Returning to the family farm was never part of the plan for Alison Tuke, but along with her husband, Robin, they have continued the familys Aberdeen-Angus herd, and have made a successful business through moving to direct sales. Farmers Guardian finds out more.
After pursuing careers in London, Alison and Robin Tuke were given the opportunity to take on Alisons fathers Thornton herd of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cattle. Taking the plunge, the couple, along with son, Charles, moved to the Scottish Borders and purchased Hardiesmill Farm in 2001. Over 20 years later, the long-standing Aberdeen-Angus bloodline remains at the heart of their success.
It is certainly a far cry from their previous lives, when Alison worked at the Royal College of Music and Robin in telecoms, and their focus on the farm has paid off.
The Tukes business now comprises a 200-hectare (494-acre) farm and butchery in Berwickshire, where they run 440-head of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cattle, including 130 breeding females. The herd have been reared on a grass diet since 2003, which they believe is the driver behind their beef being so rich with flavour, and why their customers travel far and wide for Hardiesmill produce.
Alison takes charge of the farming side of the business, while Robin heads up the food side, along with his two full time butchers.
All cattle are reared and butchered on the premises, and they also have their own on-farm micro-abattoir, which allows the husband-and-wife team to have tight control over their supply chain.
Robin says: We were eager to open our own slaughterhouse for many reasons.
A huge factor for us was to have greater control over the supply chain. We want to be able to guarantee consistently high-quality beef for our customers.
Rearing a prime herd from start to finish takes 18-24 months, which means I can observe them at every stage of development. Having the slaughtering facilities on site also reduces any stress put on the animal that may occur when transporting them to the next nearest abattoir, which is over two hours away.
Business
However, despite going to great lengths to improve their supply chain security, Hardiesmill took a serious hit during the pandemic. The butchery lost 94 per cent of its business in an instance, when the supply to restaurants ground to a halt.
Robin says: Just like everyone else, we had to very quickly adapt to the circumstances we were facing all of a sudden. We are calving 52 weeks of the year and prepare two carcasses a week. We suddenly found ourselves with a supply that didnt mirror the demand which was incredibly troubling.
Fortunately, we had a fantastic community around us, and family and friends that supported us throughout and helped us to adapt.
"This is when the Hardiesmill pop-ip farm shop was founded, and we began to sell directly to consumers. We also started delivering meat boxes in the area and listing a limited selection online for customers to order. This new avenue of demand made up for at least part of the loss we were facing.
Angus
Their passion for Aberdeen-Angus is rooted in the Tukes family history too, with some bloodlines dating back to 1949 when Alisons grandmother bought them.
Alison says: Aberdeen-Angus genetics have always played a strong part in the history of farming in my family. They were always my fathers favourite breed of cattle, so when we had the opportunity to get into farming, I knew I would want to see for myself why he loved them so much.
Aberdeen-Angus suits our long-term goals as well as our customers demands. Theyre a worldwide recognised beef brand, renowned for their eating quality. On top of that, they thrive on a grass-fed diet, which has been a massive contribution to us working towards becoming carbon neutral. The breed is incredibly well natured, which makes them a joy to work with.
It may seem like a buzzword as of late, but we really do try to run our businesses as sustainably as possible. We dont use chemical fertiliser, but instead utilise the muck from winter housing to apply to the farmland.
Carbon
The Tukes are now working towards net zero carbon emissions with the grass diet largely supporting this, and grassland management plays a pivotal role at Hardiesmill.
Robin says: Its taken us nearly 20 years to get to this point, but we are always experimenting with Johnny Watsons grass varieties.
This has allowed us to extend the growing season, which is especially important when we face adverse weather. The grass varieties we work with now enhances the flavour of the beef as well. We also get instant feedback from the butchers, so if something isnt working, we can adapt our practices quickly.
They have also adapted their calving system, weaning calves at ten months old and manage to keep them out throughout most of the year.
Alison says: We dont creep feed at all. They live all of their lives at Hardiesmill, feeding on grass and haylage all year. We try and keep them out for as long as possible, all year sometimes, however, when the Scottish weather doesnt permit, we bring them inside where they are bedded on straw and have access to plenty of haylage. This is far more comfortable for them during the wet and cold months and saves the ground.
We run a closed system, and the replacement heifers are put to one of our four bulls if we decide to keep them for breeding. Weve found returns are better if we hold off running them with the bull until theyre large enough to carry both him and their calf.
Robin also goes on to say how Hardiesmills core values align with the goals of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), for which they have been proud members of for the last 20 years.
He says: QMS are hugely focused on improving cattle welfare and steers the industry in a positive direction.
They come out on-farm and conduct inspections along the whole supply chain once a year to ensure we are farming to the highest standards that we can.
Alison reflects on her familys decision to re-establish the family name in the industry, which after careers in London was quite the lifestyle change although they have found a new passion for the farm and all it has to offer.
She says: After leaving my farming background behind when I became an adult, Im so pleased I have returned to the industry I grew up loving.
"We enjoy the whole process, from rearing our favourite animals in the Scottish Borders to delivering the highest quality meat to our customers."
Farm facts
- 200 hectares (494 acres) of owned land in the Scottish Boarders
- 440-head of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cattle bred and finished at Hardiesmill to 17-24 months
- 130 breeding Aberdeen-Angus females
- Breed and finish all cattle at the farm, and slaughtered in on-farm abattoir
- Farm shop founded over 2020 lockdown
