Farming

London chefs love Welsh Lamb

Published

8 years ago

July 22, 2016

The right stuff: PGI Welsh Lamb (with Gwyn Howells of HCC)

LARGE portions of praise for PGI Welsh Lamb were dished out by London’s leading chefs when the capital’s cuisine champions turned out in force at a special evening at Piccadilly’s prestigious Fortnum and Mason department store.

They were invited by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) Welsh Lamb Club to celebrate the increasing role that quality PGI Welsh Lamb is playing on the menus of the capital’s foremost eateries.

The reception was also an opportunity to honour one key supplier, Daphne Tilley from Henllan, Denbigh, who received an MBE for her services to the food industry and in particular, Welsh Lamb, in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List.

Every culinary conversation offered glowing gourmet praise and plaudits for premium PGI Welsh Lamb. Julian Lanclume, Executive Sous Chef at Fortnum and Mason, enthused: “I love Welsh Lamb, I find it very succulent, full of flavour, so tender. It’s such a beautiful product. We haven’t found any lamb as delicious as Welsh Lamb.”

The famous store has many important customers who return to Piccadilly to buy their Welsh Lamb: “They come back and ask for it and buy it here; we are so privileged to have it here in our store and ever so proud to supply it to the London clientele.”

Adam Hilliard, Head Chef of Frederick’s of Islington, agreed: “Welsh Lamb is just like no other lamb! I’ve tried to use other lambs and you can just tell the difference: the sweetness, the smell when it’s in the oven and, of course, the great taste is second to none; it’s faultless!”

Welsh Lamb’s outstanding flavour was also highlighted by Ryan Brown, Head Chef of Oblix restaurant at The Shard: “As a chef, flavour is first and foremost and at Oblix it’s very important that we give the client the best product possible – which we believe is Welsh Lamb.”

Matt Greenwood, Head Chef, Sofitel, St James agreed: “What I love the most about PGI Welsh Lamb is its depth of flavour. I’ve been using it for years while working in three or four different restaurants. When I move on they retain suppliers – just because the quality is so good; Welsh Lamb gets supported by incoming Head Chefs even after I’ve gone.”

Jamie Oliver, Ainsley Harriott and Anthony Worrall Thompson learned their craft at London’s Westminster Kingsway College and Chef-Lecturer, Jose Souto, stressed the importance of freshness and seasonality. “Seasonality is a big plus word with cooking, we all look for seasonal products. When Welsh Lamb comes into season, it is at the top of the list; it’s a premium product and we all look forward to using it here in London.”

HCC Chief Executive, Gwyn Howells, recognised the great work that Daphne Tilley had done and welcomed the restaurateurs and Michelin star chefs to the Welsh Lamb Club event: “This fantastic turn-out tonight is testament to the quality of PGI Welsh Lamb and reflects its popularity in London.

“The food service sector is an important sector for us to target in the future. The brand is of premium quality, demand is high and we must capitalise on that for the benefit of the whole supply chain in Wales. We hope this relationship will develop in the future so that we can get more PGI Welsh Lamb on top menus in London.”

Some of the chefs enthusiastically encouraged other colleagues to join HCC’s Welsh Lamb Club. Adam Hilliard said: “I’m very pleased to help others join the Welsh Lamb Club. It brings us together as chefs.”

Ryan Brown was also keen to encourage others to join the Welsh Lamb Club. “We’re tapping into a resource and people who care as much as Daphne, for instance, about the product they produce. It’s a product that people resonate with and are proud to eat and enjoy, based on the fact that it is a great local product.”

Farming

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society in search for county’s top progressive farmers

Published

2 weeks ago

April 9, 2024

Tom Sinclair

IF you farm in Pembrokeshire and can demonstrate your farm’s use of the latest technological methods to promote progressive, sustainable agriculture then the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourage you to enter the prestigious Baron de Rutzen Award.

Adam Thorne, Pembrokeshire County Show President, said, “We are looking for local Pembrokeshire farmers, under the age of 45, who can demonstrate their farm’s use of the latest technological methods to promote progressive, sustainable agriculture. They also need to show consideration for the environment and habitat sensitivity on their farm as well as present an aesthetically pleasing example of farming in the county. The competition welcomes all livestock and arable sectors to take part.”

Last year’s winners of the Award were Mark and Caroline Davies of Little Newcastle, Haverfordwest. They milk 230 pedigree Holsteins through a fully automated system. They rear their own replacements and also have a small beef enterprise. The farm is all grassland and they follow a strict reseeding and liming policy to optimise the yield from their multi-cut silage system. The couple place significant emphasis on animal health, husbandry and breeding to maximise the efficiency of their system.

Baron John Fredrick De Rutzen was President of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society in 1936 and the Baron de Rutzen Trophy was produced in his memory. The third Baron served in the Welsh Guards and tragically died, aged 36, in 1944.

