< previous story || next story >

Ah, Christmas. A time to eat, drink and be merry but, at what environmental cost? Now don't get us wrong - we are not trying to put a downer on you enjoying your prawn cocktail but there are some seriously scary statistics out there that we could all do with knowing.

Just one example... Food miles figures show that ingredients for a typical Christmas dinner may have travelled 30,000 miles from producers and growers to the UK dinner table. If ingredients are sourced locally those food miles drop closer to 350 miles. A staggering difference on just one table.

For two Cornish families, their concern about local, ethically farmed meat led them to make a surprising decision. For Christmas they would eat pork reared in their own back garden.

The Grants and Brittain-Long's each live on the outskirts of Helston, both are fortunate to have sizeable houses for their equally sizeable families. Between them there are 4 adults, 7 children, 2 dogs, 26 chickens, 5 guinea pigs, 1 rabbit and 2 cats. Their houses are roomy and rambling with enough space for all of them (bar the chickens...) to get together and enjoy a comfortable Christmas around the table.

Buying local and where possible organic, much of what arrives on their tables is locally sourced. Ellie Brittain-Long who is twelve talks about the family's decision to eat organic: "I was vegetarian for a long time. I don't like the methods used in intensive farming...the way animals are crowded into small pens and fed drugs, it's a horrible life that ends with being eaten. Mum asked me if I would eat meat if we knew where the meat had come from and how it had been treated. I am much happier if I know the animal has had a good life."

Buying their beef and lamb from a neighbouring farmer and supplementing their home grown veg with local organic produce; they are regular customers of their nearby Farm Shop where they can also buy milk, yoghurt, bread and cheese.

Deciding that they wanted to take their 'eat local' principle one step further, the families decided to go the whole hog and farm their own pork. Knowing that rearing an animal for slaughter would have an emotional consequence, the families discussed rearing each other's pig. Hopefully this would alleviate some of the issues of putting pet piglet on their plate. Unfortunately this didn't go quite to plan. With the Brittain-Long's having more space both Johnny Peppermint and Peggety Pig ended up on their land. The family however is philosophical. When asked what she thinks about where the pigs are headed eight year old Maddie says: "It's sad, but I think it's good that we have given them a nice life". The rest of the children agree. They have enjoyed looking after them and take turns to offer them their favourite treats - peanut butter spoon fed by Millie Grant went down a storm - however they all know and accept the fate of their black and white friends.

Arriving to interview Laura and Sophie, the children are busy in the pen, giving the pigs a pat and emptying their morning meal of vegetables and organic pig nuts into the troughs. Laura says: "We have given them a good life which is important; equally we know that their meat will be of the best possible quality. It is easy to turn a blind eye to the methods used in intensive farming, to pick up a pack of bacon or chops without really thinking about the journey the meat has taken to the shelf. Clearly not everyone can take it as far as we have but if you are in a position to, it is important to be informed, buy local and make the right choice."

And with that, looking thoroughly satisfied, Johnny Peppermint finished the last of his nuts and trotted back to his dry pen.

Chloe Wild

< previous story || next story >