Women In Farming-Rebecca Scott, Snoutwood Trotters
I first came across Rebecca Scott, on Twitter because her farm business is about ten miles aways from me. The farming community is a small one and the name Snoutwood TrottersSnoutwood Trotters kept popping up.
I had arranged to go and meet the pigs myself but always having my entourage of three small children who have no sense and a toddler who could well try to ride a pig, I never got round to it.
Thankfully, Rebecca, 26, who runs Snoutwood Trotters with her other Liam Tickle, 28, agreed to talk to me about the pigs without us having to get our hands (and feet) dirty.
With no family history of farming, Liam received a couple of Gloucester Old Spot pigs for his 21st birthday. Rebecca’s dad had just bought a piece of land so the idea was that pigs, Salt and Pepper would clear a spare piece of woodland.
From those first two pigs, Rebecca and Liam decided that they wanted to have a go at producing there own litter of piglets and they have never looked back.
Rebecca has recently committed to the farm full time, despite aspiring to be an accountant after graduating at university a couple of years ago. She says there is no way she could turn her back on the pig farm to start a career in something completely different now.
The pair farm free range pedigree Gloucestershire Old spot pigs on their small farm in Warrington.
What they have both managed to achieve in establishing and developing Snoutwood has been amazing, and they say they would never have thought that their first two pet pigs would lead them to this path years on.
“We have literally taught ourselves along the way, and this is what I have enjoyed the most, learning about farming but being able to do so alongside Liam,” said Rebecca.
“The business is now going from strength to strength and we have diversified further into offer catering packages using our produce. We try to attend as many local events as we possibly can, as we love to share what we do with people locally.
“Before our first two pigs, we were both very uneducated about the meat industry and the process of ‘farm to fork.’ It’s so important to think about where the meat you are eating comes from, and we love showing people around the farm and educating them about this process.
What I enjoy most about what we do is getting up on a Sunday morning, putting my wellies on for the day and spending the day on the farm with Liam looking after our pigs. There is nothing better. Although don’t get me wrong, we don’t have the best weather and this can sometimes make the job ten times harder, but it’s worth it in the end. The birth of new litters of piglets is just incredible, and I never get bored of watching new babies arrive on the farm.”
It is so refreshing to see a young couple fall in love with farming and learn everything from the bottom up. The lovely thing about both Rebecca and Liam is that when asked if there was any advice they would go back and tell themselves, it was to started earlier.
Rebecca says their customers “really are the best you will ever find and it’s their feedback and loyalty that encourages both myself and Liam to keep going with Snoutwood and develop the business further.”
I for one cannot wait for that and I am looking forward to bumping into the Snoutwood Trotters team on the summer foodie circuit in and around Cheshire.
To find out more about the pigs, the people and the products, visit http://snoutwoodtrotters.co.uk, follow them on twittertwitter, Instagram and like their Facebook page where they regularly let people know where the pork sales will take place.
*Edited to add, they also have a farm shop on site and offer catering for events.
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