15 Food champions of the region A very special breed

George Watkins inspects the Traditional breeds and herd of Hereford cattle at some hardy incomers Ballingham Hall Farm, Hereford makes Ballingham Hall Farm a unique spot for fine food production, says Richard McComb

he f luff y four-leg ged creatures in front of us, endlessly nibbling grass or scratching their backs against the hedgerows, might be more at home on windswept Lakeland fells. TBut it is hard to imagine a happier flock of Herd- wick sheep than those mingling in this sheltered upper field at Ballingham Hall Farm, near Hereford. Herdwicks have never had it so good. Farmer David Watkins speaks of the breed’s hardy nature and enduring temperament. “They’re used to rough weather in Cumbria,” says David, whose family have lived here for more than 120 years. “It must be paradise for them here.” Dav id a nd son George bought t he sheep a yea r ago because they wanted to experiment with a different breed, one not native to Herefordshire but nonethe- less steeped in tradition. “We got them as pets re- ally,” says David. Don’t be deceived by the disarming manner. As property and thought Castle House’s then asking becomes apparent, this is a very shrewd farmer and The Watkins are price of £1.5 million represented good business. if the market for Herdwick lamb takes off in Here- experimenting with David reasoned that by having the hotel he would fordshire there will be no one more satisfied than an unusual breed of have a ready market for Ballingham beef and would 48-year-old David. sheep – badger benefit financially by keeping the profits in-house. George, 22, who accompanies us on a tour of the faced lamb. T he catt les’ breeding patter n has been stag gered so 1,000-acre farm, says: “We thought Herdwicks t here is ca lv ing now in bot h t he spr ing a nd autum n would be a n interest ing t hing to t r y. T hey w ill prob- – and therefore beef throughout the year. ably be classed as hoggets (older lambs) because of In total, there about 200 cattle, which are over- their age.” seen by George. His sister, Rebecca, works at the David adds: “The meat is slow growing and will hotel and George pops over for bartending and give a more flavoursome meat. We can’t wait to see waiter duties. how it turns out.” The Herefords are tailor-made for the surround- The animals will be slaughtered at about a year- ings, as George explains: “They get fat off eating old, meaning the first tranche of Ballingham Herd- next to nothing. If you had a modern continental wick will be ready for spring roasting next Easter. breed on this grass they would be skin and bone. There are 30 ewes and their lambs. David says the But t hat’s a ll t he Herefords need. We don’t give t hem ewes have produced “one-and-a-half lambs” each anything except grass. as opposed to the single off-spring of upland Cum- “ They produce a good marbling of fat through the brian Herdwicks. “So they must like something beef. They were originally bred for ease of mainte- about the place,” he adds. nance and they are nice to work with. They don’t As is traditional, the lambs tails have not been gallivant around the place.” docked and the Watkins like the fact the animals We are back on tour and soon spot 18 mums-to-be a re low ma intena nce. L a kela nd sheep a re sa id to be a re gat hered in a higher f ield about ha lf a mile away. loyal to their patch, being “heafed” to the fell, mean- “They’re due anytime now,” says David, a buzzard ing they can be left alone without straying; but the flying over our heads. Herefordshire incomers are inquisitive and a few working closely with website designer James Ford Although the river is several feet below the bank, Like the lamb, the beef (what’s left from supplying ex plorers need to be rounded up sw ift ly a fter snea k- – who happens to rent the orchard and field where David assures me that it doesn’t take much for the the hotel) w ill soon be available on the new Balling- ing out through an open gate. the badger face sheep live. level to rise and flood the field. It explains why the ham website, which is due to be launched in time The Watkins’ holding extends to three farms, in- There is, though, another significant type of Ball- grass is so thick and vibrant in colour; and it also for the Christmas trade. And there will soon be cluding Brook Farm at Little Marcle, a 15-minutes’ ingham livestock that we haven’t touched on. The explains why the cattle love feeding here. another addition to the expanding quality meats drive away. It is here that they are experimenting Watkins’ business is based on a Herefordshire There are nearly 40 beasts in this field, about two empire. George purchased an incubator for 12,000 with an even more unusual breed – badger faced mixed farming model, with cereals and grasses and years old, being fattened up on the sweetest grass pheasant eggs last year with the intention of sup- lamb. The striking black and white Welsh moun- potatoes. And that means there has got to be Her- for their last few weeks. They are destined for the plying local shoots. The birds will come back to the tain animals graze under old cider apple trees and eford cattle. If you think the sheep live in idyllic Wat k ins’ ot her sidelined – Hereford’s plushest hotel, fa r m a fter being despatched a nd w ill be sold online, have been here for several years. conditions, just wait until you see where the cattle the Castle House Hotel. There are plans for the hotel turning up on diners’ plates in the autumn. George says: “The meat is fantastic, a little like live. to become self-sufficient in beef from Ballingham “The next thing is to get some pigs,” says George. Herdwick, very flavoursome.” The meat, lean and With David at the wheel of his 4x4 jeep and by next year. “We wa nt to get Middle W hites or Berkshires, a ra re tender, is k now n for its succulence a nd t he Wat k ins’ George’s trusted wire-haired Jack Russell, Ber- When David bought the hotel five years ago, it breed. And I’ve already been looking into chickens. f lock feeds ent irely on grass, as do a ll t heir a nima ls, nard, at my feet, we head off to the lower fields at was, he says “because it needed buying.” “I never The French do lovely yellow corn-fed chickens. I am making the meat an entirely natural product. Ballingham, where the River Wye meanders past. intended buying a hotel. Who wants to buy a hotel? researching the breeds at the moment.” George is working on launching a new internet- It’s a beautiful spot, wooded on the far side of the It was never on my shopping list,” he says. It might be idyllic, but nothing stands still at Ball- based shopping service for Ballingham Hall Farm, river with lush pasture where we are now standing. But the farmer has always had a keen interest in ingham.