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ADAS (independent environmental consultants) are proposing to run meetings throughout the West Midlands for smallholders with any number of pigs from one upwards. However, to obtain funding they have to obtain proof that there is a need for such meetings in the area, in advance. If you would be interested in such meetings PLEASE email (Odelle.Walker@adas.co.uk) or phone (0137 7219171) Odelle Walker asap (before 10 August) to let her know.

Managing the small pig herd

There are little resources available to the smaller pig keeper if an issue arises on their farm. Challenges can be costly and difficult to overcome. Not usually members of assurance schemes, marketing groups, British Pig Health Scheme or BPEX - smaller pig keepers sometimes struggle to obtain up to date information and instruction on current management and relevant welfare issues within the industry.

This series of meetings are specifically aimed at the smaller pig keeper to ensure they are armed with the correct information to keep pigs in the optimum condition in line with current UK legislation.

It focuses on feeding, accommodation (including outdoor pigs), biosecurity and hygiene, registration and documentation and general daily management of the smaller herd and the specific issues that arise when keeping either a few pet finishers for personal use or a breeding group to fill a niche market.

Meetings start at 10am until 3pm. Food and refreshments provided.

The number of beekeepers has grown over the last year, according to the National Bee Unit, which runs BeeBase, the national beekeepers’ database. More than 1,500 new beekeepers have registered on BeeBase this year and much of this has been attributed to the increased publicity on bee health, leading to more people donning bee suits and picking up smokers for the first time.

Registering on BeeBase entitles members to the free inspection service offered by the National Bee Unit and ensures that they are able to keep up to date on disease developments.

There are also large numbers of new entrants being seen at beekeeping training events provided by the National Bee Unit’s team of bee inspectors and beekeeping associations. Recent training events have seen over 13,000 attendees.

Over 90% of the charcoal we burn on our barbecues comes from non-UK forests, many of which are not replaced when they’re cut down. Deforestation has such a significant impact on climate change that barbecuing with non-sustainable charcoal is calculated to emit five times more CO₂ than cooking with gas, according to one World Bank study. Luckily there’s another way to keep those home fires burning without heating up the climate: British charcoal from sustainable forests.

But there’s more to being green than just reducing your carbon footprint. Buying British charcoal increases Britain’s biodiversity because it leads to reforestation. In fact, estimates suggest that the UK could meet 50% of English Nature’s biodiversity targets simply by becoming self-sufficient in charcoal.

AND on a lighter note, some BBQ quotations:

“It is better to have burnt and lost, then never to have barbecued at all” - William Shakespeare
“Intelligence is something we are born with.barbecueing is a skill that must be learned” - Edward de Bono
“barbecueing is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration” - Thomas Edison
“Always wear something sensible when cooking at the barbecue” - Lady Godiva
“Spare rib anyone?” - Adam

Sources: bbc.co.uk and www.bbq.co.uk

Animals born in or imported into Great Britain before 1 January 1998 may continue to be identified by a single tag.

Cattle born after 1 July 2000 must be identified by all numeric tags.

All cattle must be tagged with an approved eartag in each ear within 20 days of birth. In the case of dairy animals, at least one of the tags must be fitted within 36 hours of birth.

You are allowed up to 20 days from the calf’s birth to fit the second tag.

You must fit both tags before an animal moves off the holding where it was born, even if that is before it is 20 days old. The only exception to this is in the case of bison. Bison are allowed to be tagged up to nine months after birth.

1. All pigs over 12 months of age need to be identified using a Defra herdmark from every holding they depart.
2. Pigs must have a permanent identification showing the herdmark of the holding they are leaving prior to movement to market, regardless of age and whether they are sold for slaughter or to another holding.
3. Identification can be by either an eartag or a tattoo containing the Defra herdmark or a double slapmark. A slapmark must be legible on each shoulder area of the pig.
4. Pigs going to slaughter must use an eartag capable of surviving the processing of the carcase following slaughter and showing the herdmark of the holding they are leaving.
5. Movements between holdings in the case of pigs under 1 year may be made using a temporary paint mark which must last at least until the pig reaches it’s destination.

• Animals to be tagged before 9 months of age (or 6 months if housed indoors overnight) and, in any event, before they leave their birth holding.
• Two UK tags with the same identification number to be applied if it is intended that the animal will live to 12 months of age or more or will be exported.
• A single UK tag can be applied if an animal is intended for slaughter in the UK before 12 months of age.
• If a single tagged animal is retained and reaches 12 months of age, it must then be double tagged. Lost or illegible tags must be replaced within 28 days of noticing loss or damage.

