Quarr Abbey’s Pigs

Quarr, pronounced as “Kor” (to rhythm with “for”)

There is not much one can say about a little of pigs feeding...

However, Quarr Abbey, since 1132 when the Abbey was founded, have during that time been not just monks, but farmers too. When the Milk Marketing Board let the Nation’s milk farmers down by allowing the price for milk to fall to so little that many farmers were having to pour the milk produced down the drain. The Abbey, once had 500 head of cattle, then they went into egg production with a 1000 hens. People used to queue up to buy eggs from the Abbey during the 80s and 90s. Over the last 20 twenty years farming has taken a backward step here, but in recent years the remaining 10 monks have started raising pigs again and are producing their own honey from numerous bees. They are now working with Goddards, a micro-brewery on the island making beer and are also into the production of still and sparkling cider too from their own Apples grown in the Abbey orchards.

They also now have to employ a number of people to help them run the Abbey on a day to day basis. They also provide B&B, which is a continental ‘B’, as opposed to a full English cooked ‘B’. However, you do need to remember that it is strictly no talking at meals if you come here. There are some people who help the Abbey function who are volunteers and some give their services for nothing, especially the more generous benefactors who are working for the future of the Abbey in the long term.

This community is now fewer than a dozen monks to maintain the monastery's regular life and the attached farm. As of 2013, the community provides two-month internships for young men. There are two young men here who are currently on internship, who have to attend every office and work 4.5 hours per day for free board and lodgings and are currently half way through. In July, the Abbey will have four more internees coming and that will boost the work that can be completed here.