Little Keasts B&B, St Neot, Liskeard, Cornwall.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE OLD SPOT PIGS.

In the Berkeley Vale where the Gloucestershire Old Spot was traditionally raised it was known as the Orchard Pig and was reared on windfall apples and whey, by-products of the local agricultural. Local myths claimed that the black spots on the pig were caused by falling apples. It was a very local (to Gloucestershire) breed before the Breed Society was formed in 1914, and remained a very endangered breed until the last few years of the twentieth century when its numbers increased as a result of the market for the outstanding flavour of its pork and bacon. It is a large pig with lop ears; white in colour with a varying number of black spots anywhere on the body. It is a hardy animal and will happily live outside with the availability of a shelter. It will graze and enjoys rooting, and the sows have good maternal qualities.

We are members of both the British Pig Association and the Gloucestershire Old Spot Pig Breeders Club. Our pedigree pigs are naturally reared and free range using sound organic principles, very contented living in their deep straw filled arcs. Eventually, when the orchard is mature enough, they will be run under the trees in the autumn months, pigs just love apples!

We believe that giving the pigs a happy, stress free life with no discomfort gives the pork a more succulent and rich flavour. We are confident that after you've tasted our pork and sausages you won't be tempted back to commercially reared pork again. Meat that oozes flavour and the most superb crackling, try it, you will not be disappointed. Our pork has that old fashioned traditional taste that will leave you wanting more.

We sell whole or half carcasses jointed and bagged. Pigs are not uniform in weight, but as a rough guide a whole carcase will weigh between 40kg and 50kg (90lb and 110lb) and a half carcase 20kg and 25kg (45lb and 55lb).

Our award winning sausages are second to non and are made to a tried and tested traditional recipe, and our bacon and ham is dry cured for 6 weeks and full of flavour, when cooking it does'nt give off all that milky water like much of the prepacked bacon from supermarkets. What better way to top up your family and friends freezers with flavour.