Lake District Farmers x Houston & Hawkes
Lake District Farmers x Houston & Hawkes
At Houston & Hawkes, we believe great food starts long before it reaches the plate. It begins with the people who rear, produce and care for it.
Our recent visit to Lake District Farmers was a brilliant opportunity to see first-hand the care, craft and commitment behind one of our valued supply partners.
After an early start from King’s Cross, our team arrived at Oxenholme Train Station and were met by Phil, Head of Purpose & Sustainability at Lake District Farmers, who gave us an introduction to the business and the plans for the visit.
Our first stop took us through the rolling Cumbrian hills to Tim Winder’s farm, one of LDF’s leading cattle producers. Tim spoke passionately about his free-range farming methods and the environmental work taking place across the farm, including woodland pasture creation, peatland restoration, the planting of over 15,000 trees and the reinstatement of hedgerows to improve biodiversity.
We then spent time in the barn where the cattle see out their final months. It's a calm, well bedded space, and the animals were visibly settled and content, given the time and conditions to finish well rather than be rushed. That unhurried approach is a big part of why the meat is what it is.
In the afternoon, we visited Robin, a pig farmer specialising in rare and traditional breeds. Her farm was a fantastic example of farming with care and purpose, with 4,000 trees planted to support biodiversity and wildlife returning to the area after decades.
Day two began at the LDF production facility, where Dave, the Production Director, showed us the attention to detail behind every stage, from ageing and deboning through to trimming and portion control.
We finished with Dan, Managing Director and founder of LDF, who shared the story behind the business, the values that drive it and their relentless focus on service, quality, animal welfare and sustainability.
The visit was a powerful reminder of why supplier relationships matter. When we understand the people, places and processes behind our produce, we can cook with more respect, tell the story with more confidence and proudly serve food that reflects our values.
A huge thank you to the Lake District Farmers team for hosting us and sharing their passion, knowledge and purpose.