Meet Dinner

[Naughty Cal]

We would just like to highlight how much cheaper and more rewarding it is to buy meat direct from the farmer and cut out the middle man.

 

We went to a farm near Torksey on Friday evening to pick up a meat order. No ordinary meat. This is rare breed Berkshire pork. We picked up as much as we could fit in the boat fridge for a fraction of what the supermarkets charge for mass produced cheap meat.

 

Another bonus is you get to meet mummy, daddy and next months dinner just to check they are all happy and healthy.

 

 

[by'eck]

My Dad used to breed pigs as a (profitable) hobby until a few caught swine fever in the late 60's. All 200 had to be killed and the carcasses burnt on site.

 

I still remember his face a few weeks later when he received the government 100% compensation cheque following valuation by his own auctioneer - never seen a man laugh and cry at the same time since.

[MtB]

Surely if it's a rare breed, you shouldn't be killing it and eating it. You're just making the problem worse!

 

MtB

[Jerra]

Surely if it's a rare breed, you shouldn't be killing it and eating it. You're just making the problem worse!

 

MtB

The whole "thing" about rare breeds meat amuses me. The first is the point you raise. The second is "rare breeds" meat is sold as something special and I can honestly say having kept and eaten both rare breed pigs and commercial hybrids I can't taste any difference.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

They are very fat porkers. Bad for you

[Naughty Cal]

Surely if it's a rare breed, you shouldn't be killing it and eating it. You're just making the problem worse!

 

MtB

 

 

Apparently not.

 

They are not a commercially viable breed any longer. The pigs take longer to rear ( 24-30 weeks as opposed to 14-16 weeks) and you get less meat per pig. They are tiny when compared to a modern meat pig, 50-60kg as opposed to 90-100kg. That's why they are rare.

 

There are in the region of 300 pedigree breeding sows registered in the uk, 4 of which belong to this farm.

 

It is more if a hobby or sideline for them but they do take great pride in the product they produce. And quite rightly so it is amazing.

 

They are looking into rare breed sheep for next year.

The whole "thing" about rare breeds meat amuses me. The first is the point you raise. The second is "rare breeds" meat is sold as something special and I can honestly say having kept and eaten both rare breed pigs and commercial hybrids I can't taste any difference.

I beg to differ. And actually I would prefer to eat a pig where I have seen its upbringing then a mass produced supermarket pig for the same price.

 

In fact we were comparing prices today. We bought amongst other things a gammon joint for dinner tomorrow. £8 pet kg from the farm. It was £12.50 per kg in the supermarket today!!!!

 

Go figure!

[Jerra]

I beg to differ. And actually I would prefer to eat a pig where I have seen its upbringing then a mass produced supermarket pig for the same price.

The fact they are commercial breeds does not say they have been reared commercially! All the pigs I have ever raised from rare breeds through hybrids to pure "commercial" breeds have been reared in the same way. Free range and as natural as possible.

 

Incidentally I never mentioned supermarkets I never sold any meat other than by word of mouth.

[Naughty Cal]

This small farm also runs its pork at a profit. Albeit on a smaller scale.

 

Good for you if you raised your pigs that way but it does beg the question why rear commercial pigs in a none commercial way?

 

Why not something else less well commercial?

 

It is good to see that some farmers take pride in how they rear their livestock though whatever breed it may be. Whatever animal it may be.

 

We are due to pick a half sheep up next week from a farm local to home. No special breed just a stock uk meat sheep but at £50 for a butchered half sheep it can't be sniffed at. Too good an offer to miss really.

[ChimneyChain]

Mmm. Cider, cracklin and a glowing fire.

 

Darren

[Barry]

We are due to pick a half sheep up next week from a farm local to home. No special breed just a stock uk meat sheep but at £50 for a butchered half sheep it can't be sniffed at. Too good an offer to miss really.

 

Hmm. Are they year old or two year old Rachael? I've been really interested to try mutton because I hear it's really tasty but its hard to find. Can you just buy a joint or is half a sheep the minimum?

[Starcoaster]

MB and I were talking recently about why you don't see mutton commonly sold any more. I think we concluded it was likely because compared to factory farming speeds, it takes too long/too much money to raise sheep to mutton age for the mainstream market? Does anyone know if this is the case?

I don't think I've ever eaten mutton.

Edited August 31, 2013 by Starcoaster

[Ricco1]

If you've ever eaten 'lamb' at an Indian restaurant, you've eaten mutton. Very nice it is too.