This year’s entrants must be fully practising farmers within the county of Pembrokeshire and were under the age of 45 years on 1 January 2024. Entries can either be by nomination or direct application online on the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society website. Click here to apply: Baron de Rutzen Award | Pembrokeshire County Show | Pembs Agricultural Society (pembsshow.org)

The closing date for nominations and applications is at noon on Wednesday, 29 May 2024.

Farming

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society elect new president

Published

3 weeks ago

April 1, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ARABLE and beef farmer, Adam Thorne, has been unanimously elected to become the new President of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society for the year ahead. Adam is the third generation of his family to hold the position.

During the Annual General Meeting of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, held last week on the Pembrokeshire Showground, Mr Tim John and his wife Margaret John were also voted in as Presidents elect.

Adam Thorne has had a long association with Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society. After visiting the show as a toddler, then helping show the family’s pedigree Herefords, his uncle got him into helping him with stewarding in his early teens. From there he progressed to being a Steward with his own section, Commercial Cattle, and then also the Butcher’s Lambs section.

From stewarding, Adam became involved with committee work, starting as an Executive and then on to the former Finance and General Purposes Committee. He has been Chairman of the Estates Committee for 12 years and is now a Board member and a Trustee.

Adam said, “I am proud of my long association with Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society. I am the third generation to now be President, following my late grandfather, Walter Thorne, my father, Robert Thorne and more recently my uncle, George Thorne. I am looking forward to my year in the prestigious position.”

Away from his work with the society, Adam runs the family’s arable and beef farm in Robeston West, Milford Haven. He has been heavily involved with Tiers Cross YFC from an early age, having been Club Secretary twice and Chairman. He has also sat on Pembrokeshire County YFC Committees and the Wales YFC Rural Affairs Committee.

The 2024 Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society officeholders, announced at the AGM, include Miss Ffion Edwards who was awarded the role of Ambassador at last year’s show. Ffion, a nurse from Maenclochog, has enjoyed many years of attending the county show and believes that there are so many good elements to it. Ffion has been a member of Llysyfran YFC for 15 years and enjoys every aspect of young farmers – trying new experiences, competing and travelling to name a few. Mrs Nicola Owen was also elected as the Honorary Treasurer.

Brian Jones, the outgoing Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society President, took the opportunity to thank everyone who had helped and supported him throughout his presidency. During his year as President, Brian and his wife Helen, raised a tremendous amount of money for various charities including the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, RABI, Tir Dewi and the DPJ Foundation. Brian also gave his assurances that Castell Howell will continue to sponsor the Food Hall for future years.

Pembrokeshire County Show, the largest county agricultural show in Wales, will be held over two days again this summer on 14 and 15 August. Everyone is invited to attend the celebration of rural life in the county.

Pictured (left to right): Ffion Edwards the Ambassador for 2024; Adam Thorne, President; Margaret and Tim John, the Presidents Elect.

Farming

£1,000 bursary award available to Pembrokeshire agricultural students

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE Agricultural Society’s £1,000 Bursary Award is now open for applications from students studying agriculture, veterinary science, agricultural engineering, food technology, forestry or other subjects allied to agriculture.

The Student Bursary Award 2024 is available to students, from Pembrokeshire, who are currently studying or have been accepted to start their studies. They can apply for this financial support to assist with their chosen college or career path.

Last year’s winner of the award was Lottie Wilson from Hayscastle. Lottie was studying agriculture at the University of Nottingham when she applied for the bursary. When she is at home she is a general dairy farm worker as well as a lambing hand and a calving beef herd assistant. In 2021 she was the top agriculture student at Hartpury College.

Robert James, Chairman of the Society’s Bursary Committee said, “I would urge all Pembrokeshire students who study subjects that are clearly aligned to agriculture to apply for this bursary as it won’t only assist with your studies but will also give you great experiences such as undertaking an interview which is a key employment skill. It will also assist in your future career within the agriculture industry.”

“A panel of independent judges will draw up a short list of candidates who will be interviewed and the winning candidate will be asked to give a short presentation at a future meeting of the society’s show council.

“The standard of applications has always been exceptional which gives a lot of heart that there are a lot of very talented young people in our community. We are very much looking forward to receiving applications for this year’s bursary and hearing from the younger generation.”

Qualifying students must not have won the student bursary on a previous occasion, the applicant must be studying or has been accepted to study agriculture or allied subjects at a UK college or university at A-Level or higher and the applicant’s family home must be in Pembrokeshire.

The bursary is tax free and will be awarded to the student who, in the opinion of the panel of judges, has submitted the best dissertation on how the bursary will assist them to complete their course of study.

Further details and the entry form can be found online: Student Bursary Award | Pembrokeshire County Show | Pembs Agricultural Society (pembsshow.org) or by calling the show office: 01437 764331. The closing date for applications is noon on Monday, 1 July 2024.