Why animals are just as important as plants

"By far the most useful are our milking cows because they convert grass to protein.''

One of the most important principles in permaculture is that everything should have more than one ‘job.’ That includes their Wiltshire sheep, cattle, pigs, laying hens, meat chickens, and beehives.

“Animals are a massively important part of our system. I know it’s possible to run a permaculture system without them, but it would be so much harder.

“By far the most useful are our milking cows because they convert grass to protein (milk) – almost everything else has to be fed protein to create protein. So we take their milk and feed it to our sows and also to other animals. We use their manure a lot, particularly in biodynamic preparations and compost. They’re incredibly valuable animals in terms of soil growing and feeding us.”

The animals are strategically placed around the block. Cacao lives close to the milking shed. There are large enclosures nearby for the egg hens and meat birds.

The ducks live by a pond, while another is fenced off to allow other birds and wildlife to live in peace. The pigs are on lighter, warmer ground at the back of the farm.

The couple breeds a Hampshire boar (good for its big butt for ham) with a Wessex saddleback sow, renowned for its long loin. The pigs get all the excess from the gardens and orchard, which adds to the final flavour.

All the animals are eaten at some point, apart from surplus weaner piglets which they sell to other block owners.

“We do all the processing – there isn’t an animal that goes off this farm in a truck. That’s a really important part of our philosophy. We want to be able raise our own meat and process it ourselves.”

Each winter, the couple hosts ‘pig weekend,’ processing their homekill meat using charcutier techniques from all over the world.

“We also process some summer pigs too, and they’re turned into more standard cuts, mince, hams, that kind of thing.”