Five farming students from Wiltshire College Lackham are selling hand-reared pork as part of a hands-on agricultural project.

The third year National Diploma in Agriculture students, aged between 18 and 19 years old, are Tom Elliot from Warminster, Will Kingston from Gloucestershire, Aled Davies from Pembrokeshire, Jonny Fraser from Dorset and Sam Barnes from Kent.

They are all from farming backgrounds but had no previous experience of working with pigs.

They decided to rear pigs because it was a more diverse animal, not currently present at college. It’s the first time such a project has run.

Student Will Kingston said “We have thoroughly enjoyed the experience we’ve obtained through running the business as a team.

“Hopefully this knowledge will help us in running our future businesses in farming.”

They bought six litters aged three to six-weeks-old and have reared them themselves.

The pigs are a cross of a number of different breeds to produce the finest quality taste of meat.

The students shared the stockmanship and everyday duties including feeding, bedding up, cleaning, monitoring growth rates and general welfare and obtained a herd number from Defra. The three-month project also involved written work.

The project was initially funded by the college with the incentive for the students that they can use any profits to further their ongoing education.

Half-pig cuts are now on sale as family-sized joints, priced at £110.

One Bath pub, The Curfew in London Road, has already signed up for some of the meat which is non-intensively outdoor bred, reared to welfare standards.

Call Aled Davies on 07786958914 or email 224889@wiltscoll.ac.uk for more details on how to buy meat.