James Playfair, Rare Breed Pork

I’ve always had a soft spot for pigs.

Back in 2002 I started trying my hand at rearing pigs. We eventually chose Large Blacks as they really are pretty rare but have slightly less fat than others and are very good-natured souls.

With my wife Debbie, we run a busy arable and livestock farm with Cheviot sheep and Longhorn cattle as our main livestock. The pigs are a welcome new addition to our traditional Borders farm. We’ve even diversified into loos for hire but that’s another story!

How I like it best: Being naturally fattier than the specially bred lean pig for the mass market, it’s best to celebrate the fat with spectacular crackling on your roast.