Bidgiemire News

We had a hugely successful show at the Highland. Thank you to all the sponsors of our stand who made it all possible in particular Campbell Dorwood who did the fencing and who had some stakes stolen before he had finished. On our stand was Marcus Bates (CEO) from the BPA and Steven Booth and Brian Card, both well known figures in the BPA. We met with Princess Anne who came to see us and talked at length with Graham about the our pigs, (she has pigs I understand) then myself about our arks and even took our card!!!!!! She is very down to earth, a lovely person and was laughing and joking with us - all very normal!! Photos of us with her will be going on the site soon.

NO PIG ARK HAS EVER BEEN PLACED HIGHER

We always knew our arks would go far!!! A bidgiemire ark has been chosen above others to go up to the top of Ben Nevis as shelter for men carrying out conservation work at the top. The ark will be flown out by helicopter in front of the media within the next few days depending on the weather. It is an insulated ark which is guaranteed to keep the men snug and warm in whatever the weather can throw at them. Photos will be coming soon. The Highland Conservation Co had to be sure that whichever ark they choose, it would stay put in the huge winds on the top plateau, so they went with out famous 2in1.

AT LONG LAST!!!

I have finished the book. Choosing and Keeping Pigs will be publised by Hamlyn in April 2009.

NOVEMBER 08
Plans are afoot to attend the International Saba Expo in Malaysia with our arks later this year. Outdoor pigs are a growing concern in Malyasia so we are looking forward to attending along with the BPA.

THE ROYAL HIGHLAND AND THE BLACK ISLE SHOW

Like the Royal Highland, pigs will be appearing at the Black Isle show in August for the first time in many many years. We are putting together an educational stand similiar to the Highland, so it will have a conservation theme. If anyone requires accommodation on the way up to either of these shows, then please get in touch as we have a B&B and we are close to the M74

RWAS

A great time was had by all at the RWAS this year. It was great to see again old customers and meet new ones. It was a successful show for us and the orders will keep the agent close to Wales very busy. Strangely we sold more nipple drinkers over that weekend than we have since we started selling them. I was interviewed for Country Channel on the Sunday by my friend Paul Peacock. Graham got carried away at the auction so that most of the most of the profit made was lost! It was great to see so many pigs and we look forward to sponsoring the championship again next year.

RWAS Show

Before the crowds came

ROYAL SHOW

Bidgiemire Pig Co are pleased to announce that they will be sponsoring the Tamworth and Black and the Large Black classes for the first time at the Royal show in July as well as continuing their support for the championship and reserve chamnpionship at the RWAS in May..

CHOOSING AND KEEPING PIGS

I am extremely excited to have been asked to write a book on pigkeeping by Octopus Publishing situated in Canary Wharf in London. Choosing and Keeping Pigs is part of a series of Choosing and Keeping books aimed at the smallholder. Choosing and Keeping Pigs as with the rest of this series is sold world-wide so it is incredibly exciting to think my name will be seen all over the world. Bidgiemire has worked hard over the last few years to bring to the smallholder, the ultimate Pig Company that supplies not only pig equipment, but registered weaners, informative courses, and of course our top quality Bidgiemire arks that started all this off. We already write regularly for smallholder magazines, but are flattered that Bidgiemire has been recommended to be part of such a popular series.

WAITROSE "BERKSHIRE PORK"

Many of you reading this may be aware of the situation that is currently affecting all breeders who care and breed traditional pigs. Waitrose are currently selling pork, that to all intent purposes through the labelling gives the false impression that you are buying pure bred Berkshire or GOS pork. This is most definately not the case. The Berkshire pork is from Canadian Berkshire Boars put to commercial sows. Waitrose in the opinion of the breed societies and the many breeders taking part in the River Cottage, Country Living and the British Farming forums believe the public are being conned. Waitrose were running a forum on this subject until they decided to censor us and delete all the posts. This pork is not pure bred pork and I ask all of you who have an interest in keeping traditional breeds going to put pressure on Waitrose in any way you can. Tell your friends about it, refuse to buy it, have your say on the rural forums. Waitrose must change the labelling to reflect the true origin of this pork. For those of you who are not familiar with Canadian Berkshire, they are more commercial, leggier and definately leaner than our Berkshire pigs. In fact the only thing you can say about them is they are similiar in colour. Waitrose are one of our more supportive supermarkets towards farming and rural issues, so it is disappointing that they are digging their heels in, I can only think that the commercial gain for them is worth the hassle.

