11:59am Friday 4th May 2007
DUNCAN Turnbull is getting ready to take a career break - at the ripe old age of 18.
University is beckoning the A-level student and he is temporarily handing over the reins of his enterprising business to his family.
Duncan is managing director of Yorkshire Meats, and the person who dreamt up its Adopt-a-Pig scheme, which offers people the chance to adopt a piglet, with a view to enjoying its meat seven months later.
The scheme has proved a runaway success, with adopters travelling from south of the M25, Wales and Aberdeen to visit their pigs on his family's 26-acre smallholding at Shipton, near York.
They can also see their progress on a website, receive photopacks, and for an extra charge receive professionally-printed postcards, notepads and even fridge magnets featuring their pig.
Duncan said: "Adopt-a-Pig appeals to people who like to know where their meat is coming from, and for lots there is an attraction in coming to the farm.
"People make a day of it; they come to York and go shopping and then come and visit their pig."
Part of the attraction for many parents is that it also shows their children where their food comes from.
It has also attracted a company, which adopted a corporate pig, and another was adopted to provide a hog roast at a wedding.
The pigs are mostly rare breed pedigree Oxford Sandy and Blacks although a few Double Gloucester Old Spots feature and some Gloucester Old Spot x British Lop (an endangered breed) x Middle White.
People pick their pig and name it when it is two weeks old - a £50 deposit is deducted from the final bill for the meat, which normally averages about 50kg.
The pigs live outdoors and are fed additive-free pig nuts, maize, barley and soya. They enjoy malted barley from York Brewery and fruit and vegetables from a shop in Bootham, York.
At seven months, the pigs are ready for the abattoir and the owners are contacted to find out how they want their meat and sausages.
The abattoir and butcher are both within 20 miles of the farm.
Duncan, who is a student at St Peter's in York, was 12 when he got his first pigs and said: "The idea was to keep two or three pigs a year for our own meat and for family and friends."
But the quality and taste of the meat was so good that word spread and other people started wanting to buy it and the business began.
Yorkshire Meats produces rare breed pork roasting joints, nine types of sausages, dry-cured bacon and gammon.
Duncan's busy parents - a hospital consultant and local GP - help out when they can, but the day-to-day care of the pigs and running of the business is down to him. All is done before and after school.
The Adopt-a-Pig scheme was his own idea. There are 42 pigs - two weeks ago there were 50 - and every one has been adopted.
As A-levels and university are fast approaching, he is now looking to the future. He intends to keep Jasper, his magnificent 4½-year-old Oxford Sandy and Black boar which he hires out, and the four pedigree sows which Jasper serves. His parents and brother and sister will look after them.
However, his idea is to have a number of farms and smallholdings across the country joining the Adopt-a-Pig scheme on a regional franchise system. "They would not have to be a big producer," said Duncan. "Many smallholders could take part with just one or two sows."
They would have to share his passion and high standards, but he believes it is a system that could really take off.
Duncan does not envisage going into farming after university as the family smallholding is too small, but he said: "I am very keen for Adopt-a-Pig to carry on, that would be a real dream and I would be very keen to take it up again."
Yorkshire Meats can be contacted on 01904-470497 or at www.yorkshiremeats.co.uk.
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