[Barry]

I think its a lot to do with fashion

 

Most of my life (if not all) lamb has been the thing - remember the New Zealand lamb campaigns? - I think people began to look down on mutton as a second class meat

[Delta9]

If you've ever eaten 'lamb' at an Indian restaurant, you've eaten mutton. Very nice it is too.

Not necessarily true. I've worked in a few Indian kitchens and they all used real Lamb. In fact they were a lot fussier about the quality of their ingredients than the British kitchens I've worked in.

[Arthur Brown]

If you've ever eaten 'lamb' at an Indian restaurant, you've eaten mutton. Very nice it is too.

In ethnic restaurants near me -and in Halal meat shops- mutton is usually goat

[Naughty Cal]

 

Hmm. Are they year old or two year old Rachael? I've been really interested to try mutton because I hear it's really tasty but its hard to find. Can you just buy a joint or is half a sheep the minimum?

Not a year old yet so still lamb. It's a half sheep only from the farm we use (Our Cow Molly) which also makes a sells great ice cream!

 

Our local butcher sells mutton but reckons it isn't very popular.

[Arthur Brown]

Several of my family were butchers, all have left the trade. Today's housewife particularly doesn't want to see animal or hanging animals just pre-packed meat sitting on a nappy in shrink wrap. With today's housewife also having a full time job there is little market for the cheaper meats that take a long time to cook slowly.

[Naughty Cal]

Several of my family were butchers, all have left the trade. Today's housewife particularly doesn't want to see animal or hanging animals just pre-packed meat sitting on a nappy in shrink wrap. With today's housewife also having a full time job there is little market for the cheaper meats that take a long time to cook slowly.

Unless today's house wife has a slow cooker of course in which case she will prepare dinner before going to work and it will cook itself ready to be served when she gets home.

[DaveC]

Surely if it's a rare breed, you shouldn't be killing it and eating it. You're just making the problem worse!

 

MtB

 

You are wrong there Mike. By killing and eating rare breeds it creates a market (albeit a small one) and so it is worth keeping these breeds. Only the best will be kept for breeding stock.

 

I used to breed Manx Loghtan (pronounced "lock tun) sheep for a hobby and very tasty they were. Also managed to sell some on to other breeders. [in the Isle of Man the spelling is Loughtan but still pronounced the same - there are a couple of very large flocks in the IoM.]

 

 

Dave

Edited September 2, 2013 by DaveC

[madcat]

The only reason these breeds survive is because as Davec says they are good eating, long may they continue to thrive.

Hope you and yours have some memorable meals NC

 

All being well 18 Hebridean sheep will be joining the family. Not pets but dinner

[ditchcrawler]

In ethnic restaurants near me -and in Halal meat shops- mutton is usually goat

I like goat

We would just like to highlight how much cheaper and more rewarding it is to buy meat direct from the farmer and cut out the middle man.

 

We went to a farm near Torksey on Friday evening to pick up a meat order. No ordinary meat. This is rare breed Berkshire pork. We picked up as much as we could fit in the boat fridge for a fraction of what the supermarkets charge for mass produced cheap meat.

 

Another bonus is you get to meet mummy, daddy and next months dinner just to check they are all happy and healthy.

 

 

I thought you were vegetarian now?

[MtB]

 

You are wrong there Mike. By killing and eating rare breeds it creates a market (albeit a small one) and so it is worth keeping these breeds. Only the best will be kept for breeding stock.

 

I know this really! I only said it to be provocative.

 

All meat is murder, as any truly compassionate human being knows.

 

 

MtB

[Caprifool]

As an ex breeder of a variety of meats, this thread makes me very happy. The sustainability, quality and humanity of our food is something very dear to my heart.

[fudd]

We would just like to highlight how much cheaper and more rewarding it is to buy meat direct from the farmer and cut out the middle man.

 

We went to a farm near Torksey on Friday evening to pick up a meat order. No ordinary meat. This is rare breed Berkshire pork. We picked up as much as we could fit in the boat fridge for a fraction of what the supermarkets charge for mass produced cheap meat.

 

Another bonus is you get to meet mummy, daddy and next months dinner just to check they are all happy and healthy.

 

 

I did some work in a forest near Staines once. The ranger there had a little small holding. He kept what I think was a saddleback there. I don't know why but the smell of it made my mouth water! Odd.

[Naughty Cal]

I like goat

I thought you were vegetarian now?

Good god No!!!

 

We have a couple of veggie meals a week but that doesnt mean we dont eat meat!!