January 08

EXCITING NEWS FOR SCOTTISH PIG BREEDERS

Bidgiemire has been handed the reins by the BPA to organise an educational pig stand at the Highland Show 2008. Working with Chloe Randall, Estate Manager for the Dunlossit Estate on the Isle of Islay, this is a fantastic opportunity to bring back pigs to the Highland in a big way and raise awareness of pigs in general. The numbers of pig keepers is relatively low in Scotland compared with the rest of the Uk and we are glad of the chance to raise the profile of our traditional breeds. Last year, Bidgiemire took a sow and litter along with our arks and equipment to the Highland and the interest we generated was fantastic, at times the pen was surrounded 4 deep in people, (it helped that these piglets were particular very active!). Although we are still working on ideas for the stand (all ideas welcome, please email me) and boy are we coming out with some scary ones, Chloe and I are very much of the thought that a "using pigs for conservation" theme should be a major part. Chloe uses pigs in the management of the the forests on Dunlossit and has written papers on the subect so her knowledge, contacts and help will be invaluable when putting our ideas into motion.

FARM SHOP UP AND RUNNING

At long last, at the 11th hour to christmas day, we got our mobile shop actually on the road. Considering most sensible people had done their food shopping, we didn't do too badly selling out of bacon, turkeys (obviously!!) sausages and most of our joints. Roll on the next abattoir date. Speaking to people, it was amazing how many people knew that there was a herd of pigs in the local area. I suppose when 99% of farm animals kept are beef cattle and sheep then pigs this high up must be quite a novelty. (We are just below the highest village in Scotland by the way!)

December 07

BIDGIEMIRE MOVES TO FRANCE

Bidgiemire Pig Co are absolutely delighted to welcome to their company, Andrew Roan who has come on board as their French agent. Andrew has been living with his family in the heart of France for a number of years now and keeps pigs himself. Intially Andrew will be stocking the Smallholder Standard (pefect for goats sheep and of course pigs) and the 2in1 Ark, with the removable floor. He plans to run the ark business alongside his small farm and self-catering business. For further information on Bidgiemire arks in France or to place an order, email Andrew at tarnibel@mcom.fr

Welcome Andrew, we wish you every success.

MOBILE FARM SHOP

It is hoped if everything falls in place we will be starting up a mobile farm shop at the beginning of December. Its been a bit of nightmare organising everything, but fingers crossed, we will be starting our rounds around the local villages and farms in time for christmas. We've just got our freezer van, I've been up to Glasgow at the unearthly hour of 4am to check out the fruit and veg wholesalers and now we are just waiting for our logo to be designed so we can get the 1,000 flyers out. The plan is to sell initially our pork, fruit and veg and local jams and chutneys. Next year hopefully it will be lamb and beef as well. We are also planning to have a small selection of exotic meat! such as salamis etc

October 07

WINTER 07/08

Work is starting on building farrowing sheds. It is hoped that they will be finished in time for the beginning of the pig courses in March. This means students and us! will no longer be tramping around in mud to get to the farrowing arks.. It also means that no matter what the weather throws at us, students will be warm and dry.

