Home-grown feeds

FLAVOUR OF SCOTLAND Producing Quality Meat on Home-Grown Feeds

Producing quality assured Scotch Beef to a high standard and utilising home-grown feeds is a system the McEwan family from Arbroath has been working successfully for a number of years.

McEwan Farms is a family run business based at West Mains of Colliston and is home to 1000 acres of owned land and 1600 acres of contract farmed land nearby.

The family grows 700 acres of potatoes and 2000 acres of cereals including oilseed rape, spring barely, winter barley and wheat, while the beef enterprise comprises of 150 Simmental cross suckler cows which are bulled to the Charolais and Aberdeen-Angus.

All progeny is fnished on farm, as well as an additional 1000 head of store cattle bought in each year from Stirling, Thainstone, Forfar and Dingwall auction marts.

Three generations are involved in the running of the business - grandfather William, his sons Graham and Gavin, and Graham’s three sons, Guthrie, Murray and Fraser.

It’s Fraser who has shown a real passion for the beef enterprise and he now buys in all of the family’s store cattle as Grahams The Family Dairy has announced the launch of a delicious new artisan Scottish sea salt butter, partnering with Isle of Skye Sea Salt Co. The well as establishing an additional market for selling their beef.

Fraser and his partner Jodie Jackson, founded The Beef Box Company, last December, to sell home-reared beef direct to the customer’s door.

Keen to promote the agricultural industry to the general public, while making extra income from the farm, the young couple have enjoyed an extremely successful 10 months in business and have been particularly busy since the pandemic.

“The agricultural industry has received a lot of bad press recently and the general public seem to have a lack of farming knowledge and understanding,” said Jodie, who was born and brought up on a beef and sheep farm.

“Our new business is not only a diversifcation project but has also been set-up to make people realise where food comes from and give customers the chance to buy direct from the producer.”

During lockdown, Jodie has been busy doing cooking demonstrations on The Beef Box Company Facebook page which has encouraged followers to get involved and try out the Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb recipes at home. two family businesses have come together to develop a pure, fresh and great tasting butter, made with milk from Graham’s 100 Scottish farmers

The Beef Box Company is a member of QMS Brands Licensing Scheme and offers individual cuts of meat or Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb and mixed with top quality, natural, unrefned sea salt from the Isle of Skye.

Jean Graham, Director, Graham’s The Family Graham boxes which include a range of different cuts.

For more information on the QMS Brands Licensing Scheme

From Bridge of Allan to the Isle of Skye: Graham’s launch a new butter

Graham’s The Family Dairy and Isle of Skye Sea Salt Co partner on a new artisan sea salt butter

email info@qmscotland.co.uk. said: “Many years ago, Grandma Isabella Graham used to spend hours in the kitchen making the naturally fresh Scottish milk into rich, creamy butter. The butter

Graham’s Announce New Milk Ambassador!

was churned for just the right length of time to give a taste and favour no other butter could match. We use the same recipe today with natural, unrefned Isle of Skye Sea Salt for an extra special taste experience. Ideal for cooking or spreading on a freshly baked loaf of bread”.

Graham’s Isle of Skye Sea Salt Butter is now available in SPAR stores across Scotland, and in Tesco from 26 October, with the aim to roll out across the rest of the UK.

Industry stakeholders united in encouraging consumers to choose Scotch Lamb for St Andrew’s day

Photograph © Wendy Barrie

(See Wendy Barrie’s recipe on page 67) United Auctions has been joined by NFU Scotland, the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) and NSA Scotland to promote the use of Scotch Lamb PGI to celebrate St Andrew’s Day (30 November).

The campaign to get Scotch Lamb onto menus and dinner tables for St Andrew’s Day has kicked off, with the stakeholders asking farmers, crofters and producers to get involved and spread the word at a local level.

This year, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the campaign is not encouraging public events, but instead asking families to enjoy a lamb dinner with those already in their household.

The industry will be backing the consumer-facing work of QMS, who will be promoting Scotch Lamb to the Scottish public. The campaign is also encouraging local organisations, schools and businesses to include special lamb options on their menus for Scotland’s National Day, supporting local farmers and rural Scotland in the process.

Graham’s The Family Dairy announce their search for a new Milk Ambassador is now over. Michelle Kibaris, from Fallen Tree Coffee, Blair Drummond in Stirling has been awarded the honour and free milk contract for one year!

The competition kicked off in July to mark the indoor opening of pubs, restaurants, and cafés across Scotland after nearly four months of lockdown closure. At that time local coffee shops, family run restaurants and local pubs needed their customers more than ever.

Robert Graham Snr, Chairman, Graham’s The Family Dairy said: “Michelle’s application stood out immediately; her ambition and drive for her business, passion for coffee, active community spirit and love of milk shone through. We are delighted to welcome Michelle and her wonderful business, Fallen Tree Coffee into our herd as new Milk Ambassador. Together, we will inspire others about the wonderful health, taste and quality credentials that only our milk has to offer.” Michelle Kibaris, Fallen Tree Coffee: “It’s been a really challenging time trying to run a small family mobile coffee business over the last year. However, on both a business and personal level the last 6 month has really hit home and emphasised the importance of shopping local and supporting local business. Living within the farming community of Blair Drummond, I immediately jumped at the chance to apply to be Graham’s new Milk Ambassador. I thought it would be an amazing opportunity to raise the profle of my business in these challenging times, talk lots about my favourite subject of milk and how the quality of taste can impact the coffee experience, and of course get free Graham’s milk for a year!

For more information and Milk Ambassador terms and conditions, please visit www.grahamsfamilydairy.com