Celebrating the Linderōdsvin at Bosjökloster, Skåne.

It’s a while since I blogged about these bonnie rare pigs so if you haven’t heard of them yet here’s my previous blog to set the scene http://skanskfoodguide.co.uk/linderodsvin/

We have included a chapter on Linderōdsvin (along with other pig breeds) in our book Meadows: The Swedish Farmer & The Scottish Cook. Written in English it has received wonderful reviews and is available by mail order here and from Lasses in Ryd if you’re in Småland.

In May we were invited to Skånska Lantlivsdagarna Living off the Land Day at Bosjökloster, a beautiful 900 year old castle on the shores of Lake Ringsjö in Skåne. On a normal day, the castle has stunning terraced gardens sloping down to the lake, horses, goats and various farm animals to see and a garden café.

This particular weekend, the country fair featured handicrafts and artisan foods, animals and workshops: weavers on looms, blacksmiths hammering, knitters, painters and straw craftsmen demonstrating the skills and selling their masterpieces. There were goat and Gotland sheepskins, ceramics and handmade hunting knives…. and special guest stars two Linderödsvin, two ladies unloaded from a trailer into a spacious lush green space neatly bounded by electric fence about the size of a generous double bedroom!

Within twenty minutes the green and pleasant land had a generously sized mud bath in it, created determinedly by the guests, using nothing but the contents of their water trough and snouts. Their instinctive natural behaviour there for all to see – yet tragically there are pigs across the world intensively reared and indoors, bred on concrete and never able to follow their true traits. Happy pigs are pigs in muck!

We had loads of visitors, entertained by the pigs’ antics, Ronnie & Martin’s lovely Linderöd book (in Swedish) on sale along with promoting the Slow Food Movement as the Linderödsvin are on the Ark of Taste.

The importance of biodiversity and rare breeds should never be underestimated for they are the salvation to many of our 21st century ailments. They live off the land and adapt to their environment. Indigenous breeds are an important part of our food culture and our future.

For presentations and workshops on Biodiversity, Meadows, Food Tourism, Food Heritage & Slow Food do get in touch with Wendy & Bosse on the website contact button.