Meat the Edmunds

There are no complaints, no tantrums, just a small boy and a healthy appetite. Lunch is a pot roast and it's just one of Meg's "back-to-basics" recipes.

"It's a great winter dish, real comfort food and it's something my son will tuck into and at the same time I can serve it to my in-laws without embarrassment.

"What's more, what's left over can go in the fridge for the next day. And because it's all cooked in the one pot, there's hardly any washing up."

Sounds like every busy housewife's dream meal. And Meg is a busy housewife, as well as a businesswoman, and mum to Henry and Florence who is just three weeks old, so she appreciates a good thing when she sees it.

Since Meg and Will launched their organic beef seven months ago, their farm shop Roots at Rushwick, just a few minutes from the city centre, has been a mecca for food lovers.

The couple were already selling their popular organic lamb as well their own fruit and vegetables and a variety of pies, puddings and cheeses but the organic beef has drawn additional shoppers from miles around.

"We very much believe in seasonality. Lamb is best eaten between May and October but our organic beef is available all year and has been very well received by our customers," said Meg.

"We're getting a lot people returning.

"Traceability is very important to many shoppers today. When they come to our farm shop they know that we deal with the whole animal.

"We have a holistic approach and farm in a way that protects the environment. We rear our beef with great care and when the time comes for the animal to be slaughtered we sell everything from that animal.

"When our customers buy from us they know that we have given our utmost attention to the animal's welfare and the quality of the meat.

"We only slaughter an animal every two to three weeks, whereas the supermarkets depend on high volume and need to push the meat through to their shelves quickly.

"Our beef is given the time it needs to mature, which is what gives it such a wonderful flavour, even the lower value cuts are popular with our customers and people tell us that they are getting great results."

For every animal slaughtered, the Edmunds will have five to 10 kilos of mince available. Meg calls it Honest Mince.

"Generally, mince has got a poor reputation, but with ours you know what you're getting. We don't add any extra fat, it's prime quality lean beef with a wonderful flavour.

"I had one customer who used our mince in a spaghetti bolognese and described it as the tastiest spaghetti bolognese they had had for years. It is really satisfying to know that our beef can transform a simple meal into something very special."

Meg believes that shoppers are turning away from the highly processed supermarket ready meals in favour of traditional cooking and she's adamant that you can still eat healthy fresh food with a busy lifestyle.

Traditional butchery is an imporant factor in producing good quality meat.

"Good butchery is a craft. A good butcher will have the skills to cut the meat well, trimming it and leaving just the right amount of fat on. It's a passion, a craft like any other in which a great amount of pride is placed," explains Meg.

"It's always been our aim to provide consistent quality and good value. We want people to know that when they return to us they will get a good steak every time."

Quality and flavour are just part of the Edmunds' succcess. Customers also have the added bonus of being able to buy exactly what they want.

All the meat is vacuum packed which means if you don't want to use it immediately it fits easily into the freezer. Steaks are sold individually and there are even steaks available for smaller appetites.

"We also get a lot of orders for special occasions. Sirloin joints are particularly popular as party pieces.

"But we're noticing that customers are also increasingly buying lower value cuts for mid-week meals."

The Edmunds are providing braising beefsteak for the Walter de Canteloup Inn in Kempsey, which has won its category of The Taste of Worcestershire Competition for the last three years.

Served with woodland mushrooms and red onions in a port and fresh thyme sauce, the dish proved the Inn's most popular choice on its Christmas menu, according to chef Pam King.

For more information on Roots at Rushwick telephone 01905 421104 or email roots@rushwick.com