A day in the life of a boar farmer

Boar farmer Simon Gaskell takes us through an average day with his wild and unruly charges!

I get up at about 7am and head out to give the animals their breakfast. They eat before I do, mainly because it's hard to relax until I know they're sorted and happy. It's an incredibly rewarding job, even in cold winter weather, because they're such amazing animals. They're charming to watch and the noises they make to each other sound like a small orchestra!

Some will feed from my hand but you can't take the 'wild' out of farmed wild boar. I've been feeding the same breeding sows and boars for seven years and even now they won't all come up to me. They're very easily spooked. Over the last couple of days I've been trying to catch 24 18-month-old males. Today I caught three and yesterday managed just two – and they're animals that have known me since they were born!

I feed them once a day for two reasons: to supplement their foraged diet in winter and, more importantly, to try to keep them friendly. If you can form some sort of a relationship it makes it a bit easier when you need to move them. Boar tend to be pretty unruly. A sow with young can be aggressive and the males have four-inch tusks – uppers called 'honours' and lowers called 'rippers' – which sharpen every time they open and close their mouths. When a 20-stone boar comes toward you with those gnashers you know about it! I have pock-marked and scarred legs from past encounters.

Meet Julian, one mean boar

You can't truly 'farm' wild boar because they're so difficult to do anything with. I've never had to catch a sow. A boar? God no. I liken the biggest, Julian, to a great white shark. I'll see him standing back and suddenly come dashing at me. Usually I carry a bucket or stick to defend myself. I forgot them once and had to use my fists. I broke my hand that day!

Once they're fed I check the fencing and water. To keep boar you need a Dangerous Wild Animal Licence - my set-up is assessed every year and has to pass stringent tests. They live in 20 acres of woodland but if there was no boundary they'd be gone. As it is they're contained by an electric fence which packs 30,000 joules – it gives one hell of a kick – and a six-foot deer fence.

Chasing the piglets

At certain times of the year I have to wean the young which is the most physical job. I have to pick up every single blighter to sex it because they're too small to be able to tell apart from a distance. So I have to catch all of them while they wriggle, bite and squeal. I'm an absolute wreck by the end of the day.

A whole boar is quite hard to sell, but the slow-grown meat makes the most fantastic charcuterie which I supply to some of the UK's top restaurants. It also sells online as the meat makes a great gift and has a long shelf life and does not need to go in the fridge. I deal with all the food sales so a big part of my day is spent finding new customers, coming up with fresh ideas, and liaising with chefs. Running your own small business isn't easy – financially it's quite frightening – but I'm very lucky to be producing an amazing product. I get to balance time with the animals and life in the country with meeting chefs and customers for my charcuterie, which is really rewarding. 

Rounding them up

Getting the animals to slaughter is the most stressful job. I've had broken bones, fingers almost bitten off, and I have two or three four-inch scars. I'd love to get some help in; a chap showed an interest recently but when I explained what was involved he never phoned back to say if he wanted the job or not!

Slow grown meat

At this stage the boar are worth about four times the price of an abattoir-ready pig, but they will have taken 18 months to grow to the size of a five-month-old commercial pig. Boar are much more lithe than pigs; they can clear a six-foot gate if they try. When pig men deliver to the slaughter house they have to get into the trailer because their animals won't come out. With mine, I have to check the fences are completely boar-proof and then open the door really quickly. They absolutely tear out – it's a very nervy time.

Lunchtime

I am never far from some charcuterie. I love the air dried ham we do, and also enjoy some of the more quirky mixes such as 'Wild Boar and Sloe Gin'. Or the 'Game' version, with venison and pheasant and a healthy slug of port always goes down well. If I have the urge I will chop some salami up and pop it in some pasta, risotto or scrambled egg – can’t go wrong with that if you can’t cook!

End of the day

Come the end of the day I'm pretty tired; fresh air is good for that. I live close to the boar - I can see one pen from my house, so at night I'm always listening out. If I hear something untoward in the middle of the night I'll have to get up and head out to see what's happened. Otherwise I sleep very well. 

See more at www.therealboar.co.uk 

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