As part of my Regenerative Farming experiment I’m raising an Hungarian breed of coated pigs, named Mangalica. I have taken great care in designing their habitat: ample space, watering holes in which they can ‘swim’, an overhanging chestnut tree etc.. I also pay attention to their diet and social wellbeing. All in all I think I can safely claim that for pigs kept in captivity they live under ‘high end resort’ conditions.

Now after a few years I realise that their living conditions may, in relative terms, indeed be excellent but that as soon as I put a fence around animals I make an irreversible impact on their inherent nature. An action that comes with profound responsibility. Their lives are far from what it would be if left to themselves and after my interference, even if set loose, they will never again be able to back to what it would have been without.

This understanding extends to my approach to farming vegetables and fruits. From this perspective the hunter / gatherer model would feel as a better system and a relieve. The invitation to me then being not to breed and grow what I think I need, but to adapt and limit myself to what is available and then only in as far as I really need it. A challenging path… and maybe not entirely realistic or practical in modern times, but hopefully inspiring a next iteration.