs of them settling into their new home and surroundings.

Three of our Hampshire gilts from the April litter have gone south to East Sussex. They are having a great time living outdoors in a wooded area. Our first Hampshire pig, Hattie, farrowed with her new owners a few days ago and they are enjoying their first litter.

We have the last of this year’s pig keeping courses this weekend. We have really enjoyed meeting potential new pig owners and sharing our experiences with them. I hope they will keep in touch and let us know how they are getting on. We are planning the courses for next year and already have a two-day showing course scheduled in for March. Well-known pig breeder and exhibitor Steve Richardson will be helping with the first day so it is a really good opportunity to polish your skills or pick up tips to get started with showing your pigs. For more information see our site www.pigkeepingcourses.co.uk.

I am trying to get to Ireland before Christmas to stay with Primrose and Steven who bought my British Lop Actress sow.  It is hoped there will be a boar from their September litter good enough to go to the Deerpark AI centre. I must say with the onset on winter storms I am rather hesitant about the ferry crossing!