We take a dive into the life of our keen youngsters attending our YDP workshops up and down the country. This week we were lucky enough to catch up with frequent YDP attender, George Wareham from East Sussex. George comes from an interesting meat industry background having worked at a family run abattoir. He also works in the farm shop and over the butcher counter for a large beef and sheep farm which has recently diversified into a café as well as farm shop. George is an example of the types of youngsters who get involved with our YDP without necessarily having a background in Aberdeen-Angus, showcasing the fact that the programme is for all youngsters with an interest in the industry. We find out about George’s background, his role at the family run farm and what his ambitions are for the future. Read what George has to say below:
Tell us about your background?
“Originally from Dorset, I moved to East Sussex 6 years ago with my mother and father Sarah and Jason Wareham. I work on a family run farm which compromises a 100 cow suckler herd which is built up of Galloways, Belted Galloways, Limousin and Blue cows. We also have around 250 ewes which are made up of Texel, Charolais and Blue Texel. We also operate a small abattoir for all three species which is used for butchers, local farmers, wholesale carcasses and our shop. My role involves working on the line in the abattoir throughout the week and I also help out on the farm.”
How did you get involved with the Aberdeen-Angus Youth Development Programme?
“We mainly use Galloway as our native breed, but I first got involved with the Aberdeen-Angus breed through the YDP program. The program was great, I was able to learn loads of new skills and meet likeminded people.”
Tell us about your farm shop and café?
“We have a really great farm shop and café which is situated over the High Weald, which offers customers anything from a Sunday Roast to an Afternoon Tea. Our farm shop and café underwent a refurbishment in May 2016 when we upgraded from our previous small farm shop and diversified our large beef and sheep farm in to a café and shop. By using meat and produce from our farm and local suppliers, customers are given an insight into the full process of food production, with an emphasis on animal welfare and reduced food miles.
Our shop and café only use the best home or local produce, from fresh meat, sourced and butchered on our farm, to home-made soups, pies and quiches. We also sell fresh vegetables, dairy products, locally sourced jams and preserves, and Cottage Delight goods.”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
“The thing I love most about my job is being able to see the whole process from start to finish; there isn’t many people who can dress an animal on a traditional line system, nowadays it’s one man, one job, but not here!”
What are your ambitions for the future?
“My ambitions are to push on with the wholesaling of carcasses through the Abattoir. I really enjoyed showing cattle from the YDP workshops, and although I don’t do it often it’s something that I would like to get into, hopefully in the future I will have my own cattle for both pedigree and commercials.”
We would like to thank George for taking the time to give us an insight in to his life, his background and what his ambitions are for the future. We wish him all the best for his bright future ahead!