There will be further changes when Electronic identification (EID) for sheep comes into force on 1 January 2010. EID will not be mandatory for goats because the UK goat population falls below the 160,000 threshold. However, goats will still need to be individually recorded on a holding register.

On Thursday 9 July, a group of members went on a guided walk of Prees Heath Common looking for silver-studded blue butterflies. We saw quite a number and listened to a very interesting talk about the changes that the Butterfly Conservation Group are doing to maintain and extend their habitat; including turning the soil upside-down to bring the sand to the surface.

Harvest nettle leaves, clean them and then thoroughly dry them.

Take some sesame seeds and put them into a hot skillet.

Keep moving them around with a spatula so they don’t burn, and watch out because they will start to jump and pop.

Once they start to smell like they’ve been toasted and start to brown remove them and put into a food processor/blender/mortar and pestle along with the dried nettle leaves and the salt.

Experiment with how many nettles to sesame seeds you like.

Use this powder to top rice dishes, soups, salads, etc.

It is loaded with nutrients and adds a delicious nutty flavor to your foods.

The carrot is the second most popular vegetable in the world after the potato. Carrots are nutritional heroes; they store a goldmine of nutrients. No other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene as carrots, which the body converts to vitamin A. They are, also, an excellent source of vitamins B,C,D and E and are rich in mineral salts, potassium, thiamine, folic acid and magnesium. The calcium pectate they contain is an extraordinary pectin fibre that has been found to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Carrots also contain, in smaller amounts, essential oils, carbohydrates and nitrogenous composites.

Lack of Vitamin A can cause poor vision, including night vision. The urban legend that says eating large amounts of carrots will allow one to see in the dark developed from stories of British gunners in World War II who were able to shoot down German planes in the darkness of night. The legend arose during the Battle of Britain when the RAF circulated a story about their pilots’ carrot consumption as an attempt to cover up the discovery and effective use of radar technologies in engaging enemy planes.

Orange coloured carrots are the most popular but carrots are also available in white, yellow and maroon. The orange colour is due to a very high level of the yellow-orange plant pigment, carotene. Although almost all plants contain this yellow pigment, the more conspicuous chlorophyll pigment (green) usually obscures it from view.

When chlorophyll breaks down in autumn, or when a plant is suffering from poor nutrition, the underlying yellow carotene pigments of leaves become obvious.

When carrots were introduced into England, during Elizabethan times, some Elizabethans ate the roots as food whilst others used the feathery stalks to decorate their hair, their hats, their dresses and their coats.

Did you know:

• The longest carrot ever recorded was nearly 17 feet long
• The largest carrot ever recorded weighed nearly 19 pounds.
• In Britain we spend £290 million a year on carrots.
• Each year 22 billion seeds are planted in Britain, producing around 100 carrots per year for every member of the population
• If you laid all the roots end to end they would stretch 2.3 million km, 2.5 return trips to the moon.
• 6 In the 16th century, Dutch carrot growers invented the orange carrot in honour of the House of Orange, the Dutch Royal Family. They did this by cross breeding pale yellow carrots with red carrots.

The Wild Carrot often has a single red flower in the centre, said to be the origin of the folk name ‘Queen Anne’s Lace’ because it was the blood from her pricked finger while she made the lace.

The flowers are a great nectar source for mid-summer hoverflies, butterflies, ladybirds and bees.

Many healing properties are associated with the wild carrot, but caution should be exercised as it also contains some powerful toxins and is closely related to very poisonous plants like hemlock. It is more compact than cow parsley and shorter and far less invasive than hogweed.

A medicinal infusion is used in the treatment of various complaints including digestive disorders (soothes the digestive tract), kidney and bladder diseases and in the treatment of dropsy, it supports the liver, stimulates the flow of urine and the removal of waste by the kidneys.

A wonderfully cleansing medicinal herb, an infusion of the leaves has been used to counter cystitis and kidney stone formation, and to diminish stones that have already formed. The seeds can be used as a settling, carminative agent for the relief of flatulence and colic. Wild Carrot leaves contain significant amounts of porphyrins, which stimulate the pituitary gland and lead to the release of increased levels of sex hormones, and stimulates the uterus.

The plant is also used to encourage delayed menstruation, can induce uterine contractions and so should not be used by pregnant women.

The seed is a traditional ‘morning after’ contraceptive and there is some evidence to uphold this belief. An essential oil obtained from the seed has, also, been used cosmetically in anti-wrinkle creams. A strong decoction of the seeds and root make a very good insecticide.

Sources: www.healthdiaries.com, wikipedia and www.britishcarrots.co.uk