WHITCHURCH Artisan Market will be returning and for a Malpas farming family, it is an exciting new opportunity to promote their produce to new customers.

Rachel and Pete Ravenscroft own Hollowood Farm which is based in Malpas and who produce Aberdeen Angus Beef and Heritage Breed Pork.

Rachel and Pete set up their business in 2006 and went on to become beef farmers in 2010 and pork farmers three years later.

This is the first time they will be attending the Whitchurch Artisan Market, following a successful stint they had at Malpas before Christmas, something which they are looking forward too.

Rachel said: "I did the Malpas Christmas market at the end of November. That was my first one, that went really well – I was really taken back as to how well we did and the response we got.

"We are going on Saturday and I am hoping to be there every month."

The bulk of their cattle goes to processors which supply food service, restaurants etc and they are not tied down to any specific contract with a supermarket.

Rachel said they do sales from home which has proven popular in Whitchurch and Malpas and further afield, like Nantwich and Wrexham.

With the hospitality industry being a major customer, Covid-19 and the subsequent lock-downs had a major impact on their business.

"It had a massive impact," Rachel said.

"They were not processing any animals because there was no output for them.

"The price went right down.

"Luckily, at that time, we didn't have a lot of finished cattle ready to go.

"They started becoming finished in the January time.

"It was lucky it that it was at the right time when things started to open up again a little bit.

"But it hit us hard, price wise.

"But things are looking up now."

Rachel said self-sufficiency was important at both a local level and a UK-wide level adding that it was better for the environment than importing beef from overseas.

A number of issues are affecting the farming at the moment and Rachel felt lucky that business was going well for them.

She added: "I think, probably, a lot of farmers will pack up when the single farm payment stops or Brexit.

"So many different factors that affect farming.

"So I do think the number of producers is going to go down.

"We were lucky, we rode out coronavirus.

"A lot of people didn't.

"What we've got, we are doing a good job.

"When our cattle go to the processor, we are getting good grades there.

"So they like what we are producing."

You can visit their website https://hollowoodfarm.co.uk/ or contact them on 07715 104495 or email info@hollowoodfarm.co.uk