Happy Burren Pigs
Ireland imports around 75% of the food which its population eats. If the Oil Age ends, we are in deep trouble. That’s why I find stories of conservation farming, artisan food producers, farmers’ markets and slow food restaurants so uplifting.
Eva Harald rears free range pigs on her farm near the Burren gateway village of Kilfenora. By doing so she seems to tick all the boxes. She is a conservation farmer and an artisan food producer. Moreover, Eva is a stallholder at a number of farmers’ markets and occasionally her pork products make it onto the menu of local restaurants.
Eva is originally from a town called Jakobstad on the west coast of Finland. She is a member of the linguistic minority of mother tongue Swedish which account for 6% of the Finnish population.
Eva’s husband Stephen Hegarty is himself a part-time conservation farmer and his excellent beef product can be purchased via the Burren Beef and Lamb Producers’ Group. The couple has a 30 acre farm and their cattle indulge in the ancient local tradition of outwintering on land they have near the great medieval icon of Leamaneh Castle.
Eva got her first pigs in 2007 and started trading as Burren Free Range Pork. The idea was to make more use of under-exploited land on the farm. She also knew that the pigs would act as excellent landscape managers by rotivating the land. Eva says “the pigs are lovely animals to be working with. They’re like pets really, easy to handle and so cute”. However, I myself bet a lot of hard work is involved as well.
At the moment Eva has 2 pure bred saddlebacks and four saddleback/tamworth cross. The saddlebacks are quite distinctive – black in colour with a white band. Their origins may be in the West Country of England. They are regarded as an excellent eating pig and are especially prized for their hams and bacons.
The pigs’ diet includes fruit, vegetables, grass and whey from Kilshanny cheese (whey is the extremely healthy watery substance that remains after cheese production).
The pigs live short, happy lives. The “banbhs” or piglets of the saddlebacks in the photograph will be heading for butchering after about 6 months in this world.
Eva’s sausages have at least 82% pigmeat content. Other sublime products include rashers, ribs, roasts, chops and pork belly.
The pigs made a star appearance on Eco Eye presented by Duncan Stewart on RTE 1 (national state televison) earlier in the year. Moreover, Burren Free Range Pork was recently awarded the much vaunted Bridgestone Food Guide (2010) plaque. Eva will be proudly displaying the plaque on her stall at the following markets this summer – Ennis (Fridays 8.00am to 2.00 pm); Ballyvaughan (Saturdays 10.00 am to 2.00 pm) and Kilkee (Sundays 10.00 am to 2.00 pm). You can also buy direct from Eva (and get to see the noble animals as well!) by visiting the farm by appointment. Contact phone number 086-8815974
Living proof of the Irish gastronomic rinascimento is a Swedish speaking Finn rearing free range pigs near a Burren gateway village!
Tony’s next Burren blog – Great Music on the Burren Pub Trail.
One Response to “Happy Burren Pigs”
Congratulations to Eva & Stephen.
Brilliant to see a local company get into Bridgestone Food Guide 2010.
Hard work is never easy but very rewarding.
Keep up the good work & tell them pigs that they are so lucky with their owners & surrounding land scape !
Congratulations to Eva & Stephen.
Brilliant to see a local company get into Bridgestone Food Guide 2010.
Hard work is never easy but very rewarding.
Keep up the good work & tell them pigs that they are so lucky with their owners & surrounding land scape !