Have you visited our much-loved Farmers Market? It runs in our Market Place on the last Friday of every month. 

This week we’re shining the spotlight on Deer & Dexter

Deer & Dexter, based on a 210-acre farm near Penrith in Cumbria, rears and sells two special red meats – venison from Red deer and Dexter beef from the smallest of the native cattle breeds, the Dexter. Their animals are naturally and extensively reared, and the meat prepared in the traditional way so that the resulting grass-fed meat is full of flavour.

Owners Jane and Peter bought their first deer in 1987, their aim is to always combine the best of traditional farming and land management techniques with current technological and modern ideas to improve what they do. Farming in upland areas such as theirs can be tough but they hope that they have found ways of turning some of the disadvantages into opportunities. They are firm believers that farming should work alongside nature and as well as summer grazing and winter rations for their livestock their land provides a variety of natural habitats – woodlands, wetlands, ponds, hedges and non-grazed areas. The team have carefully created many of these ‘wild’ areas and they invest time managing them to ensure that they continue to provide ample feed and shelter for indigenous flora and fauna.

By creating these environments, Deer & Dexter have been rewarded with growing numbers of wildlife species including essential pollinating insects, and beautiful birdlife including curlew, lapwing and snipe. They have seen occasional sightings of a kingfisher or an otter fishing in their ponds alongside larger mammals Roe deer, hare, rabbits, fox, badger and Red squirrels are present on the farm.

All of their meat is prepared in a small butchery, which they have built on their farm.

If you live locally or are visiting Cumbria you can use their online shop to place an order for collection from their on-farm butchery or from Kendal Farmers’ Market on the last Friday of every month.

You can find Deer & Dexter at Kendal Farmers Market (9am-3pm) on the last Friday of the month.

You can keep up to date with Deer & Dexter on their website.

 

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