Tom and Jack swap the corporate grind for The Good Life, with three little pigs!

It’s a story straight out of The Good Life, but for one Shropshire couple, the dream of ditching the rat race for rural bliss has become a rather muddy reality.

Jack Fleet, 33, and Tom Pearson, 39, have swapped corporate careers for a life of early mornings and four very charismatic pigs on their smallholding near Shrewsbury.

Jack, a former utility company worker, and Tom, who previously ran his own business, made the bold leap in pursuit of a simpler, more fulfilling way of life. Now the pair are building their dream at Hatch Farm, and it’s already proving to be an adventure.

At the heart of their new venture are Julia, Luna, Pepper and Clover, a quartet of miniature pigs sourced from Kew Little Pigs, the award-winning farm founded by Olivia Mikhail.

Following a recent visit from the farm’s boar, Jools, Julia is now expecting Hatch Farm’s very first litter of piglets, a milestone moment for the fledgling smallholding and the start of what the couple hope will become a thriving ethical pet pig breeding business.

“It’s been a steep learning curve, and at times it’s been quite scary,” Jack admits. “You go from a structured, predictable life to something where every day brings a new challenge. But we absolutely love it, the freedom and the connection to the animals." 

Despite the hard graft, Jack says the pigs themselves have made every moment worthwhile.

“They are far more intelligent than people realise,” he says. “Each one has a completely different personality and it's amazing to see them interact together. We've had lots of good advice from Olivia who has helped us every step of the way." 

The couple credit much of their early success to the support of Olivia Mikhail, who famously grew her miniature pig business from a London back garden into one of the UK’s leading ethical breeding centres.

“Olivia has been incredible,” Jack says. “From the very beginning she’s been there to guide us, answer questions,  no matter how small and make sure we’re doing everything right for the pigs. That kind of support has been invaluable.”

Hatch Farm is already home to chickens and pheasants, adding to its growing menagerie, but Jack and Tom have even bigger plans.

Next on the horizon are goats, with ambitions to produce a range of artisanal toiletry products using their milk,  a move that could open up an entirely new income stream for the business.

It’s a far cry from spreadsheets and office meetings, and while the couple admit the uncertainty can be daunting, they say they wouldn’t have it any other way. For now, all eyes are on Julia as she prepares to welcome the farm’s first piglets. 

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