Family beef farm diversifies into pork products

Castlescreen Farm in Northern Ireland, a producer of beef products from its own herd of pedigree Dexter cows, has now diversified into gammon and bacon production.

The small company is developing a range of pork products from its own pigs reared on the family farm.

Based at Downpatrick in county Down, Castlescreen Farm has just launched its first gammon and bacon products. The new products follow the success of the small family-owned business in winning orders to supply Avoca stores with its 'Big Beef' premium steak, gourmet burgers and beef sausages.

Avoca is among the most successful retailers in the Republic. Castlescreen Farm is supplying its branded meats to the retailer's busy store in Belfast City Centre.

The family farm specialises in pedigree Dexter beef products which it has also been selling successfully at farmers' markets across Northern Ireland for almost two years.

Damian Tumelty, who owns the farm business, says: "We've been rearing pigs for some time now and have just begun marketing gammon and bacon at farmers' markets across Northern Ireland.

"We'd certainly hope to attract business from a leading retailer seeking quality and fully traceable pork that's all dry-cured by me on our farm. We don't add anything to the gammon and bacon, ensuring a rich and natural flavour.

"The gammon and bacon is another important string to our bow and will provide another revenue stream to help us in developing and sustaining the farm business," he adds.

The Tumelty family have been farming outside Downpatrick for over four decades, with Damian one of only a handful of Dexter beef farmers in Northern Ireland. His herd includes beef and breeding cattle.