51K-E9Gi9oLSynopsis “After watching too many television chefs from the safety of their sofa, new Tasmanians Fiona and Oliver Stocker turned their five acres into a free range, gourmet pig farm. Raising Wessex Saddlebacks among the eucalyptus trees, they took their premium pork to the local award-winning farmers’ market. There they learned what it’s like to be behind the counter in a food business. What’s the most you can charge for a pork sausage? And what’s it like to be called ‘the pig lady’? Struggling to keep business, family and marriage together, they found that things aren’t always easy behind the farm gate. But they also found a deep love and respect for those most magnificent of creatures – pigs. Saddleback Wife is a book for foodies and those who want to know more about where their food comes from. It’s for anyone who wants a behind-the-scenes look at the foodie-haven of Tasmania, and the pork ‘underbelly’ of farming life. It’s also the story of two Saddleback sows called Rosie and Bella, and a boar called Co-Pilot Bob. Told with trademark wry humour and at times heart-breaking honesty, Saddleback Wife is a story about the struggle to make a living from land and livestock, and the reality behind the dream of gourmet farming.”

My Review

This is the part two of the author’s memoir from Tasmania, as told in Apple Island Wife. I loved that book which I also read via The Pigeonhole and was delighted when I got an invite to read this second part. Just like in the previous book I felt like I’d spent time living in Tasmania with Fiona, her husband Oliver, their children Kit and Daisy, and of course their pigs, Rosie, Bella and Co-Pilot the boar.

As the synopsis above mentions this book is all about how the author’s husband decided he wanted to make the perfect sausage and so became a pig farmer on their small plot of land.

It was fascinating following the up downs of Fiona and her husband farming rare breed pigs. I loved the relationship they had with their sows and boar, and how trusting the pigs were of them.

Living on island with a strong farming history, I know how hard a farmers life can be, and how tough physically, mentally and financially it can be on the farmers and their families.

At times I had my heart in my mouth whilst reading and wondering if the business would succeed or fail for Fiona and Oliver. It wasn’t all doom and gloom though as they were quite a few laugh out loud moments, especially involving Oliver not taking on Fiona’s suggestions for the business, only to agree to the same thing when suggested by someone else or thinking that the idea was his own! Talk about banging your head against a brick wall!

Highly recommended if you enjoy memoirs.