For farmer Richard Simkin, there is a strong reason why producing and selling food locally is a good idea: “The environment wins, because you haven’t got all the pollution in transport.”
He has been farming at Essington Farm, in the south of Staffordshire and not far from Wolverhampton, all his life, the fourth generation of his family to do so.
“We produce our own pigs, our own cattle and also fruit and vegetables and everything we produce we sell direct to the customers through our farm shop,” he added.
“I think the people round here like good quality proper ingredients, but not fancied up too much.”
Anita Blakemore is one of the staff at the farm who looks after the livestock and, while a vegan, has always worked with animals to produce meat.
“I just want the welfare to be 100%,” she said.
“I don’t believe you should eat them unless it is – so I make sure these pigs are looked after massively compared with big commercial herds.
“They’re looked after like a pet.”
