A BIT ABOUT OUR HERD
Our farm lies within the Wylye Valley, designated as an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The South Devon cows and their calves graze our productive pastures and water meadows, eating a grass fed diet during spring and summer. This grass is then fed to them in the form of hay, silage or haylage during the winter months. The farm is proud to be involved in farming and conservation working collectively with neighbouring farms to deliver benefits to soil, water and wildlife at a landscape scale. This provides natural corridors for wildlife and nature all around the farm.
Why South Devons ?
South Devon’s are nicknamed The Orange Elephants of the South. They are the largest of the native British cattle breeds and are recognised for their maternal instincts - making calm mothers, with fantastic milking qualities. They also have remarkable beef qualities and this combined with their quiet nature and calm handling methods that we use helps them to produce a relaxed meat. The meat has a significant proportion of marbling through it which contributes to the succulence, tenderness and flavour of the beef. South Devons are renowned for making well proportioned steaks and joints with that streak of marbling that caramelises the beef upon cooking, providing deep flavour in the process.
“DRY AGED FOR 28 DAYS”
All good things come to those that wait!
All our beef has been dry aged for 28 days to maximise the flavour and tenderness. This allows the natural enzymes to breakdown the proteins and connective tissues in the beef, providing the highest quality texture and taste.
The journey to get that succulent steak to your plate takes nearly 3 years. It starts when we select the appropriate bull to mate with the right cow and 9 months later the calf is born. Approximately 20-24 months later the beef is ready. After the butcher has done his part and the beef is dry aged for 28 days, the steak reaches your plate for 7-8 minutes of cooking.
Here at Manor Farm Beef we are passionate about our beef. Having cared and nurtured the animal for nearly 3 years, we hope you agree that its important to give the beef its best chance to achieve maximum flavour and eating.