Rearing Animals

Before I come under accute criticism, rearing animals is not something that should be taken on lightly. Animals are a big commitment and before you consider it you must be certain that you can give them the time andcare that they need. It can be quite a bit of work and think of them a bit like taking on some extra children and you will get the idea!

That said it is can be really rewarding and is possible to do even if you don't own your own land. My brother only has a small garden, yet it is possible for him to rear pigs in a local field without even paying rent to the farmer. Instead once the pigs are ready he always gives the farmer a whole pig after they have gone to slaughter. This kind of barter system might be something to try out yourself if you are keen to give it a go without having suitable space.

If you don't have a good local butcher or farm shop to buy your meat from or quite simply you cannot afford the expense of buying your meat this way, rearing your own meat is definitely a good way to go. Some people have a hard time imagining having to eat animals they have known personally however I will share with you the way it was described to me. Firstly, most animals that are reared for meat have a certain life expectancy and if you don't take them, someone else will. Rearing your own if you think about it, is the only way you can 100% know where it comes from. You will be able to give them an unimaginably lovely life compared to some, feed them what ever you like and know that they have not been injected with any nasty hormones or medicines. If you think about it in these terms, then raising your own animals for meat is actually one of the most humane things to do. 

Coming soon!

Over the coming months we will be publishing as series of 'How to...' eBooks to help you learn the basics of rearing animals. We will look at pigs, sheep, chickens and bee keeping; available to download from our online shop for just £5.00 each.