• AUG / SEP 2021
CRAWFORD GRANGE 49
TODAY ’ S BUSINESS TRADITIONAL VALUES
An established firm offering specialist services for farmers and all agricultural related businesses .
Paul also buys pigs from York livestock market and cattle in Northallerton . Everything goes through the abattoir and he also processes on behalf of other producers . Deer are another commodity .
Paul wasn ’ t aware of the niche market he was about to tap when he started , but he ’ s very much aware of it today .
‘ Gurkas and Indian people eat buffalo and goat . Some won ’ t eat beef because of their religion but they love their buffalo . It tastes very similar to beef especially when it is made into burgers , seasoned and flavoured .’
Paul started selling a lot of buffalo through his shop and as his fame spread he began delivering to Nepalese shops in London , where he now has around 50 per cent of his meat trade .
‘ Gurkas in the military are largely based in Swindon and Aldershot . We now deliver to shops in London every Tuesday and Aldershot and Swindon on a Thursday . We sell a lot of buffalo and goat meat .’
‘ They want their goat meat to be ancient , stuff that ’ s not going to fall apart . It ’ s a completely different culture to a Sunday roast where you want something soft and tender . The Gurkas , Indians and Fijians want something to chew on and get the flavour from .’
Paul thoroughly enjoys his international trade and his farm shop is much more akin to going into an Asian food shop in London or Manchester .
‘ We get British people who want to eat authentic Asian food and I buy the brands that my Gurka , Indian , Fijian and other Asian and Pacific customers want when we are down in London . We don ’ t sell many English brands but I deal with the big importers of Asian food dry goods . It ’ s brilliant talking with so many people about their countries and their traditions , culture and religion .’
‘ My Fijian friends will come in and tell me that I must go to Fiji and they will tell me where to go and who to see while I ’ m
over there . I ’ ve not been yet but I might go when things settle down , and to Nepal and India .’
‘ One of the things we come back from London with is fish . My customers eat a lot of fish and I spend about £ 3000 every time I go down for a load . We buy specific fish such as Pomfrets and Trevally . I ’ d never heard of them but they can ’ t get enough .’
Crawford Grange is still a farming operation and Andrew ensures that there is enough grass and silage for the buffalo herd .
But it is the expansion of the farm shop , additional plans for the abattoir and bringing down heating costs through solar energy that are uppermost in Paul ’ s thoughts at present .
‘ We are drawing up plans to make the farm shop three times bigger and we are renting what is the current farm shop to a lady who will run a tearoom ; we have submitted plans to wash the feet and stomachs of stock in the abattoir as there is a huge demand from our customers for human consumption . All the bits that traditionally we would pay to get rid of . Tails are particularly wanted .’
‘ We have also dug a bore hole and are in the process of getting that up and running , plus we are putting in solar panels , which should bring down our electricity bill which is currently around £ 4000 per month .’
‘ We are still a farm and customers can come to the farm as they have done regularly particularly during lockdown and can enjoy leaning over the gate and watching the buffalo and breathing fresh air .’
‘ It is very different from years ago when we were just a dairy farm , sometimes struggling with the milk price . Taking on those few buffalo have changed our lives . My wife Kate and I have grown a family here with our son Andrew and twin daughters Jennifer and Diane . And we are busier than ever .’ www . kinghope . co . uk Contact us on 01609 780909 or at info @ kinghope . co . uk We are pleased to support the Langthorne family
Wishing Paul Langthorne & Crawford Grange continued success
BREEDING & STORE SALE * EVERY ALTERNATIVE TUESDAY * Sheep at 12 noon . Cattle at 1pm
FURNITURE & COLLECTABLE SALES / FUR & FEATHER & COLLECTIVE SALES
PRIMESTOCK * EVERY THURSDAY *
Pigs at 9am . Sheep at 9.30am . Cattle at 12.30pm
SPECIALIST SALES OF BREEDING SHEEP & CATTLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
FARM & DISPERSAL SALES BY ARRANGEMENT | CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR UPCOMING SALES
www . thirskmarket . co . uk | info @ thirskmarket . co . uk | 01845 523165
Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart , Thirsk Rural Business Centre , Blakey Lane , Thirsk , YO7 3AB