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TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH demand is a happier state of affairs than finding what you’ ve been producing for many years- although something you’ ve enjoyed- is no longer providing the income you need. Such has been the case for many dairy farmers especially in the past two years.

The Battyes of Tenter House Farm at Snowden Hill, Oxspring, started with Water Buffalo in 2009. They have attended and still attend farmers’ markets and festivals with their produce and in spring this year they launched their farm shop / butchery at the fantastic Pot House Hamlet on the edge of Silkstone just ten minutes from the farm. Catherine tells of

how their latest venture came about.

“ Farmers’ markets have been great for us but we’ ve now dropped down to just three a month – Kirkstall Abbey, Wentworth and Humber Bridge. The Humber Bridge Farmers Market is absolutely amazing, but last year we were all prepped for the Christmas farmers’ markets and the weather was horrible. We had all of the buffalo hung and ready but, wholly understandably due to the conditions, not as many came out to buy. That set my mind thinking about having our own shop premises. I came down here to Pot House Hamlet, which is run by Tom Horsfield,

to have a look and within a week we said we would have the new shop premises.

“ We had a brilliant start and although we sell a full range of meat we’ re finding that the buffalo is going particularly well. The very first day we had a lady came in who bought some fillet steak. She was back the following week for more and told us just how amazing it was and that she loved it. We’ ve had much the same response from everyone. That’ s where our next happy problem lies. We now need to match supply with the demand. Last year we put 18 buffalo through the farmers’ markets and we will exceed that this year with the shop as well as those.

“ Currently we have around 100 head of different ages and have had around 35 cows calving this year. We have some heifers coming on that will go into the herd in order to up the numbers further. Stock is taken through to around 24 months. They’ re easier to keep than dairy cows too. They don’ t need a lot of high quality silage and do well off the land.”

The Battyes started with 13 cows in calf and their favoured type is the Italian Water Buffalo.