People are increasingly aware of the ways that what they eat affects the world they live in – in particular, how meat production can harm the environment. The farm-to-table concept was developed to offset some of these effects.
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What is Farm-to-Table Produce?
In simple terms, farm-to-table produce is sold or consumed close to where it is grown, with an emphasis on sustainability and animal welfare. Let’s explore Chatsworth Estate in the Peak District in Derbyshire, England, to see how it produces high-quality beef and lamb.
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Calves
The farm at Chatsworth Estate typically has about 250 cows. Every year, these cows will birth an average of 1 calf each. Around 50% of the calves will be female – they are used as replacements to go into the herd.
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Cattle Breeds
These are limousin cattle. They are strong and muscly, which means they produce meat with low fat content. The breed originated in France and is well suited to a range of climates, including the relative cold of the Peak District.
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Food Miles
“Food miles” – the total distance that a food product moves from field to plate – are often used as an indicator of sustainability. The farm-to-table movement aims to reduce food miles as close as possible to zero.
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Breeding Cows
When calves are born, farmers must do certain things to register them correctly and protect them from disease. They must give the calves vaccinations and fit identification tags to their ears.
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These actions reduce the spread of diseases among cattle and allow authorities to trace the source when disease does occur.
Cattle Passport by Twig World
Cattle Passport
The passport contains information about the cow, including its date of birth, parents, and breed. These records track the cow throughout its life, all the way to the shops. As a result, meat can be traced back to individual animals.
Naming by Twig World
Naming
Each calf is also assigned a pedigree name, similar to pedigree dogs. Farmers use different naming systems. This cow is called Neptune because the farmer is giving all calves born this season names beginning with the letter “N”.
Vaccination by Twig World
Vaccination
Healthy animals produce healthy food, so it is important that farmers vaccinate their herds. Vaccination can help to protect cattle against serious infectious diseases, including salmonella, ringworm and pneumonia.
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Sheep
Chatsworth also breeds lambs for wool and meat. Sheep farming in Britain dates back 2000 years to Roman times, and the country still breeds a lot of sheep for its size – 25% of EU stock and 3% wordlwide.
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At Chatsworth, 4 breeds of sheep are produced – Swaledale, Lleyn, Suffolk and Jacob – as well as mules (crossbreeds). Lamb consumption per person in the UK far exceeds that in the US, but falls below consumption in countries like Greece and Mongolia.
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Identifying Sheep Types
Sheep breeds can be identified by their physical characteristics and colouring. These sheep are North of England Mules, which have distinct brown/black markings on their faces and legs. They produce high-quality meat and lots of lambs.
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Identifying Individual Sheep
Farmers spray paint their sheep to distinguish them from other farmers’ sheep. They use this technique to group mothers and lambs, and to mark the sheep they want to keep an eye on – for example, if they have certain diseases.
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Lambing Season
Lambs are born in spring. In the Peak District, where Chatsworth Estate Farm is located, lambing season is typically March through May. Each ewe gives birth to between 1 and 4 lambs – twins are common.
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Butchering the Meat
Once an animal is slaughtered, its carcass is hung to allow the meat to soften. For beef, this process takes 2–3 weeks; for lamb, it can be as little as 7–10 days. After this time, the carcass is butchered and cut into smaller pieces that can be sold.
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At Chatsworth, the meat goes on sale as soon as it is butchered – it’s as fresh as meat can be. In supermarkets, it might take several more weeks for meat to be transported and put on sale.
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Young Meat
Younger animals produce fatter and juicier meat. Usually, beef calves will be slaughtered before they are 3 years old (their natural life expectancy is around 20 years) and lambs between 6 and 12 months (life expectancy is 10–12 years).
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Local Suppliers
Besides meat, the Chatsworth Estate farm shop sells produce from local suppliers, many of whom are personal acquaintances. These lambs were reared literally down the road from the shop. Some suppliers have been selling to the shop for 30 years.
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A Butcher’s Equipment
The equipment that a butcher uses includes: sharp knives, saws and cleavers; a stainless steel cuber or tenderising mallet; a traditional hardwood butcher’s block or stainless steel table; and protective clothing, including gloves, aprons, hats and goggles.
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Chatsworth Farm Shop
The shop at Chatsworth Estate was established in 1977 by the Duchess of Devonshire to sell beef and lamb from the farm. It soon gained a reputation as a place where people could buy high-quality, locally produced food amid beautiful Peak District scenery.
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Visitors to the farm can personally see how the animals are responsibly reared and prepared and then buy meat from the shop.
Cuts of Meat by Twig World
Cuts of Meat
Butchers distinguish between many different cuts of meat. The muscles that an animal uses most – e.g. shoulder and shin – produce tougher (but still tasty) meat.
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Hygiene
It’s important when dealing with meat that high standards of hygiene are maintained – if not, bacteria can grow rapidly on the surfaces. All of these butchers are fully trained in hygiene practices and legislation.
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Fresh Meat
There are many health benefits to eating fresh meat rather than processed meat products that contain chemical additives, such as flavourings and preservatives. Some sausages and deli meats sold in supermarkets are assembled from meat scraps, further reducing quality.
Fresh Produce
Here is the meat on sale in the farm shop, where more than half of all products represent close to zero food miles, having been produced or prepared on the Chatsworth Estate.
As well as meat, poultry and game, the shop sells pies, freshly baked breads, cakes, fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, and a wide range of wines, beers and soft drinks – many of these, too, are sourced locally.
Paying for Quality
Some of the food in the shop costs a little more than you might pay in a supermarket, but it comes with a guarantee that animals have been well treated and produce has been sourced from quality suppliers.
Traceability
All farm animals are registered and given ID tags, which are scanned at various stages of their lives. This means that it is possible to track all meat back to the farm and, sometimes, the exact animal it came from.