From York hams to the best pork pies in the world, Yorkshire folk know a lot about rearing pigs.
None more so than the Ashbridge family, who have farmed at Cold Kirby, in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, for three generations.
But for the past three years, the family has carved itself a very unusual niche in the world of livestock rearing – and it's a niche that's winning them fans in high places, fawning praise from leading food writers and a thriving business that supplies some of the very best food outlets in the land.
Even the set-up is unusual. In what used to be a chauvinistic world, their business, Taste Tradition, was set up in 2004 by mother and son Joyce and Charles Ashbridge.
Then there are the animals themselves. While working for a meat procurement company, Charles realised there was a gap in the market for quality pork, due to the intensive methods of finishing commercial pigs.
After months of research, he realised that the finest pork products were coming from rare breeds that were being reared in traditional ways. The business was born.
Taste Tradition's rare breed herd today includes Gloucester Old Spot, Saddleback, Berkshire, Middle White and Large Black pigs. And they produce beef and lamb too – from Aberdeen Angus, Longhorn, Shorthorn and Hereford cattle and native Swaledale and Suffolk sheep.
Charles and Joyce insist on the highest standards and many of their methods are as old as the hills on which their livestock grazes.
Beef is hung for 24 days and lamb for ten. Piglets are left to furrow freely in their own outdoor huts and allowed to suckle on their mothers for up to ten weeks before weaning.
Their methods might be traditional but the business is certainly a thriving, 21st century concern. With support from the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber (RFGYH), Taste Tradition has moved its meat processing out of the farm and into new premises in Thirsk.
They've recently revamped all their marketing materials, including a comprehensive website, which also offers a mail order service.
As RFGYH members, Taste Tradition is entitled to use the Deliciouslyorkshire logo, which reaffirms the company's place as part of Yorkshire's strong band of excellent small food producers.
Charles Ashbridge explains, "A lot of people in the meat business rave about Scottish beef, which is well marketed and widely recognised, and essentially no better than Yorkshire beef."
'Using the Deliciouslyorkshire branding on our vans & website really gives our products credibility and we have the kudos of being part of a growing band of great producers. The brand itself is clean and strong, much like the farming tradition in Yorkshire. I've found that using this brand really sets our company apart and it helps me win news business, particularly in London, where they like to hear how and where our meat is reared.'
They've also taken advantage of several other RFGYH resources, including taking part in various workshops and liaising closely with the group's regional development manager for business advice and support.
With the new premises now up and running, Taste Tradition is able to go to the next level and is about to launch into their first ever trade show, under the Deliciouslyorkshire banner later this spring.
