I was at the Penrhiw Farm open day, organised with Slow Food
South East Wales, on May Bank Holiday Monday 2 May 2016. The farm, on a hill
above Trelewis, produces organic meat that is sold at Farmers’ Markets around
South Wales.
Penrhiw Farm is run by John and Celia Thomas. They started
the two-year process of turning the farm organic in 1999. Since then, they have
produced good-quality organic beef, lamb and mutton.
The lamb is from South Wales Mountain sheep; also called
Nelson South Wales Mountain sheep (Nelson is a Valley town just a few miles
down the road from the farm). This breed is part of the food heritage of South
Wales. The meat is renowned for its sweet taste and succulence. Slow Food South
East Wales are trying to get South Wales Mountain Lamb included in the Slow
Food Ark of Taste: an international catalogue of heritage foods. The Ark is
designed to promote foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and have
strong links to local areas (Pedigree Welsh Pig is already aboard the Ark).
On a farm walk we saw the flock of sheep with lambs. One characteristic of the South Wales Mountain lambs is the brown neck – as you can see in these photos. The ewes thrive on the clover-rich pastures on the upland farm.
On a farm walk we saw the flock of sheep with lambs. One characteristic of the South Wales Mountain lambs is the brown neck – as you can see in these photos. The ewes thrive on the clover-rich pastures on the upland farm.
The beef at Penrhiw Farm comes from a herd of around 30 Aberdeen
Angus cows. We saw them in their field with calves; though one mother and calf were in
the barn, where John described how he had delivered the calf at 8 am that
morning.
On the farm walk, we also saw the farm’s horses, bees and
areas replanted with trees.
At the Farmers’ Markets, the Thomas’ combine their produce
with pork from the Welsh Pigs, as well as chickens and eggs, from Cefn Coed
Farm, near llansannor. A sow and her piglets, born the previous Friday evening,
were on display in the barn. Graham, from Cefn Coed, cooked the BBQ that
rounded off the afternoon.
For more information about Slow Food South East Wales: http://www.slowfoodsoutheastwales.org.uk/
Penrhiw Farm’s website: www.penrhiwfarmorganic.co.uk
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