Marsh Farm, set within the rolling hills of Bude, has been in the Wickett family for four generations, but they have been farming in the area for many years before that.
Keith Wickett is continuing traditional methods of rearing free range poultry, keeping the skillset alive, and providing Devon and Cornwall with quality Cornish produce. Many of the region's finest restaurants and hotels have worked with Keith for many years because of the wonderful taste, flavour and quality of the poultry he produces.
The chickens are reared at a slow pace, allowing them to grow naturally, in a stress free environment. The chickens live for twice as long as the supermarket alternative. Prior to restrictions put in place due to Avian Flu Keith's chickens are free-range by day and shut in at night for their safety. Today the birds are kept indoors in small groups with plenty of room.
Over the last few years things have got tough down on the farm with the rising costs of energy, feed and transport, as well as Avian Flu restrictions, problems with staffing and the rising costs of the quality chicks needed. Farming can be a lonely occupation with incredibly long hours and constant worry around the future of the family farm.
The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution - a charity set up in 1860 to support farmers and their families, have found that poultry farmers are finding things particularly tough at the moment. "The risk of disease outbreak, on top of rising input costs, payment and policy changes and labour challenges, continues to bring increased uncertainty for poultry producers. Inevitably, these factors are having a detrimental effect on farmer’s mental health particularly when many are genuinely concerned for the future of their family farms."
As normal the big 'industrialised' farming operations are first in the queue when it comes to being able to demand the best prices. Smaller family farms like Keith, who are rearing birds in small flocks in stress free environments are struggling the most.
Not only are Keith's chickens reared in small flocks, fed non GM feed, double the age of the supermarket birds BUT they are also approx. cheaper or the same price as a free range bird in the supermarkets.
- Small Flocks
- Stress Free Environment
-Direct from a family run Cornish Farm
- Twice the age of supermarket bird
- Same price as supermarket birds
- Save when you subscribe to a regular order
- Support Cornish & British Farmers
