All Things Pork

Some weeks ago now I was invited to visit Redhill Farm in Lincolnshire, this being a pig farm I was not expecting anything out of the ordinary as I've visited pig farms all over Europe in my time and albeit I'm pleased to visit them I usually don't get surprised.

Well on this occassion I was quickly given a tour by Terry who is one half of husband and wife team who run their farm with the help of a small team of farmworkers, butchers and sales staff.

I was surprised to see such happy pigs running freely on acres of soft sandy soil with food and drink available to them 24 hours a day.

Of the hundreds of pigs I saw, I witnessed or more correctly I didn't see a single lame or ill pig anywhere on the farm, just fit clean happy pigs.

These pigs are some of the finest commercially reared pigs I've ever seen, these pigs when ready are slaughtered and in the farm butchery and kitchens they are turned into some really nice products and then sold locally at farmers markets.

I sampled whilst there many of the products made on the farm including a Sunday roast joint of a loin of pork with lots of perfect crackling.

Terrys wife Jane is totally submerged into ensuring the farms produce is the very best it possibly can be, I was really taken in with her passion for food excellence, albeit we did not agree on the ingredients of a Lincolnshire sausage (just a little private joke).

All jokes aside, there is no doubt that this farm is a model for others to take note from, the slick operation that is in place is to be highly commended.

Whilst I was there Jane was researching the possibility of providing pork pies for a certain celebrity chef for his restaurants, albeit it would be unprofessional of me to name the chef in question, I can only say that his mate "Jimmy" must be browned off! ;-)

In summary I would like to say both Terry and his wife Jane have the finest and best welfare system of free range pigs I have ever had the privilige to witness. Given this standard Is the highest they possibly could be, I urge anyone and everyone to try some pork from what is probally Britains best free range operated farm. Well done guys, you deserve all the business you can handle, I only wish I had an award I could offer you!

www.redhillfarm.com