From our 750-acre family farm in the heart of Staffordshire, we are offering for sale some of our best quality Aberdeen Angus beef – bred, grass-fed and raised on our own farm. Our story begins back in the 1930s, when a young Farmer Jim Bower moved with his family from Cheshire to Staffordshire; walking their herd of cattle to Penkridge. Three generations on and the Bower family are still farming
700 acres at Lower Drayton Farm, which lies just outside Penkridge on the flood plains of the River Penk. Jim’s son and grandson – Farmer Ray and Farmer Richard – farm together; combining traditional values with modern techniques and the latest technology to ensure the production of high quality food using sustainable methods; all while encouraging wildlife to make their home on the farm as part of their commitment to conservation agriculture. A truly sustainable system…
The Aberdeen Angus sired beef we will sell this Christmas will be from our Red Tractor, Farm Assured, Aberdeen Angus cross beef herd where the animals are born, raised and reared on the farm. The animals are born in the spring, in our river meadows, with the mother cows enjoying the spring flush of grass and producing plenty of nutritious milk for the calves, which stay with their mothers until 10 months of age, by which time they are eating grass themselves. During winter months the herd moves to their new winter housing, which was completed in 2019 and sponsored by the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust as part of our new PLAY@ Lower Drayton Farm attraction; allowing visitors to see the commercially farmed animals up close in their surroundings, with the aim of promoting great British produce and brand Britain. The straw they are bedded down on is also grown on the farm and the manure they produce is used a natural fertiliser to grow our crops. Our beef animals are slaughtered in Staffordshire and the beef processed by trusted butchers – keeping everything as local as possible and minimising field to fork, food miles while investing in local jobs. Farming for the future…
It is no secret UK agriculture is changing - farmers are seen as the solution to combating Climate Change through being more efficient/productive, storing carbon in our soils, plants, hedgerows and trees, and embracing renewable energy to displace fossil fuels. Being National Farmers Union (NFU) active farmer members we are committed to UK agriculture’s bold and ambitious plan to be Net Zeeo by 2040, and a global leader in climate friendly food production - by buying our produce you are supporting our ambition. Beef farming works with the geography of Lower Drayton Farm - our river meadows flood at least 4 times per year, so grass is the only crop we can grow there. There is, however, ample higher ground, for the cattle to stay out of the floods (although they are partial to the occasional swim!). On this higher ground we worked with the Woodland Trust back in 2018 to create an agro-forestry system; strategically planting young trees which will grow to store carbon, provide shelter for the beef herd, improve the visual aesthetics of the farm and protect our soils from erosion. This modern type of farming is called ‘3D farming’ and is one of the many small things we are doing to enhance the environment whilst adapting to and mitigating against climate change. We Love British Food! Farmer Richard is an ambassador for Love British Food – along with celebrities such as Candice from GBBO and chef Raymond Blanc - an initiative which shares the benefits of buying local, quality British food. It has always been a dream of Richard’s to sell produce direct ‘from the farm gate’ – and harnessing the power of digital technology to do so. Raising his own Aberdeen Angus cattle from an early age, and feeding them before and after school, farming has always been his passion – despite family members advising him that there was ‘no money in farming’ and he should go and work for the supermarkets where all the money is - in the food supply chain. Following High School, Richard went on to study Food Marketing with Business Studies at Harper Adams University in Shropshire. Here he learnt about the dynamic food supply chain, quality standards, food safety and, upon graduating, progressed onto a Post Graduate management training scheme; working on secondments for the UK largest asparagus grower, an apple grower in Kent and a flower and Christmas hamper business in Lincolnshire before gaining a certificate in Food and Fresh Produce Management
Richard’s goal was always, to return to the family farm, bringing his educational knowledge home with him and taking on more responsibility within the business in 2018 and specialising the Aberdeen Angus beef herd with the support of Farmer Ray and his fiancée Claire, a Vet. While he recognises and is thankful of the work of previous generations, Richard is always keen to embrace opportunities – 2020 saw the farm launch a brand new farm attraction – PLAY@ Lower Drayton Farm – against the backdrop of a global pandemic. The next stage in the farm’s diversification is Foodhall@ Lower Drayton Farm; embracing digital food sales at a time of massive change. With the long-term goal of offering a trusted outlet for a rage of the finest produce in the UK, the first being Lower Drayton Farms home-grown Aberdeen Angus Beef. It may come as little surprise to you that Farmer Richard’s favourite dish is fillet steak, seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked on a high heat with UK rape seed oil (no more than two minutes on each side). When in season, he would always eat this with Staffordshire home-made potato wedges and Wye Valley Asparagus. While Farmer Rays likes nothing more than a Sunday roast, with all the trimmings. Mouth watering yet? Head to our online shop….
