Organic Farming

Black Mountain Foods Organic Farming

Wales is ideally suited to organic agriculture because of its wealth of caring family farms, lack of pollution, and its ability to grow lush grass without the help of artificial fertiliser. However West Wales is a sparsely populated region and has always sent produce to its neighbours in England. We are, in effect, modern Drovers!

It is through the experienced butcher that communication between farmer and consumer can take place leading to better understanding on both sides and the consistent excellence of the product. Organic agriculture is an environmentally friendly way of producing high quality, healthy food by treating animals with real concern for their welfare. Nature is an ally not an enemy. Black Mountain Foods are annually inspected and certified, both as farmers and distributors, by the Soil Association, the principal verification body for organic agriculture. All consignments of organic meat are accompanied by a 'manifest' detailing the farm of origin and its organic certification number. Products described as 'additive-free', 'naturally reared', or 'real meat' do not have to conform to these legally enforceable standards.

The Black Mountain broods over the historic borough of Dinefwr in rural West Wales. Wherever we are on the farm - in the tractor, the office, or watching the stock in the fields - the mountain dominates the view and reminds us of the need to work with nature which is the basis of Organic Agriculture. Cwmcochied (the valley of the red grouse), is a typical Welsh family farm of 63 acres. Within it are brooks and pools, wooded valleys, marsh and hill land and we are enthusiastic members of Tir Cymen, an environmental scheme devoted to preserving and encouraging the wildlife which flourishes in such a varied habitat. To this end we have laid more than a mile of hedges, fenced off sensitive areas and have planted a millennium wood of over 600 trees.

Welsh Black cattle and rare Llanwenog sheep thrive on a farm which is their natural environment. They are reared according to organic standards with the minimum of intervention, growing at their own pace to produce healthy and delicious meat.

Using modern organic techniques of cultivation and by reseeding suitable pastures with herb and clover rich swards, we try to keep the farm productive, profitable and an encouragement to others to convert to organic agriculture