SC - ordering a brewing kit to start brewiing and supplies

[andy oppenheim]

You wrote:

<<Actually, Ras, looking at many, many paintings and illuminations of pigs
in period, there are a lot of us who agree with Anne Marie that pigs were
leaner, rather than with you, saying they were bred for fat.>>

The question that keeps repeatedly flowing through my mind is , 'How do you
justify the writings of Platina under the heading of lard, which clearly state
that there were pigs so fat they could not move around with period
illuminations? I really do not see how the justification of use of pictures
over-rides  written text especially given that men are often portrayed as
larger than animals in period illumination signifying man's superior roll in
the creation. 

While I now agree that there were pigs that were smaller this does not
necessarily translate into less fat in all instances. For example, Yorkshires
and a couple of other breeds weighing in at up to 1000 pounds in well-grown
specimens were not unknown. Most breeds averaged between 200 to 500 pounds at
market weight. With not a few averaging only 150 to 200 pounds.

So far, I have found that many local breeds were usually on the  'lean' side
but I have also found mention of 'bacon' pigs. That is, varities grown
specifically for lard production. These are mentioned as being  larger than
the average pig. 

In the 1800's, genetic material from Chinese pigs was introduced into the
herds for the specific purpose of producing pigs that would grow to market
weight faster and to produce sows that would keep a larger percentage of their
piglets alive. Prior to this careful  breeding using pigs that were efficient
foragers was the norm. And those pigs were not, as has been suggested by at
least one other person on the the list, driven anywhere for slaughter.
Although pigs live in herds, they, unlike cattle, sheepor horses, are not
'herded' in the since of being rushed about willy-nilly by dogs or man. The
distances they traveled about was in fact quite a small area being confines
for the most part to a few acres. 

Therefore , I conclude that both bacon (e.g. lard) pigs and smaller meat pigs
were grown in period  According to the Domesday listings, the average English
holding was between 30 and 60 acres and pig herds numbered between 8 to 30
pigs with the lower number being the average size herd kept by any landholder.
It would only take one or 2 of these pigs, fattened specifically for
lard/bacon production to supply the needs of an average household on an annual
basis with the rest being grown for hams, loin bacon, puddings, etc.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of records on period pig production so any
further conclusions are impossible at this time. Any comments are welcome.

al-Sayyid A'aql ibn Ras al-Zib 
(who found this whole process of studying the agricultural practices of the
barbaric Northerners an interesting learning experience)
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