[Sca-cooks] Pigs help New Forest ponies

[grizly]

-----Original Message-----
< < < SNIP > > > (Yes, my dears, I've been collecting research on herding
because I once,
way back 3 incarnations of the list ago, had an argument with Ras about
whether pigs were raised exclusively in pens, as they are now, or
allowed to forage in the forests at will in the middle ages, then
rounded up and fattened for the winter kill. Research Weenie grudges are
immortal.) > > > > >

Big hand for the victory, and I want to drizzle a little on the parade,
though.

"At will" may not be exactly right given that it cost money to let just
acouple hundred roam for 2 months.  It seems this is a special event sort of
thing where a guy is trying to make some extra money.  It certainly suggests
that it was a practice somewhere, but 300 to 400 pigs doesn't sound like a
sweeping practice quite yet.  DEFINITELY they were out of pens for these
ranchers.

niccolo difrancesco