Farm produce
We enjoy the link that we have with our customers when selling our produce direct from ‘the farm-gate’. Our freshly laid eggs are praised for their brilliant yellow yolks and firm whites. There is a waiting list for our boxes of fantastically flavoursome and well hung, organic beef. Our turkeys and geese are always well received at Christmas, with some people moved to write a letter of thanks. We conclude that small is indeed beautiful; we’re not interested in getting big – our aim is to produce small quantities of great quality produce that’s appreciated. And we value our customers.
There are several legal definitions of ‘free-range’ which can be confusing to customers. We believe in keeping things simple: see the row of small wooden arks perched on our hillside, and the flock of hens strutting outside in the grass, for a clear understanding of ‘free range’. Our hens, turkeys and geese are raised in small groups, housed in moveable arks, the doors of which are opened early in the morning and closed at dusk; and each house is bedded daily with organic straw. The birds are fed home grown organic grains, supplemented by the clover rich pastures on which they are free to graze – all day, every day.
All our poultry is dry plucked, after which the birds are hung for up to ten days in a cold room for premium eating quality. They are then prepared for the oven, leg tendons removed, hand trussed with string and packed with giblets. Processing is carried out on the farm: the longest distance the birds travel is from the field to the yard, limiting any distress to the animals.