Nick main Calum out on the Surrey County Present with me at a protected distance behind, armed with a stick!
As a most important enterprise, we additionally used to breed highland cows at our farm on the Surrey/Sussex and Kent borders. These are fabulous beasts being far more docile than they might look with their spectacular horns. Sadly in industrial phrases they’re exhausting work and regardless of being one of many UK’s oldest native breeds of cattle, are presently on DEFRA’s “in danger” register.
We had round 100 beasts, all pedigree with traceable bloodlines by way of the Highland Cattle Society going again to 1885, and we used three inventory bulls on our farm. Calum (within the image above) was house bred, three years previous and takes care of a hareem of 18 females; he weighed round 800kg. We’re critical breeders and have been delighted to develop into permitted by Waitrose as certainly one of their nominated farmers final 12 months after rigorous qc, website visits and impartial audits.
Waitrose are an enormous supporter of the UK’s native breeds and British farmers typically. As a enterprise they definitely recognise that high quality counts and you’ll have observed their highland beef promotion at Christmas time in chosen shops… Waitrose additionally recognise that high quality prices extra they usually do pay farmers a premium for his or her highland beef, recognising the for much longer manufacturing course of, and that may be a large credit score to their enterprise ethos.
Individuals usually ask what the hyperlink is between the shaggy monsters and champagne. Whereas “nothing tangible” may be a truthful reply, the rationale for our involvement with this breed over others was their explicit premium nature. Identical to champagne, the meat manufacturing can’t be hurried as they develop very slowly and don’t are usually mature till 30 months previous (versus continental cattle which will be from 14 to 18 months). A number of the easiest highland beef is from 48 month previous bullocks which have lived an out of doors life feasting on heather and bilberries – however laws makes their manufacturing very troublesome. Equally, females are usually not bred till they’re within the their fourth 12 months. All of this implies downtime and critical funding as a farmer – however a terrific pure product on the finish of the day. Our beasts dwell exterior all 12 months spherical and love a chilly snap to remind them of house!
These ideas echo our champagne motiviation. Our most important Non-Classic champagne is aged in bottle within the producer’s cellars simply exterior Epernay, France (earlier than disgorgement) for at least three years versus the authorized minimal of 15 months. The household producer is three era practised on the artwork of champagne making, nurturing his personal vines all 12 months spherical so that each one points of the manufacturing are inside his management – as we are saying from vine to wine. 22 hectares of winery dotted across the area and in among the easiest Cru villages offers him a possible manufacturing of solely 250,000 bottles per harvest as portions are rigorously managed to make sure solely the perfect juice pressings are used. Quarter of one million could sound loads however actually isn’t many, contemplating the area has potential for 360m bottles in a 12 months – and that’s earlier than the deliberate enlargement by one third to cater for theoretical will increase in international demand.
So there it’s; we imagine {that a} deal with high quality makes an enormous distinction in the long term; that alone is the right motive to nonetheless be working with the identical champagne producer after 15 years – and breeding highland cows on the identical time!
Deliver on the bubbles…
Pip pip
