Pannage Time

New Forest Speciality – Pannage Pork 

Every year hundreds of local pigs are released on to the open forest to ‘hoover’ up the acorns – acorns are dangerous to the New Forest ponies that roam the area. This tradition has taken place in the New Forest since the time of William the Conqueror and dates back to 1079 and the formation of the New Forest as his hunting ground. At Sway Butchers we have strong ties with many local farmers and commoners enabling us to gain a source of this fantastic pork.

Acorn fed pigs produce a pork that has a unique flavour and is a speciality in great demand not only in the New Forest but across Europe, most famously from the Iberian Peninsula.

2022 has delivered a bumper crop of acorns enabling an extended Pannage season.