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Read MoreStourton Estates’ Venison – a versatile, sustainable & healthy choice all year round
Stourton Estates’ Venison – a versatile, sustainable & healthy choice all year round
Based on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, Stourton Estates is currently home to over 300 red deer. The deer are mainly grass-fed in the beautiful historic parkland around the estate and benefit from the natural shelter of the surrounding woodland, ancient trees and ‘swimming’ ponds.
Herb-rich silage is grown on the farm, to keep the herd well fed over winter months. These conditions mean that the venison being reared always reach the highest quality in the most sustainable way. Venison is a healthy meat as it contains much less saturated fat than beef.
It’s also rich in iron and B vitamins and the fact that it contains conjugated linoleic acid means it supports heart health too.
Stourton Estates is run by husband and wife team Antony and Helen Strawson. The couple were looking for diversification opportunities for mainly an arable business and were passionate about retaining the historical links to the Estate’s heritage and environment.
They knew that in the 1800s the estate parkland was in its prime and home to fallow deer. So in May 2012, they invested in a herd of 30 Red Deer hinds and began the process of replacing old stock fencing with two metre-high deer fencing in anticipation of the new residents.
Rearing deer has been a steep learning curve but ultimately, incredibly rewarding and has quite literally brought life back to the farm. The herd numbers have grown and the estate now supports around 120 breeding hinds.
Estate reared venison has been available to purchase from the freezer at the farm office since 2015. The team work closely with local butchers to ensure the highest quality of cut is produced for their customers.
In 2018, they invested in a labelling machine to brand the meat ‘Stourton Estates Venison’.
Alongside this they have been delighted to serve venison, hot-dogs, burgers and chilli at popular events held in Stourton Woods; all of which have been exceptionally well received by visitors.
Taking their venison product range another step forwards, the team are now trialling frozen ready meals from the farm freezer. They are delighted to be working with fellow foodie and forager, Nikki Bawn of Boggle Lane Foods to develop a range of delicious ready-made meals.
Sold under Nikki’s new brand of the Hedge Chef, the recipes include some foraged ingredients and range from a traditional warming dish of venison hotpot to the more adventurous such as Asian style venison with honey and soy. Great for those looking to try venison for the first time, without having to cook it from scratch!
Collaborating with local businesses and suppliers is key to the team at Stourton Estates. Their aim is now to get venison on the menu at restaurants throughout the area and beyond so more people can taste this delicious meat. If you’d like to work with them, please get in touch!
To find out more about Stourton Estate’s Venison products or to place an order, please visit their website: www.stourtonestates.co.uk
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