64 HIGHFIELD FARM OCT / NOV 2021 • farmers-mart . co . uk
BURGER BARS BRING BEEF FARMER CLOSER TO THE PUBLIC
Chris Berry talks with Harry Garside of Rumpus and Highfield Farm , Slaithwaite
THERE ’ S more of a Rumpus going on now than there was a few years ago . That ’ s because Harry Garside who farms at Highfield Farm , aptly named as it is high above Slaithwaite , has recently opened his second Rumpus burger bar .
The first was launched in Slaithwaite four years ago and the second was opened in Saltaire earlier this summer .
Rumpus burger bars are the public face of Harry ’ s beef farming enterprise that he runs with his father Tim and Tim ’ s brother James across an acreage of around 1000 acres with half good grassland and half rough moorland grazing .
Harry has as his main priority that the quality of the food served at both Slaithwaite and Saltaire is number one .
‘ I want customers to say that a Rumpus burger is the best they have ever had for its succulence , juiciness and overall taste . Something that has to come from beef grown from grass that has had great animal welfare and incorporates a reasonable percentage of marbling .’
‘ Everything over recent years has been all about producing lean meat but the tastiness in burgers and in all cuts of meat comes from the fat content and customers like it without perhaps realising why they do .’
‘ Some of my team at our two burger bars would argue that the ‘ experience ’ of being in our premises is the number one priority . It ’ s all a question of incorporating the two – the quality and the experience .’
While Harry tells of the story about the farm being somewhere after those objectives he is particularly aware of the need for that story to be appropriate to today ’ s climate of an increased spotlight on animal welfare and the farmed environment .
‘ We have actively changed our farming system to better reflect what today ’ s customer expects and wants when they are investing in our produce .’
‘ Our herd is grass fed and is now outside most of the year . We are in the process of moving to a wholly
DONALDSON ’ S FARM AND EQUINE
Donaldson ' s Vets have been Highfield Farm ' s vets for many years . As such we are so pleased to see the ongoing success of a local family business , both through the evolution of the farm and in the form of Rumpus burger bar .
This year we are investing in further advancement of our farm and equine veterinary services .
We are thrilled to have loyal clients such as the Garside family on board during these exciting times .
The Veterinary Hospital . 131 Somerset Road . Almondbury . Huddersfield . HD5 8HN
donaldsonsfarmandequine . co . uk TEL . 01484 421 512 EMAIL : enquiries @ donaldsonsfarmandequine . co . uk
regenerative farming approach . We started rotational grazing two years ago . Last year was the first time we had outwintered the suckler cows until February on the moorland , bale grazing them . It worked well and we will be doing it again this year .’
‘ We are all about less artificial inputs , less tractor wheels , less diesel being used on the land . Our cattle are easy calvers and we have consciously gone for an easier care , low input system .’
The suckler herd runs to around 110 cows with 90 Stabilisers and 20 Longhorns .
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Proud to be associated with the Garsides at Highfield Farm , wishing them continued success .
Call 014223 77704 or email Paul on paul . broster @ hotmail . co . uk
Scarr View Farm , Lindley Moor , Huddersfield , HD3 3SZ
‘ We have 450 head of cattle on the farm at the moment ,’ says Harry . ‘ Our beef that is going into mince for our Rumpus burgers comes from our mature cull cows from the farm and that we buy from neighbouring farms and then graze for a few months on our system .
The farm enterprise certainly isn ’ t all about supplying Rumpus currently , but if the chain grows it will take up a larger proportion of the stock .
‘ Everything that goes into Rumpus is from the farm ,’ says Harry . ‘ But not everything from the farm goes into Rumpus . We are producing for the prime beef market as well as the Rumpus burger market .’
‘ Suckler bred bulls go into Morrisons at 12-14 months and the heifers go at 18 months , usually after a second term on grass . We also buy quality Angus X Friesian calves that we rear to finishing at 18-20 months and they go to ScotBeef .’
Harry ’ s burger bar idea stemmed from what he had seen while on work placement in Oxfordshire from his studies at Harper Adams .
‘ I was working on the Newbottle Estate where they had a herd of Longhorn cattle theta they traded through their own butcher ’ s shop . That farm to consumer
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