REGENERATIVE , SUSTAINABLE, ETHICAL FARMING

For us this means restoring and protecting the land we work, the soil and the wildlife natural to our area.

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We farm with four main aims:

1. To have a content, healthy herd of cattle

2. To produce the best beef

3. To enhance the environment that we farm in and support the British countryside

4. To enjoy what we do

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We do this by:

• Choosing native breeds famed for their beef quality, and which are also suited to an outdoor life, and known for ease of calving and management. 

• Maintaining high quality pasture, with a good mix of grasses, clovers and herbs. We manage our grazing to promote soil health and biodiversity. 

• Feeding our cattle a forage only diet, with no cereals. This is what cows have evolved to eat. It also produces meat with a better flavour, and health benefits. We are members and approved suppliers of the Pasture Fed Livestock Association. This means that our cattle are independently verified as meeting the Pasture For Life standards.

• Having calves raised by their mothers and keeping our cattle in mixed age groups, to replicate a natural herd environment.

• Keeping our cattle outdoors as much as possible. The suckler herd is housed in airy open fronted barns for the worst months of the winter, to save the fields and for management at calving. The remainder of the year they live out. This is how cattle are meant to live, it is good for their health and keeps stress levels low.

• Maintaining high health herd status.

• Managing the whole lifecycle, from calving to finishing, to make sure that the highest standards of care are upheld, transportation is kept to a minimum and all beef is fully traceable.

• Planting trees, hedgerows, managing our land in accordance with good stewardship principles and actively improving the quality of the environment in which we farm. 

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100% GRASS

Our ruminant animals are fed on a 100% grass only diet.

Grassland is vital to our environment. For generations it has been the main food source for cattle and sheep, providing all the nutrients an animal needs.. Our fields contain a variety of plant species including herbs, wildflowers, and clovers. Rich in essential vitamins and minerals our grasses not only provide incredible healthy nutrition but also sustain and encourage a diverse range of insects and wildlife.

We do not believe you have to cut down acres of rainforest to harvest grain that is then flown half way round the world for our animals to eat, We simply want to use what is in abundance right here on our small farm. By using traditional farming techniques such as mob-grazing our ruminant animals only ever eat a diet of 100% pure natural grass, all grown on our farm.

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SMALL, FARMING FAMILY

We truly are exactly that. Our family has always relied financially on our small farm. Sustainable farming  must also mean creating a fair income for the farmer and their family. Putting it simply, we want to make a living from food production without calling into question our agricultural heritage and principles.

In buying from us you really are securing our future as a small farm. In turn we are able to protect the countryside we work in, investing our time and money into projects such as introducing herbal ley to the farm which is rich in grassland species and hugely beneficial for our wildlife.

 

REAL FOOD

Real food for us means slow grown , not mass produced. By selecting the right breeds, with the right diet, we let our animals grow at their natural pace, in sustainable herd/flock sizes. This is of paramount importance to the health and welfare of our animals and it also ensures the animals have developed a proper bone structure and texture in the meat – resulting in a ‘real ford experience’.

We want to minimise fast, mass produced food, which we believe harms our environment and our society. The Slow Food motto is ‘Good, clean and fair” – something we believe is worth revitalising from traditions that have been lost.

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NATIVE BREEDS

We have specifically chosen our breeds because they are perfectly suited to our farm.

All our animals are slow growing, native breeds who thrive in our very low input system.

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