A new producer co-op is looking to develop a regional
poultry brand in Northumbria. Wendy Short reports
Two Northumberland producers are
taking part in a pilot project which aims to fill a gap in the
market, by supplying local outlets with a variety of organic
poultrymeat.
Members of the Northumberland Poultry group have already taken
delivery of 200 free-range chickens, 200 ducks and 100 guinea fowl.
The birds, which arrived as day-olds, will be ready in time for the
Easter market.
If successful, the pilot project will be developed into a more
formal, co-operative structure.
The two organic farms involved in the poultry production include
Thistleyhaugh, Longframlington, which is run by brothers, Angus and
Duncan Nellis. Assisted by their self-employed farm worker, Paul
Mooney, who has taken on the group chairmanship, they will rear 400
birds.
The main enterprises at Thistleyhaugh are sheep and suckler
cattle. A small number of Christmas chickens and turkeys have
historically been produced on an annual basis, but this is the
first time the farm has ventured into what could potentially become
all-year-round poultry production.
Meanwhile, the Nellis' neighbours, Graham and Michael Rutherford
of Bewlaw Farm, are rearing 100 ducks. They converted to organic
production in 2006, when their holding was almost exclusively
devoted to arable production.
Since the conversion, they have acquired 800 ewes, and contract
rear around 2000 finishing pigs each year. Michael says he felt it
made sense to join forces with his neighbour, and diversify into a
new enterprise with relatively low investment costs at the
outset.
All the birds are being housed in polytunnels that have been
custom-built to take free-range poultry. They can accommodate 200
and 400-bird groups.
The structures, which have not required planning permission,
have been purchased by
"Made In
Northumberland," an initiative which is part of Northumberland
Tourism. The organisation, which has been established to encourage
the production of regionally-branded food in the county, leases the
buildings back to the producers.
Made in Northumberland was instrumental in getting the producers
together to form the marketing group, and has provided some
additional project funding, as well as putting up the capital to
buy the housing.
Northumberland Poultry chairman Paul Mooney stresses that the
project is still in its infancy. If successful, Northumberland
Poultry will have its own marketing materials, including a website.
The producers will pay a levy to Made in Northumberland, a fixed
amount per bird sold, to repay some of the capital costs
incurred.
A price related to the predicted cost of production, plus a
profit margin, has been set for each bird. However this will come
under review, once input figures have been calculated for the first
batch.
For the housing, the indoor stocking rate has been set to comply
with Organic Farmers
and Growers standards, while the outside ranging area allows
for 2.5sq m/bird (27sq ft). A pond has been built for the ducks,
while the guinea fowl have access to home-made perches. Standard
electric fencing encircles the housing, and the birds are shut in
every evening.
Day-old chicks are kept warm under gas heaters, and bedded on
wood shavings, which are replaced by straw after brooding for three
to four weeks.
It is anticipated that the chickens and ducks will be
slaughtered at around 12 weeks old, with the guinea fowl ready on
week 16. The chickens have been sourced from organic parent stock,
but the ducks and guinea fowl will go through a conversion period.
Target weights are 2kg for the chickens, 2-2.5kg for the ducks and
1.5kg for the guinea fowl.
Once the birds are ready for slaughter, they will be processed
at Blagdon Home Farm, Newcastle, where group member, Richard
Tolson, is based. The meat will be available direct from the farms
of origin, but a number of restaurants and food retailers across
the north east have already expressed an interest in taking the
birds.
These include the well-known Baltic restaurant in Newcastle, and
local butcher, Chris Green of Longframlington, Northumberland.
Mr Mooney says: "We think this is a really good idea.
Northumberland-branded beef and lamb is readily available, but
there are very few farms that supply the type of poultry that we
are producing.
"It is very early days, but we are hoping that demand will grow.
If the venture turns out to be profitable, we may look into
utilising some of our home-grown organic crops for poultry
feed."