Address: Oxford Road, East Hanney, Wantage, OX12 0HP

Direction: On A338 between Wantage and Oxford. If you are coming from Wantage, the farm shop is on the left after the turning to West Hanney. Plenty of parking outside the shop.

Opening Hours: 8.30- 17.00 Monday-Saturday. 18.00 on Friday. They have a stand at various farmers markets in the Thames Valley. They also deliver – see website.

Website: www.dewsmeadowfarm.co.uk

Telephone: 01235 868634

Date of visit: 9 June 2010

Summary:

Dews Meadow is a pig farm. The pigs are reared out door and no growth hormones or routine antibiotics are used. They do not claim to be organic.

I have been buying their products – especially the faggots – from their stall in the Reading Farmers’ Market for sometime. Their faggots is more meatier than Baines and so has a more meat ball like texture. Try using minced faggots and beef mince in a shepherd pie. It works really well.

The farm shop also offered lamb and beef (sourced locally). Apparently they are not allowed to sell anything other than their own products in the various farmers’ markets (http://www.dewsmeadowfarm.co.uk/markets.php) unless it is pre-ordered.

There were several types of sausages on offer as well as offal (kidneys, liver and sweet bread) and various cuts of pork and gammon. Vegetables were available on a stand and pates and cheese (only Gould from Somerset) from the chillier.

The chap that served me was very helpful and offered various types of advices including the offer of roast bag to cook the gammon in. I was also told that their cure is not too salty and there is no need to soak the gammon prior to cooking.

Other products available through the farm shop – sorry, no mail orders – are gluten free salami, hogg pudding, black pudding, pork pies, Cornish pasties, sausage rolls etc……

E