The Farm was established in 1942 by Colin Stoakes’ grandfather Joseph Alexander who was originally from Cork in Ireland. Colin, his wife Sheila and daughter Rachel have over the years produced high quality, fully traceable beef, lamb and mutton. The production has been organic in the past and they stick close to the same principles. They now concentrate solely on lamb. The livestock are slaughtered at a small local abattoir in Witney and the meat is returned to the farm to hang in the purpose-built butchery. They sell the meat locally from the butchery at Oxhouse Farm, Tetsworth.
They have around 1000 sheep: Texel, Charolais and Scotch Black-face mules* which are easier to rear, leaner and prolific. Sheila tells me that the mules can be hard work. They often fall over in the ridge and furrow marked fields and have to be “righted”. (*A mule is cross between a lowland ram and a purebred hill or mountain ewe).
As well as selling lamb and mutton, Rachel shears the sheep and manages to break even on wool sales, which would not be possible if they had to use contractors.
They also organise small pheasant shoots for family and friends and sell the breast meat
Harlesford Farm
Tetsworth, OX9 7BX
Tel: 01844 281514 / 07793 962175
We made a Lancashire hotpot or “tatie pot” with some chops from Harlesford. We use a recipe from Nigel Haworth and serve it with pickled red cabbage.
Lancashire Hotpot