IF you could read the label on the bottle for Moonbeams Farm it would say it contains, vim, vigour, determination, dedication and with a huge amount of military precision.

This family owned business based in Wellington has been organically growing since it was launched in 2006 by Jez Pitman.

The 35-year-old farmer has created a 100 per cent free range meat and a 100 per cent chemical and pesticide free farm.

Working on a farm or indeed creating a farm from scratch was not the first thing on Jez’s mind.

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He did go to Seale-Hayne which is part of Plymouth University where he studied rural estate management for three years.

After his education was complete, he joined the army and in particular The Rifles and during his time with this regiment he served in Iraq in 2004.

He recalled conditions were far from ideal as he and the other soldiers had to contend with 50 degree heat, deal with the troubles which would flare up and suffer from a lack of sleep.

When he left the Army, his family decided it would be a good idea to put his rural estate management degree to good use and so ‘Project Jez’ was born.

This meant buying 20 acres of farmland which had no buildings on it, just fields, with the aim of Jez turning this from nothing into something which meant he would create a new farm.

Jez said: “We had to re-seed the fields with grass and wild herb flowers.

“This was to make sure the land was 100 per cent free of pesticides and chemicals and to make sure we were 100 per cent free range with our animals.

“We do not have a brand associated with us but got above and beyond what is recommended by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

“It is 100 per cent organic from field to fork.

“We make sure we have the best animal welfare and make sure they are as happy as they can be and we treat them like pets rather than a product.

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“My wife Kristen, used to work as an animal health and welfare inspector at Somerset County Council and she makes sure we always do the right things.”

The farm has two types of pigs, the British Lop and The Gloucester Old Spot.

These live outdoors all year, there is plenty of bedding down each night for them in deep filled arcs and always have fresh, clean water.

What is interesting about Jez is a number of skills he needed in life he has learnt himself and is self taught.

This is what happened when it came to butchering the meat.

The animals be they lambs, pigs or chicken are sent to the abattoir and the carcasses returned to Jez who cuts up the carcasses into the correct and different cuts of meat.

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He said: “I decided I could do that and got a DVD and figured it out to.

“I taught myself to do it and it helps us be a self contained farm.

“The business has grown and the customers notice the difference in the meat they buy.

“It is hard work, it is 365 days a year with no holidays or breaks.

“It is great to have seen how it is grown in the past 11 years.

“It has now become more viable each year and the number of customers have increased.”

One of the big changes to the business has been the opening of the farm shop in March.

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This building was built by Jez, his dad and a friend and it took three years to construct.

Before it was built people used to turn up at the farm looking to buy meat but there was no venue.

This has all changed now and allows Jez to sell 15 types of different flavoured sausages, dry cured bacon, lamb, pork and a gluten free range to name a few of the items sold.

Reflecting on what he has achieved Jez said: “I am gobsmacked at what we have achieved.

“I am immensely proud we have built the farm and the business up from nothing, but we have still got lots more we can do.

“We will never stop going forward as we have plenty of new ideas.

“What we have done so far has been achieved with a little bit of military precision.”

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Jez selected the Gloucester Old Spot pig to make its pork, bacon and award winning sausages as they are slow to mature which gives them exquisite flavour.

In his leaflet it states: “The Gloucestershire Old Spot carries more fat than the mass produced supermarket meat.

“But it is this fat which produces the amazing flavour and super crunchy crackling.”

The farm produces award winning sausages: The Best sausages in the Blackdown Hills Champions and winners of Somerset Life Food and Drink Awards food product of the year 2013 and 2014. Finalists 2015 and 2016.

Moonbeams Farm shop can be found in West Buckland Road, Wellington, Somerset. Take West Buckland road and Moonbeams Farm shop 0.6 miles on the left just after the 40mph sign.

It is open Tuesday - Saturday, 10.30am to 5pm.

You can call contact Moonbeams Farm shop in three ways: - Telephone the shop on 01823 661661 - email: info@moonbeamsfarm.co.uk 

For further information go online at : moonbeamsfarm.co.uk