Wales Farmer 18 NEWS March 2013


■ Talking turkeys on big scale


Rural Enterprise winner –Justin Scale, Capestone Organic Poultry, Haverfordwest


IN 1826 the Scale Familyarrived at Capestone Farm.Inthe early 1920s,they established the selling of Christmas turkeys. When Justin Scale –the fifth


generation of the family–took over management 14 years ago, his drive and ambition led to the initial sale of 200 Christmas turkeys to the Marks &Spencer storeinCarmarthen. Todaythe Scale familypro-


duces morethan 10,000 chickens aweek and supplies M&S with all of its organic chicken range, as well as 65,000 organic free- range turkeys at Christmas. Arecent launch of their very


ownbrand forCapestone has seen their products on the shelves


of Harrods and


Selfridges.And thereare greater plans afoot, with the production in 2013 of baby food and negoti- ations with an American retailer.


BIG PLANS: Justin Scale and Emily Davies, of Capestone Organic Poultry, with environment minister John Griffiths after winning the enterprise award in the Wales Countryside Alliance awards.


■ Staying local is secret of success


Local food winner –Hootons Homegrown, Brynsiencyn, Anglesey


HOOTONS Homegrownhas evolved from aroadside pick- your-own field with asmall tableasthe shop,tothe multi- faceted business it is today. According to the judges,Hootons areashining example


of afarmshop thatreallydoes have local food –somuch so in fact thatmanyitems arelabelled ‘no food miles’. All the meatfor the butchery is reared on the farm, as


well as vegetables and fruit, with surplus being made use of in either readymeals,pies or preserves. Forthe Hootons family, the journey so far has evolved


from manyyears of experimenting, hardworkand aloveof growing.


AT HOME WITH FOOD: Pictured right,


Hootons Homegrown, winners of the local food category of the Wales Countryside Alliance awards, with environment minister John Griffiths.


■ What a lotta bottle!


Business Start-Up winner – The Gower Brewery Ltd Llanrhidian, Gower www.gowerbrewery.com


THIS remarkablebrewery nestledawayin beautiful Gowerwas set up against financial barriers in atime of economic recession. Events movedquickly, the idea came for-


ward in August 2011 and the first brew took place on the 11/11/11. Producing high-quality,locally-brewed


real ales has proved to be awinner –for by 2012 they had sold morethan 30,000 bot- tles.


Demand is increasing and coreales such


as GowerPower and Lighthouse Lager have exceeded all expectations. Thereisnowaste either as leftovergrain


CHEERS: The business start-up award in the Wales Countryside Alliance awards was won by the Gower Brewery Ltd. For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


is used to feed local sheep.Their lamb is then in turn purchased forthe twopublic houses thatare associated with twoofthe companydirectors.Now that’srecycling!


Showcase salutes the “


It is more important than ever that we buy locally grown food and drink to support the local economy and keep people in jobs.


John Griffiths


THE cream of Welsh rural enterprise were seeing red at aspecial awards


ceremony. Welsh champions in the Countryside Alliance


awards were presented with redplaques at the prestigious event, which celebrates rural pro- duce,skills,enterprise and heritage through small, hard-working businesses. The minister forenvironment and sustainable


development, John Griffiths,presented the awards –known as the ‘rural oscars’ –tothe winners at The Senedd. The minister said: “Thereare challenges fac-


ing the food industry and it is nowmoreimpor- tant than everthatwebuy locallygrown food and drink to support the local economyand keep people in jobs. “The Welsh Government is working on ways


to help the public to identify products of the highest quality and to try and encouragethem to buydifferent foods and drinks. “The awards areanexcellent marketing tool


forfood and drinks producers.” The Countryside Alliance’sdirector for Wales,Rachel Evans announced the results.


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