PHOTO BY GEORGE HENRY
Jennifer Joyce Haslam tends to pigs at her farm in Kendal, Manchester.George Henry, Gleaner Writer
SPALDINGS, Clarendon:
When Jennifer Joyce Haslam, 35, needed some extra money two years ago, she turned to pig rearing. This has proven to be a successful venture despite its many challenges.
With a smile, Ms. Haslam, who is also an accountant at an auto parts shop in Mandeville, Manchester, says pig rearing has helped her to pay her mortgage and to buy books. She is currently pursuing studies in chartered accounting.
"I enjoy doing it (rearing pigs) and I just like to watch the animals grow," says Ms. Haslam, who also raises chickens.
A visit to her farm in Kendal, Manchester, shows that running a pig farm is not without challenges.
The farm is located on a hilltop so she climbs the rocky terrain twice a day to feed the animals. She also has to fetch enough water to fill two 55-gallon containers every week and buys 20 bags of feed each month.
determination
But these challenges do not discourage her. For example, she supplements the 20 bags of pig feed with leftover food from restaurants and rejected goods from bakeries.
"When you enjoy doing something, nothing can discourage you," Ms. Haslam said. "Once you know that you have a goal and you know that you will get something out of it, you will continue to put your hands to the wheel and do it."
She also recommends small farming to persons facing hardship. "At times it is difficult to try because you don't have the money, but there are many ways in which you can make a start ... Start out small and you can get big. Don't sit down and give up because there are many things you can do for an honest living,"Ms. Haslam said.
