Luke farms his organic beef at his home – Herons Green Farm in the Chew Valley – where traditional native breeds of North and South Devon cattle are grass fed on lush pasture. The South Devon is the largest of the native British cattle breeds, well known for its maternal and beef qualities.
As the farm is in the Countryside Stewardship scheme the cattle are housed from 31 October until the spring, with calves being weaned at nine to ten months old. In Winter we house them on straw and feed them a home grown silage, hay and barley straw mix. We’re happy to finish them at 28-30+ months old and since moving to a 100% pasture based diet it is certainly proving longer finishing periods. In the fattening period over the last eight or nine months we feed them a mix of red clover / peas, barley and vetch, a forage mixed species silage harvested before the grain stage.
We think these variables affect the flavour and the key to our product is the consistency of the whole process. The beef that is produced is marbled and tender and sought after by butchers and restaurants who recognise the premium quality of the meat.
The story pigs are home grown at Woodbarn Farm, Chew Magna and Herons Green Farm, Compton Martin.
We use the traditional Saddleback breed, a no nonsense pig. They produce an all round carcass that is both equally good for your roast joint of pork and to cure for hams and bacon.
The pigs are all reared outdoor which means
• Free to range on organic pasture
• They are given organic feed which is GM and pesticide free
• They are housed in small colonies
• They are produced to high levels of animal welfare
• They are not given routine antibiotics
We use Castlemead free range chickens which are a traditional breed that range well and are particularly suited to outdoor production.
They love to be outdoors even in the rain, exercising and eating lush clover rich grass. Day old chicks are initially reared in temperature controlled brooder units until 28 days old where they are moved to free range units.
We buy from Wood Green Farm, Cullompton from the Labdon family.
All of our birds are reared organically which means they are
• Free to range on organic pasture
• Are given organic feed which is pesticide free
• Housed in small colonies
• Produced to high levels of animal welfare
• Not given routine antibiotics
Luke’s son Joshua is also learning to rear chickens at Herons Green Farm, using a caravan leftover from Valley Fest as a chicken house.
Our Lambs are sourced from local suppliers on the Mendips and valleys that make up the beautiful Somerset countryside. Its premium quality and exceptional flavour are testament to the traditional way in which the sheep are reared.
Native breeds are chosen that are somewhat smaller in carcass yields but much sweeter tasting meat including the LLeyn Breed of sheep which originate from Wales. We breed and farm them here because they are a versatile breed that produce wonderful tasting meat. Lleyn sheep are excellent mothers and lamb outdoors with little intervention. They have a diet of grass alone which is why they have an amazing flavour.