LIVESTOCK 3: FATTEST PIG

I'm prepared to consider pig pictures of most kinds, but I do accept there might be some cheating in this category. In fact, I think it would be dishonouring the spirit of Wodehouse if there was not to be at least a little infringment of the rules. 

19.18 Wednesday 6th

Have just received this from a Sir Georgey Rapsole Rapsole. I can't think why, but I find this entry a little fishy. Nevertheless it is a fine pig so I include it, despite my reservations.

 

22.55pm 7th August - from James A-S. He says, displaying admirable and yet slightly sickening honesty: "Strictly speaking these pigs belong to Beardshaw - from his garden at Malvern last year". They are exceedingly fat, if I may say so. 

12 August

Veg Plotting gives a good old story behind this particularly well-marked pig:

Well, First Great Western's inability to get me connected with my train home from Bath after yesterday's day trip to Weymouth (resulting in a hour's wait for the next one :( ), resulted in a bit of an upside as I spotted this pig on the platform at the station.

It's part of King Bladud's Pigs - a public art installation in Bath until the end of September. 100 of these have been distributed around Bath and local villages and there's a trail leaflet detailing where they all are. Be warned - some friends went round Bath for 5 hours last week and only copped 34 of them. Any resemblance to Liverpool's Superlambanana is pure coincidence. Some are by pretty famous artists and all will be up for auction for charity (for Sustrans - reserve price £1500) in October. This one was done by a local school.

13 august

This came with the label "Paparazzi porky pigs", which seems extremely mean, after you spot that the photo also contains Matthew Wilson. 

On the other hand, it was him who sent it to me, so I feel sort of alright about posting it. Though not completely, because it's so frightfully self-deprecating. Doesn't any of the love we send his way ever actually get through?

14 august

The Black Finger Nail surpasses their own naily self with this wonderful cake, baked for a special porky birthday. Fat Rascal must be suitably covetous.

Enclosed with the snap was the following message:

"After seeing King Bladud's pigs here in Bath - I got too excited and mixed up the pigs with the Victoria Sponge competition! The cake's ingredients comprised 6 tomatoes on a plate, some mis-shapen vegetables, a very tall sunflower and a flower arrangement in the shape of James Alexander-Sinclair. Do I win best in Sow?"

I should think you are at least in with a chance, BFN.

From Fat Rascal in ze depths of France (au diable vert I believe is the technical term):

"Three not very fat pigs but you have to admire the grouping! Not many scraps fall off an Auvergnat table into the swill, sadly. They belong to the next door farm."

Still, one can dream: they are optimistically labelled "Charcuterie".

I finally got round to digging out the pig pictures I took at my friend Mark Diacono's in Wincanton. Mark is Britain's premier climate change farmer, and I had gone down there to see his olive grove being planted. He is part of the River Cottage Mafia and shares that sort of terrifying Fearnley-W energy and enthusiasm. Anyway, if you ever want to know anything about growing peaches, or almonds, or szechuan pepper, or mulberries, or pecans, he's your man, and his pig is your pig. 

20 August

I yet again solicited some snaps - this time from Sarah Salway on the recommendation of Garden Monkey. The pig is called "Freight Train", and I think could arguably even give the Empress of Blandings a run for her money in the fat pig category. Sarah says: 

"Here's Freight Train - not mine, but on show at the Iowa State Fair. Not sure anyone would beat this one!!!!"

22 August

I didn't think Freight Train could be beaten - none of us did. So imagine my shock and awe when I received this in an email from WH this morning - he added: "My nephew found this in the back garden. It was a normal size but he blew it up with a bike pump."

Maggi's isn't the fattest pig (see above). But it is the sweetest....

A last minute under-the-wire entry from Arabella Sock: "The parsley pig isn't enormous but it is a big fat waste of space! It has lurked under my pittosporum for 15 years after being given it as one of those useless and annoying Chrimbo pressies - slightly more useful than the do it yourself bonsai kit complete with tiny terracotta pot and seed! Clearly you can't grow parsley in it."

And one final one - from Colleen who has an allotment at Mudchute, Europe's largest City Farm in the shadow of Canary Wharf. "The pigs come from Mudchute too and look like Tamworths. Very handy
for eating those courgettes that grow that just a little bit too big."