About Soggy Bottom
Jono and Sarah Walker arrived in New Zealand in 2003, and bought a 60 acre block of rough, hilly farmland on the edge of the Hakarimata Scenic Reserve, north of Hamilton. We named it Soggy Bottom Holding, as the valley bottom was wet and boggy. We have gradually developed the land into a small mixed farm, which is environmentally and economically sustainable. We have created ponds and planted over 5 thousand trees to enhance the landscape, provide fruit and nuts, shelter for the animals, and timber for the holding. The pigs are free range & forage in the paddocks and the woodland floor, the sheep and cows work the open pasture and the poultry fit somewhere in between.
We are passionate about sharing our 'Soggy Bottom' philosophy, which is to have control over the process from paddock to plate. The free-range heritage breed pigs, cows and sheep are grown on our land and then processed in the on-site butchery. We strive to produce really great tasting ‘clean’ food and sell it locally.
We are passionate about sharing our 'Soggy Bottom' philosophy, which is to have control over the process from paddock to plate. The free-range heritage breed pigs, cows and sheep are grown on our land and then processed in the on-site butchery. We strive to produce really great tasting ‘clean’ food and sell it locally.
Pigs
Our very free range pigs being coaxed back into the right paddock
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Saddleback pig in the water trough, with the Tamworth waiting his turn
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Saddleback looking for a feed
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We have had a long interest in pig keeping since buying a Tamworth sow to reclaim a derelict vegetable garden when we lived in the Scottish Highlands. Once she cleaned, rotovated and manured the vegetable patch, an old paddock was re-fenced where she and her offspring grazed on acorns, hazelnuts and ferns. When the first free range pig was killed we realised how much better it tasted than pork we had previously eaten from a supermarket. We also processed some of our home grown meat, making pork and herb sausages and smoked bacon.
At Soggy Bottom we keep mainly Tamworth and Wessex Saddleback pigs, which are heritage British outdoor breeds. They have smaller litters than modern pigs and are slower growing, but are good mothers and produce very tasty meat. We enjoy our pigs because they are hugely affectionate, intelligent and endearing. They run free range and have access to shelter, shade, wallows and plenty of fresh grass.
At Soggy Bottom we keep mainly Tamworth and Wessex Saddleback pigs, which are heritage British outdoor breeds. They have smaller litters than modern pigs and are slower growing, but are good mothers and produce very tasty meat. We enjoy our pigs because they are hugely affectionate, intelligent and endearing. They run free range and have access to shelter, shade, wallows and plenty of fresh grass.
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Cattle
One of our Belted Galloway cows
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The Belted Galloways are an extremely hardy heritage breed, originally from south west Scotland. They are excellent foragers, and thrive best in rough or hilly country. They turn rough pasture into beautifully tender and well marbled meat. They are also relatively small animals so tend to do less damage to our heavy clay soils.
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More free range pigs!
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Conservation at Soggy Bottom
Thanks to small Scale Community Initiatives Fund from Waikato Regional Council in 2020, we are now trapping & monitoring pests on the farm. You can see our progress on the TrapNZ website.
10.2ha of our 24ha farm contains a diversity of native habitats that we wish to protect. Our objective is to ensure the native wildlife is safe from predators and has a suitable habitat in which to thrive. We wish to protect the existing landscape features and create an ecological corridor.
The Maroheno Stream runs through our property, which includes two ponds & an area of wetland which forms a natural habit for birds, eels and fresh water cray. This is a feeder stream for the Waipa river.
There is a large 'biodiverse area' that contains an SNA of Kahikatea forest. This area also contains planted Totora, Redwoods & Larch, natural Kanuka & Manuka which is providing a canopy for natural regeneration of native broadleaf forest plants.
Pest management is the first part of our longer term plan to conserve and regenerate the areas of the farm that provide natural habitats for native wildlife. Further plans include fencing, riparian planting & more tree planting.
10.2ha of our 24ha farm contains a diversity of native habitats that we wish to protect. Our objective is to ensure the native wildlife is safe from predators and has a suitable habitat in which to thrive. We wish to protect the existing landscape features and create an ecological corridor.
The Maroheno Stream runs through our property, which includes two ponds & an area of wetland which forms a natural habit for birds, eels and fresh water cray. This is a feeder stream for the Waipa river.
There is a large 'biodiverse area' that contains an SNA of Kahikatea forest. This area also contains planted Totora, Redwoods & Larch, natural Kanuka & Manuka which is providing a canopy for natural regeneration of native broadleaf forest plants.
Pest management is the first part of our longer term plan to conserve and regenerate the areas of the farm that provide natural habitats for native wildlife. Further plans include fencing, riparian planting & more tree planting.
