The free range pig herd at Wallops Wood Dairy Farm, in Droxford, Hampshire, was established in 2004 by Sam Martin and his wife. Dairy farming had been in Sam’s family for generations but Sam wasn’t interested in commodity farming. The couple were keen to establish a farm producing food that they really believed in and were happy to eat themselves day in, day out. Their rare breed Gloucester Old Spot pigs are free to roam on the chalk hills of the farm, supplementing their cereal based diet with grass, maize, apple pulp and whatever else they forage from the earth.
The free range, slowly grown, pork is cut and packed on the farm by their own expert butchery team. Hams and bacon are dry cured on-site. This enables full traceability of the product.
Customers include several Michelin starred restaurants, a secondary school and the local village shop. Pork is delivered free of charge by the farm to their customers. This Hampshire food producer is forward thinking. In the future they plan to reach a wider customer base by selling their free range pork on-line.
Their website is designed to inspire keen cooks with recipes using their pork, including ‘Home Made Raised Old Spot Pork Pies’ and ‘Home Made Faggots’.
Quotations from chefs who are happy customers also reinforce the quality and desirability of their produce. Adam Cordery the Chef/Proprietor of The Bakers Arms in Droxford, Hampshire says,
“We have found that Wallops Wood Dairy’s pork is a great selling point in our restaurant due to the fine quality of the product. In fact, we are serving more roast pork than beef which is highly unusual.”
