Pannage Begins: An Ancient New Forest Tradition Returns
Today marks the beginning of one of the most important and distinctive events in the New Forest calendar. From Monday 14th September, pigs will once again be turned out onto the open Forest for pannage, continuing a tradition that has helped shape and protect this landscape for centuries.
For those who live locally, the sight of pigs snuffling beneath the oak and beech trees is one of the unmistakable signs that autumn has arrived. For visitors, it can be an unexpected encounter and a wonderful glimpse into the living traditions of the New Forest. Pannage is far more than a seasonal spectacle, however. It remains a vital part of commoning, animal welfare and the careful management of the Forest.
What is pannage?
Pannage, also known as the common of mast, is the ancient right that allows New Forest commoners to turn pigs out onto the Forest during the autumn months. The pigs forage naturally for fallen acorns, beech mast, chestnuts and other nuts beneath the trees.
The 2026 pannage season begins today, Monday 14th September, and is currently due to continue until Sunday 29th November, unless an extension is agreed by the Verderers and Forestry England.
The timing of the season is important because large quantities of acorns can be poisonous to ponies and cattle. Pigs can eat them safely, so their natural foraging helps clear the Forest floor and reduces the risk to the other free-roaming animals. It is a simple and remarkably effective relationship between farming, animal husbandry and the landscape.
Pannage also offers a clear example of why commoning remains so important to the New Forest. The Forest we recognise today has not been shaped by nature alone; it has also been influenced by generations of commoners and their animals. Traditional practices such as pannage, grazing and the annual pony drifts continue to support the character, ecology and cultural identity of this extraordinary place.
A tradition that can be tasted
The pigs’ seasonal diet also has an influence on the pork itself. Foraging among the trees and eating acorns and other nuts can help produce pork with a deep, rich flavour, beautifully developed fat and the subtle nuttiness for which pannage pork is known.
This is something we understand particularly well at Hockey’s Farm Shop. Earlier this year, Hockey’s Pannage Spare Rib Pork Joint received the highest possible accolade of three stars at the 2026 Great Taste Awards. Our Pannage Belly Pork also received a Great Taste star.
These were Hockey’s own pannage pork products, prepared by our butchery team here in South Gorley and judged entirely on taste. The Great Taste judges praised the spare rib joint’s exceptional flavour, succulent meat, sweetness of fat and crisp crackling, describing the pork as rich, slightly nutty and extremely moreish.
The awards were a tremendous recognition of the product, but they also celebrated everything behind it: the traditional pannage system, the work of New Forest commoners, the animals’ seasonal diet and the skill involved in preparing an outstanding joint of pork.
This year’s pannage pork will be available from our butchers from November. As always, availability will be seasonal and limited. If you would like to try it, keep an eye on our website and social media or speak to the butchery team during your next visit.
Enjoy the Forest pigs responsibly
Seeing pigs roaming freely is a special experience, but they are working animals and should always be given plenty of room. Please do not feed, touch, follow or crowd them, and never encourage them towards the roadside for a photograph. Dogs should be kept under close control and well away from all Forest livestock.
Visitors should also remember that pigs may move unexpectedly between the trees or onto roads and verges, so please drive slowly and carefully throughout the New Forest. The best way to enjoy pannage is from a respectful distance, allowing the pigs to forage undisturbed.
Harvest Nights begin next week
The start of pannage is not the only sign of a new season at Hockey’s. Next week also brings the first evening in our brand-new Harvest Nights Series, created to take us from the first flavours of autumn right through to the Christmas table.
Our opening Harvest Night takes place on Friday 25th September in the refurbished polytunnel at Hockey’s Farm Shop. Kerry, our Head Chef, will begin the series with Surf & Turf: moules in her own broth to start, followed by slow-cooked beef shin cottage pie with a rarebit top, accompanied by a board of bread from a local baker to share.
Tickets cost £22 per person and include both courses. A thoughtfully prepared whole-vegetable main is also available, ensuring the vegetarian option is an integral part of the menu.
Guests can arrive from 6pm for drinks, with food served from 6.30pm. Wines, Hawkstone, local drinks, non-alcoholic options and barista-made coffee will be available to purchase throughout the evening.
This is the first of six Harvest Nights, each built around a different part of the season:
Friday 25th September – Surf & Turf
Friday 9th October – The Great Taste Sausage Supper
Friday 23rd October – Squash & Spice
Friday 6th November – The Game Night
Friday 20th November – Pannage & Chestnuts
Friday 11th December – The Christmas Table
Later in the series, Pannage & Chestnuts will bring this important New Forest tradition directly to the table with a menu celebrating pork from nose to tail. It is a fitting connection between the story of the landscape and the food produced within it.
Each evening is strictly limited to 50 guests, keeping the atmosphere relaxed and intimate. Individual tickets are available, or those who would like to join us for the entire journey can book a Hockey’s Harvest Nights Series Pass. The pass reserves one seat at all six events for £150, saving more than 10% compared with booking each evening separately.
Book the Harvest Nights Series and individual events online, or ask the team in the Farm Shop for more information.
Breakfast, a guided walk and Jasmine Glossop
Friday 25th September is going to be a particularly special day at Hockey’s because, before the first Harvest Night begins that evening, we will also be holding our monthly Commoner’s Breakfast and Guided Walk.
This month’s guest speaker is Jasmine Glossop, a member of the New Forest Marque. The event offers an opportunity to enjoy the Forest in early autumn while learning more about the local people, produce and traditions that contribute to its distinctive identity.
The morning begins between 8.45am and 9.15am with coffee, tea and conversation, followed by a choice of full Hockey’s breakfast at 9.30am. Jasmine’s talk will begin at approximately 10.15am before the group heads out at 10.30am for the guided Hockey’s Loop Walk.
The route follows Forest tracks and provides a closer look at the landscape surrounding South Gorley. With pannage underway, it is an especially interesting time to explore and understand how commoning, livestock and seasonal change are connected.
The group will return to Hockey’s at approximately midday, with time for further questions or a browse around the Farm Shop and butchers.
Tickets cost £20 and include breakfast, hot drinks, the guest talk and guided walk. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free breakfast options can be requested when booking. Sturdy, waterproof footwear is recommended, as Forest tracks may be muddy or uneven.
Our previous Walk & Talk Breakfasts have sold out, so early booking is strongly advised. Book your place for the Monthly Commoner’s Breakfast and Guided Walk.
Experience autumn at Hockey’s
Pannage reminds us that the New Forest is not simply a beautiful backdrop. It is a working landscape supported by knowledge, responsibility and traditions passed from one generation to the next.
Here at Hockey’s Farm Shop in South Gorley, we are proud to celebrate those connections: through the local produce on our shelves, the meat prepared at our butchers’ counter, the food served in the Farmyard Cafe and events that bring people together to learn more about the place around us.
Whether you join us for breakfast and a walk, take your seat at the first Harvest Night or call in to discover what is arriving with the new season, there is plenty happening at Hockey’s as autumn begins in the New Forest.
