Happy new year – we survived christmas!!

Happy New Year To One and All From Team Treway Farm!

As was well documented in the media the UK poultry sector has been crippled by Avain Influenza so we were beyond relieved when all of our beautiful birds were safely in the fridges at the beginning of December. We were absolutely delighted with how the birds finished at Christmas.

Our turkey processing season went well, in fact I think it’s safe to say it was the smoothest we have had yet. We only recruit local labour and were so fortunate this year to find some absolute diamonds who we are really hoping will be back with us next year!

We did have a major challenge with the temperature and frozen water on the farm. It was the most odd feeling that it was at times warmer in the fridges than it was in our packing shed! The team on our gutting line kept coming out to the packing shed muttering something along the lines of ‘holy moly it’s cold out here, glad that’s not me’ then rapidly disappearing back to their station. The turkey packing ladies somewhat resembled the Michelin man with all our layers on! Thankfully that only lasted a couple of days when the warmer damp weather returned!

This year we shipped more turkeys, beef and geese across the UK than ever before (226 in total). After DPD cancelling all small business accounts the week before Christmas we had to move courier companies rapidly and were lucky that FedEx could take us on at such short notice. For the first time ever we filled an entire lorry with pallets of fully loaded boxes which were headed to every corner of the UK including one making to Inverness! Delivery day was as you can imagine very stressful and was a lot like playing ‘Where’s Wally’ with turkeys. It wasn’t of course without disaster but a huge thank you to everyone involved who was beyond patient and understanding. I think I had half a head of hair less by Christmas!

Our fabulous stockists The Cornish Food Store, Richards Farm Shop, Padstow Farm Shop, Tre Pol and Pen, Inkies BBQ Smokehouse, Wallow and Root and The Cornish Pantry all received their orders on the 21st December and then it was on to getting ready for our Farmgate collections.

This year we saw a big increase in crown and rolled breast joint orders which adds another level of butchery work which needs completing. Will and I were as usual up all night the evening before farm collections. I could be found in as Will calls it my 3am crying phase – happens at the same time every year. Once I get that out of the way I’m set up to work through the night!!

The farm collections as anybody who came are quite the event and the logistical challenge. Over the course of the two days we saw over 1000 cars pass through the farm which is frankly bonkers seeing as we are almost in the back and beyond! Our collection day staff were as brilliant as ever with an endless supply of energy running up and down the stairs to the fridges. Philip Will’s Dad was as usual chief of parking and directions.

This festive season we produced;

1700 Turkeys

150 Geese

3 Bodies of our Shorthorn Beef Cattle

2 Pigs from St Pirans Pork

There were definitely times where we felt we had finally bitten off more than we could chew but don’t ask me how we get there but get there in the end we do! We have certainly once again learnt lessons to put into practice next year. The challenge of an ever growing and evolving business is that no two years are the same!

As you can imagine we are somewhat exhausted by the time Christmas arrives but with two very excited mini farmers the show must go on. We of course had to have turkey and an absolute whopper at that! They had a fabulous time with family friends. We even managed to fit in a visit to the Hall For Cornwall and loved our trip to see the magical The Heligan Lights.

A huge thank you to everyone who purchased their Christmas meat with us, your support of our family farm really does mean the world to us.

Best Wishes

xx Will, Kate, Charlie and Flora xx