My appetite for Buffalo meat had already been tempted by trying it from the Winchester Farmers Market, Lean buffalo meat has less than half (44%) the total fat content of lean beef and has proportionately less saturated fat. When I became aware of the Laverstoke Park Farm just outside Overton, a trip was in order.
How it all started in 1996.
Jody Scheckter started his organic/biodynamic farm in Hampshire to produce the best-tasting, healthiest food without compromise for himself and his family. However, when he realised as a smallholder that it meant eating beef continuously for eight weeks whenever a cow was slaughtered he decided to make the same food available to the public.
Jody explains “We want to sell our food regionally and “from the field to the fork”. We sell what we produce i.e. we want to be a genuine “farm shop” not just a shop on a farm”.
The farm’s aim is to become self-sustaining and self-sufficient, producing the:
Best-tasting, healthiest food, without compromise
“Everything we do stems from that. To achieve this we are creating the most ideal, natural, healthy environment that will enable our animals and crops to thrive. We follow nature strictly, but use the latest and best scientific research, techniques and equipment.”
“To achieve a natural, healthy environment, biodiversity as well as slow-growing animals and plants are vital factors. This begins with the soil – soil is 90% of farming – there are more living organisms in a handful of good soil than people on earth! By enhancing the healthy bacteria and fungi in our soils, this aids plants to absorb the nutrients effectively and that is what gets the nutrients from the soil to the plant. We believe we go further than organic and biodynamic principles…”
Biodynamics was started in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner. It was the first organic movement as Steiner foresaw the destruction that chemical farming would cause. Under biodynamic philosophies the farm is regarded as a whole unit – biodynamic preparations are added to the compost and the land; planting follows the cycles of the moon as much as possible in a British climate.
Biodynamic and Organic
The 2,500 acres of Laverstoke Park Farm and the 130 acres of fields in Lymington are certified as biodynamic; the glass houses at Lymington are in their final year prior to being certified as biodynamic. The glass houses were certified as organic, as is the park land at Laverstoke.
The Farm Shop
The shop stocks mainly what is produced on the farm, excellent quality and fresh, you must make a visit, not open on Mondays.
We currently stock:
• Seasonal organic fruit and vegetables grown in our Walled Garden
• Organic beef, lamb, pork, wild boar and chicken
• Buffalo mozzarella, ice cream, milk and meat products
• Homemade jams and honey
• Pies, quiches, sausage rolls and pasties
• Organic Ale & Lager
• Buffalo Biltong
The farm shop is located two miles south of Overton in North Hampshire; just over one hour from West London.
Contact telephone number for the farm shop is 01256 771 571 or you can email on farmshop@laverstokepark.co.uk
www.laverstokepark.co.uk/farm-shop
