Pannage Pigs go Nuts for Forest Acorns!

We are nearing the end of this year’s pannage season, which started on the 11th September 2023.

We let out 10 piggy’s this year - Connie and 9 additional half siblings, who have been roaming throughout the forest woodlands, pastures and heathland, with other commoner’s pigs snuffling up the acorns and beech mast from the forest floor for the last 47 days!!

Pannage is the practice of turning out domestic pigs onto the forest in order to feed on fallen acorns, beech mast chestnuts and other nuts, which is a unique practise to the New Forest.

It is an historical right going back to William the Conqueror reign, who granted this privileged common right to local people to use common land, since medieval times.  Green acorns provide an excellent meal for the pigs, plus they are vital food for many birds and of course the squirrels love them too, but they are poisonous for the ponies and cattle that roam here freely, as well as to dogs. Raw acorns contain tannins which can also be toxic to humans. Pigs can safely eat acorns as a large part of their diet, whereas excessive amounts are highly poisonous to the New Forest Ponies and Cattle that are also de-pastured onto the forest. The woodland ecosystem is also improved as pigs eat encroaching brush, such as bracken, whilst leaving saplings.  Effectively, they are mimicking the actions of the ancient wild boar.

Lady P the 6th has remained on the farm this year, as she had only just farrowed and was nursing 7 little piglets.

With just 21 days to go (Pannage Season finishes this year on the 17th November), we have been driving round on the look-out  for our pigs, as the weather has turned and well we like to keep an eye on our livestock!!

Connie has made her way home, while the other 9 were sighted at the Portuguese Fireplace on 26th October looking well and enjoying the mayhem they were causing, as every passing car stopped to take photographs!!

Having been fattened on the nutty diet – the end result is a flavoursome pork from a pig that has been extensively farmed in the most beautiful setting of the New Forest.

Our pigs are a Gloucester Old Spot cross, this traditional, rare breed pig have a thicker layer of fat which provides incredible flavour and succulence to the meat, resulting in a completely different taste to mass produced supermarket pork.