On Tuesday 16th May, Oaklands Pigs hosted a school visit from the pupils of St Ronans School in Hawkhurst. A dozen, mostly girls aged 8-10 years, attended the morning session and the afternoon was filled with boys aged 10-12 years.

The pupils were taken around the paddock and woodland pens and met all 7 of our breeds here. As our pigs are well handled and used to course visitors they behaved impeccably when faced with a bank of very hands-on children. They also didn’t even mind the children getting in and sharing their arks, to see what it was like being a pig.

As it was a very warm day, the pigs also demonstrated how they use their wallow and tried to share some of the mud with anyone who stood too close. The pupils asked lots of questions and had a very interactive and hands-on time. The highlight for some was being able to hold a 3 day old piglet and lots of pictures were taken.

The sessions rounded off with the pupils being allowed to help with the training of the oaklands gundogs, throwing retrieves, and directing them to find tennis balls in the field.

The weather forecast was pretty bleak for the bank holiday weekend, but apart from an odd brief shower, we escaped the rain at the show. Luckily the pigs were inside the animal barn, so they were snug warm and dry all weekend. Whilst the show was not packed there was a steady footfall and lots of piggy questions to be answered. We took the two Kune Kune pigs Margot and Gerry who just loved meeting and greeting and “talking” the public. This breed is very much a grazing animal so before the show opened and after it closed we took them for a walk on the grass around the stands, much to the amusement of the other stallholders.