Pigs, pubs, and pints provide farmer with new opportunity
© Tim Steele Photography A farmer is taking the concept of “local” to a whole new level in an initiative involving pigs, pubs, and pints.
Ellie Uppal, who farms 80ha at Great Easton in Leicestershire, has partnered with the nearby Langton Brewery, feeding her Oxford Sandy and Black pigs with the grain generated as by-product of the brewing process.
With Ellie’s family also part-owning a local hospitality business, the tie-up means diners at its three country pubs – The Sun Inn at Great Easton, The Nevill Arms in Medbourne and The Red Lion at Great Bowden – get to enjoy food and drink with a uniquely local flavour.
See also: Diversification is key to farm survival, says Defra
“We already stock popular tipples from Langton Brewery, but now customers will be able to tuck into pork dishes, knowing they’ve all been produced within a few miles in a closed supply loop,” she says.
Ellie Uppal © Tim Relf
The move is the latest in the hospitality group’s drive to forge links with local businesses, improve sustainability and champion ingredients produced in The Welland Valley.
At the heart of the Uppals’ farm is a 100-head herd of Belted Galloway cattle. “Local isn’t just a word for us – it’s one of core guiding principles,” says Ellie.
“Our customers love the fact that the meat on their plates has been reared within a few miles of where it is served.
“The pigs are also fed surplus fruit and veg from our greengrocer, so they regularly dine on apples, pears, bananas, and even avocados. The chefs swear you can taste it in the pork!
“Since we’ve diversified into pubs, we’ve realised how much farming and hospitality have in common,” says Ellie.
“Family businesses are the backbone of both sectors. They are also both a way of life rather than just a job, involve a lot of red tape, and have punishing tax legislation.”
Sion Roberts © Tim Relf
Langton Brewery, which is run by former NFU chief economist Sion Roberts and his wife Rachana, produces about 7,000 pints a week most of which are within a 25-mile radius of the brewery based on a farm near Market Harborough.
Traditional production methods and a fierce reluctance to go down the “cheap and speedy” production route have led to it netting awards and becoming a well-known and popular business in the locality.
“Customers want to see full traceability and love to understand the ‘story’ of a food or drink item,” says Sion.