SussexWay Traditional Meat

The drive behind Sussexway Meat has always been to make the connection between local farmers and local consumers.  So we are delighted to announce that we are going to be working collaboratively with Tablehurst and Plaw Hatch Community Farm.  This is a ten year old community supported agriculture project in Forest Row, 30 miles south of London.  Tablehurst Farm has been farmed biodynamically for nearly 40 years.  With additional rented land, the community are now farming around 500 acres.  

Tablehurst is predominantly a meat enterprise with a herd of Sussex cattle, Lleyn and Dorset sheep, Oxford Sandy and Black pigs crossed with Duroc and Large White boar.   Chickens are reared for both eggs and meat with turkeys available at Christmas.  In line with Sussexway principles, all the meat from this community project is slaughtered in a local small scale abatoir and in the case of the poultry in their own on farm abatoir.  

At Plaw Hatch Farm, there is a small dairy herd of 45 MRI (Meuse Rhine Issel) cattle with a few cross Ayrshire and Brown Swiss.  From this small herd, biodynamically farmed, the community at Plaw Hatch produce fabulous milk, cream, yoghurt and cheese.   They also run a few pigs, chickens and sheep.  Both farms offer apprenticeships to people wanting to work in Biodynamic Farming.

A farm shop complete with expert butchery, sells produce from the community project.  In order to reach more people locally, the community wanted to take their produce out into the local area.  In the past Sussexway and Tablehurst have inter-traded beef and pork.  With Sussexway having such a strong presence at various local markets, it seemed a good idea to combine resources.  So Sussexway Meat is now promoting Tablehurst and Plaw Hatch Community Farm produce at Hove in Brighton and at Ripley.  By co-operating in this way, local farmers can pool resources and provide a better and more sustained supply of top quality, locally produced meat and other produce, to give our customers the confidence to make local farms their regular supplier of fresh produce.

Find out more about these inspirational projects at www.tablehurstandplawhatch.co.uk