This is pig number two of Chris’ delightful pig and pork endeavour over at Salute the Pig.
A couple of weekends ago we went to Cold Overton in Rutland to meet up with Jan McCourt at his Northfield Farm and talk to him about his lovely and rare British Lop Pigs.
Chris has also written up some of their history here: “The British Lop Pig-As Old as Our Hills.”
More about Northfield Farm as I make more drawings of the Lops, who we found blissfully snoozing in deep warm bedding. On hearing voices tiny buried pink piglets burst out of the straw. I defy anyone not to find them utterly, utterly enchanting. Their capacity of joy seems endless.
I am still at the “getting to know you” stages with the pigs, and still researching and sketching the Mangalitzas and curly coats. Just as I found each bee has it’s own characteristics, so do the pigs. There are breed standards, different temperaments, talk of being good mothers, hardy, easy to feed etc.
Visually British Lop Pigs are big, long, white pigs with silky hair and, again, like the Mangalitzas, with the most fabulous ears. Huge, soft, floppy ears that lie like draped hankies over their faces, as long their noses, obliterating their eyes. And they have lovely smiles! Yes.. I know … its just the way their mouths
turn up … but it is still very endearing!
More soon ….
What a gorgeous piggie.