Anna Blumfield is a suckler beef producer based on the Essex / Suffolk Border.

Like me, she has her hands full juggling life as a Mum with 4 children, campaigning on behalf of Ladies in Beef, farming native beef cattle and managing several diversification businesses on the farm. Anna took the time to tell me more about the family business which is situated in East Anglia near the town of Braintree.

How long have you been farming at Deersbrook Farm?

‘We still farm under my grandad's name, which I love’ says Anna who grew up at Deerbrook Farm on the Essex/Suffolk border.

At the age of 7yrs old, Anna’s parents brought her first Gloucester Old Spot in pig sow for Christmas. She took care of the sow who had many litters over the years which, once ready, she sold the sides of pork to friends, parents and teachers at school.

When the time came to choose a career path, there was a national BSE outbreak which shock the farming industry and so she was encouraged to take another path. Anna went to College and then to the University of Hertfordshire reading Sports Therapy BSc (Hons) including nutrition and rehabilitation of injury.

This took Anna to then setting up an injury clinic after graduation.

In 2012 she joked with her parents about swapping houses as they were looking to retire; 6 weeks later that actually happened and the families swapped homes, with Anna and her family back where she’d grown up and started the transition of taking on the reins on the farm.

Anna’s first step was to start researching and planning, getting back some gorgeous Gloucester Old Spot pigs and introducing a native herd of Sussex cattle at Deersbrook.

The farm became certified with Pasture For Life in 2015, meaning that the cattle would be kept on pasture for their entire life. Meanwhile selling the grass fed beef from the farm gates, at farmers market and food festivals.

How has it developed in recent years?

In 2018 Anna and her family opened a full craft butchery & farm shop employing a full time butcher and serving staff. The shelves are stocked with the farms own produce as well as locally made, produced food, drinks and crafts that Anna has met over the years whilst at farmers markets.

Alongside the farm shop, Anna holds ‘Dining at Deersbrook’ events. These celebration meals started with Great British Beef Week meals and now hold roughly one a month, involving local breweries and vine yards for unique farm to fork experiences meeting farmers, chefs and makers in a grade II listed thatched barn.

What do you grow, rear, produce?

At Deersbrook you will find a native Sussex herd of cattle which are 100% pasture fed for their whole lives; There are pasture meadows which the cattle graze.

Anna’s husband, Phil bales thousands of hay and silage bales for winter feed when grasses are dormant. The ethos is to farm regeneratively, producing nutritious beef in this way to benefits the cattle, the environment, and the consumer.

Beef is sent for nutritional analysis to show the health benefits of grass fed beef which are comparable to wild salmon, with minerals, vitamins and Omega balance for many health benefits. The rare breed pork is phenomenal and allows them to produce dry cured bacon, guanciale and sausages in their craft butchery.

A couple of years ago Anna and her family started to make their own range of heat at home meals and pies which have proved extremely popular, especially during the pandemic.

What’s the best thing about what you do?

Anna tells me that it brings her so much joy to produce the finest beef and pork, feeding the local community as well as to people all over the UK, whist benefiting the environment and natural ecosystems.

She says ‘I am extremely lucky to be bringing up our family (four children 14, 12, 5 ,3yr) in this beautiful part of the UK.’

Do you get involved with the local community and / or farming initiatives?

‘One of my favourite days of the year is Open Farm Sunday a national campaign each June, for local community to discover their local farms', says Anna.

The family opens up the whole farm, inviting neighbouring farmers, wood craft, archery group, air riffle club etc to join in with showcasing food, farming and countryside pursuits.

If that wasn’t enough they host farm visits for groups and school as well as going into schools for food and farming sessions, taking animals and ingredients for complete farm to fork experiences.

How can people find out more information?

To find out more information on Deersbrook Farm, here are all the links to their social media accounts and website

You can visit:

Website: https://www.deersbrookfarm.com/store/c1/grassfedbeef

Or read more on the pasture for life website here: http://www.pastureforlife.org/profile/B105/

Facebook Page – give them a like! https://www.facebook.com/deersbrookfarm

Instagram account – give them a follow https://www.instagram.com/deersbrookfarm