IRISH NATIONAL PLOUGHING MATCH

Amazingly the sun actually shone for the whole of the three days of the Irish National Ploughing Match held on September 25th-27th, making this our first non-raining show this year. The sun certainly brought out what appeared to be the whole of Ireland. On the first day alone, 80,000 people attended, you couldn't move for bodies and both myself and our irish agent were pleased at the response to our arks. It was planned orginally for just Graham to go over and for me to pigsit. Unfortunately for Graham, an urgent ark order in the South of England meant that he had to cancel his trip to the show and send me instead. So less than 48 hours later and with much trepidation I found myself driving down to Anglesey to meet up with John Wreakes, a well known BPA member and breeder of good quality Saddlebacks for the ferry across to Ireland. Having never been to Anglesey, all I can say is thank goodness for Sat Nav. The Ploughing Match was an excellent show and very much along the lines of how the majority of agricultural shows used to be before the powers that be started accepting "tat" stalls as a way of bringing in the numbers rather than quality. In my opinion, the Ploughing Match was a perfect showcase for rural Ireland and it will definately be on our list of shows next year.

September 07

2 DAY TRIP TO PIG RESEARCH STATION IN MUNICH, GERMANY

We have recently come back from a fascinating trip to a pig research station in Munich and pictures and a short report will be following shortly.

August 07

NEW AGENT FOR BIDGIEMIRE

We are pleased to have on board Wendy Scudamore as our new south west agent. Wendy has many years experience in pigs and is well known in the pig world especially when it comes to Kune Kunes. She will be covering the South West and Home Counties. Till the end of December, anyone buying Kune Kune arks off Wendy will receive a years free subscription to the British Kune Kune Society.

August 07

SURELY HOLLYWOOD MUST BE NEXT!!!!!

This years Royal Show is definately one to be remembered. Not only were we asked to organise the Smallholders Pig Feature, but we were interviewed live for a countryside programme on Sky Television. Unfortunately due to the weather, the last day of the Royal was cancelled, but despite the weather or maybe because of it, orders came in and lots of pigs are now living in a brand new Bidgiemire Ark

April 07.

Along with the BPA, Bidgiemire will be having a trade stand at Suinicola 2007. A well known three day agricultural show held in Italy.

MORE TELEVISION APPEARANCES FOR BIDGIEMIRE

BBC Breakfast contacted us end of March 07 to ask if we would be happy to be interviewed live on BBC Breakfast for a piece they were doing on keeping pigs at the bottom of a suburban garden. Hiliary and Alex Duncan who owned the two Tamworth's the real stars of the show, were past customers of ours and although nerve racking was fun to do. Mind you my hair looked as if it could have done with a better brush!!

May 07

Bidgiemire Pig Arcs are delighted to have been asked to sponsor and present the prizes to the Champion and Reserve Champion Pig at the forthcoming Royal Welsh and Smallholders show. Our arks like last year will also be present at the show for anyone wishing to view one.

BARBADOS SHOW

The Agriofest Agricultural Show recently held in Barbados was a huge success. Our insulated and ventilated arks have been indorsed by the Barbados government and we will be sending a container load out there in the near future.

February 07

Bidgiemire Pig arcs along with the BPA are attending the Agricultural Fair in Barbados prior to sending arks over to the island later in the year. The Ministry of Agriculture in Barbados met with Bidgiemire at the Royal in the summer and we are delighted to report that our ventilated and insulated arks were chosen over other companies as being suitable for warm climates

FLYING THE FLAG FOR PIG ARCS

In November along with the BPA, Bidgiemire attended the prestigious Eurotier Fair in Hanover. Although still very much into farming commercially, Europeans are slowly learning that free range pork is a far superior than intensively reared pork. Interest in our arks came from organic farms, universities and romanian farmers!

Summer 06:

Bidgiemire was delighted to be chosen by Channel 4 to supply the unique 2in1 ark that housed Gordon Ramseys two Berkshire weaners featured in the 'F' WORD

"And not a swear word to be heard during our day of filming with Gordon and his Family"

MORE TELEVISION APPEARANCES

As a change to making arks, back in June we were asked by the BBC to supply a 1940's Anderson Shelter for a children's documentary Being not of that era, finding plans for one proved difficult (thank goodness for the internet). A day of filming down at a Norfolk farm was fun especially the dressing up bit. EVACUATION went out at the beginning of September

KEEP WATCHING FOR FURTHER NEWS ABOUT BIDGIEMIRE

Give your pig a piece of paradise!

Bidgiemire Pig Arcs - Paradise homes your Pigs