Jamie Oliver tastes Ballywilline beef
SALES of beef for a Campbeltown farmer are set to receive a boost with the opening of a new farm shop.
William Taverner is to open a new beef shop at Ballywilline to allow his customers to buy from him more regularly.
Mr Taverner began selling beef a year ago from his herd of 30 Galloway cattle which keep the grazing in good condition for his sheep.
Along with his wife Rachel, they have sold their beef successfully at farmer’s markets in both Campbeltown and Lochgilphead.
He said: ‘Opening the shop is a natural extension of what we already do. We don’t know where subsidies will be in the future, if at all, so we want to maximise what we are already doing.
‘We get tremendous feedback for our mince and if the mince is good, you know the rest of the animal is going to be good too. Quality
‘You tend to get what you pay for and from us that is good quality grass-fed red meat.
‘Topside in supermarkets is around £8 per kilo and topside from us is £17 per kilo which is in line with what you’d pay from a butchers.’
The Ballywilline Beef Farm Shop will open its doors to the public on Saturday November 19 and will be a family affair with Mrs Taverner’s sister Abigail Fawcett, a member of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s team, on hand preparing taster samples.
Mrs Taverner said: ‘I know Abigail took samples of our beef down to London for Jamie Oliver to try. I think he will like it as our beef is grass-fed.’
From November 19 Ballywilline Beef Farm Shop will be open on Saturdays between 10am and 1pm, weekdays between 4pm and 6pm and anytime outwith this when the open sign is displayed.