Farming
Birthday present provides cash cow
ROBERT PHILLIP'S
decision to buy his
wife two Highland
cows for her
birthday has proved
life-changing.
Six years later, the "hobby"
cows number 230 and form one
of the largest folds (herds) in
Britain.
They are the heart of a
thriving Highland beef and
pedigree sales business that Mr
Phillip and his wife, Wendy, run
at Green Farm, Hellifield, near
Skipton.
They have a farm shop selling
their Hellifield Highland Beef,
run a mail order delivery
service, and supply restaurants
and hotels including Rudding
Park, Harrogate - described as
one of the best hotels in the
world.
Mr Phillip bought Dot and Jaz
in March 2002.
"We had always liked the
breed and a friend bought them
for me in Wales. They both
calved, so we decided to buy a
bull and things just
mushroomed from there," he
said.
In August 2005, the couple
went full time with their
Highlanders and sold their 130
Holstein and Jersey dairy cows,
which were achieving high
yields but not making any
money.
Mr Phillip said: "We decided
to concentrate on cows that are
fun, to sell our own beef, and
farm in a more traditional and
environmentally-friendly way."
The fold, which includes 60
cows due to calve this year,
graze the farm's 350 acres and
have access to high ground,
including above Malham Cove,
in the Yorkshire Dales National
Park, where they are part of the
Limestone Country project.
The breed is exceptionally
hardy and thrives on rough
grazing and sparse vegetation.
Mr Phillip said: "Our animals
stay out all the year round.
"We turn them on to the tops
in winter and bring them down
to the lower ground in summer
until we take the calves off
them.
"We are not organic, but we
are natural. The cattle get very
minimal bought-in feed. They
are finished off with grass or
silage."
The Phillips have bought
animals with superior genetics
and developed a breeding and
pedigree sales service.
The animals are butchered by
CCM Quality Foods, at Skipton
auction mart, and left to hang
for a minimum of three weeks.
"The taste is superb," said Mr
Phillip."The Highlander is
renowned for the marbling of
its meat ,which gives it a great
deal of flavour. It tastes like
beef should."
Waitrose bought Hellifield
Beef for some of its stores last
Christmas and will order more
this year. Hellifield Highland
Beef is available at the shop, in
vacuum packs or boxes, for
delivery anywhere in Britain.
All cuts can be bought - from
joints and steaks to mince,
sausages and burgers.
Contact 01729 850 217 or
hellifieldhighlandbeef.co.uk
11:08am Tuesday 15th April 2008
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