In this section:

Cuts   Rare Breeds   Ethical Farming & Maturing   Fat lot we Know   What goes in...   Butchery

Ethical Farming

e have described a number of the benefits of the rare breeds whose meat we sell. As you will have gathered, whilst it is not claimed to be ‘organic’, many of the better principles are shared and you can be reassured of natural qualities of the products we sell.

There are other benefits too. Britain is claimed to be the fourth largest economy in the world and certainly one of the richest. The people of Britain should not have to tolerate having to eat inferior food because it suits the mass market. Consider these words from the President of the Slow Food Movement based in Italy:

"When I wear a pair of Armani trousers
they do not become part of me.
But when I eat a slice of ham it does.
That’s why I spend money on food.”
Carlo Petrini,President of Slow Food

Today, as a nation, we spend less than one sixth of our income on food. Fifty years ago, it was more than one third!

You will find our selection of foods in this website where you can order direct - click here. The prices are not astronomical but they do reflect the better prices we pay to farmers to produce the rare breeds in the way that we – and we think you - want them. You can always buy cheaper meat. We challenge you to buy better.

Slow Maturing

irtually all the rare and traditional breeds we deal with mature more slowly than the hybrids and more widespread breeds used in the mass market.

It is not difficult to appreciate that a pig, say, that has taken 25% longer to reach pork weight, will have developed more flavour than its commercial counterpart. The same argument applies to sheep and cattle. Remember, most of these breeds became endangered because they did not suit intensive farming and feeding. Their growth rates are much more natural!

The rare breed pigs are fed on a lower protein diet than their commercial counterparts for a more natural growth rate without growth promoters. Cattle and sheep are finished primarily on grass whereas most commercial stock is fed much more intensively.

© 2004- Llandinabo Farm Shop, Traditional Breeds Butcher