Hairy Bikers 'go west' to visit Cheshire farm for new series

Celebrity chefs The Hairy Bikers have visited a farm in Cheshire as part of their new series exploring food along the west coast of the UK.

Dave Myers and Si King met pig farmers Liam Tickle and Rebecca Scott from Laburnum Farm in Warrington for their series The Hairy Bikers Go West for the BBC - a food adventure which meets food producers and offers an insight into the future of food production.

Laburnum Farm said they 'could not believe it' when they were approached to be part of the show.

Despite feeling nervous, Liam and Rebecca said they had such a great day and were put to ease by Dave and Si.

In the episode, the farmers tell the Hairy Bikers about their transition from engineering and accountancy into the wonderful world of farming for the past 13 years where they rear around 200 rare breed Gloucester Old Spot pigs.

They discuss current pig feed prices as well as getting Dave and Si to muck in with feeding time.

Mr Tickle and Ms Scott also run a farm shop called Snoutwood Trotters with a butchers selling a variety of free-range pork which they have farmed and produced themselves.

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The Hairy Bikers said: "Liam and Rebecca changed course and decided a life on the farm was for them.

"They might not be your typical farming folk, but they are part of a new generation of farmers driven by sustainability.

"The first thing we ever cooked together was Gloucester Old Spot.

"It was a big loin.

"Very tasty.

"We roasted it for ages and the crackling was just amazing.

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"The meat from these pigs is so special, it is now a protected food.

"It is considered on a par with champagne and serrano ham."

When Mr Tickle asks Si if he has ever fed a pig before, the Hairy Biker responds with a resounding ‘whey aye man' in his native Geordie accent.

The Laburnum farmer did tell Dave and Si about the ‘elevated' rise in pig feed over the course of their farming journey.

"The pigs eat so much," Mr Tickle added.

"Pig feed now is at the worst we have ever seen.

"When we started pig farming, it was £180/tonne.

"Now we are £400/t.

"For us, it takes a lot more food to rear a traditional pig than a commercial pig.

"Particularly for a pig you can run outside because we are running energy of these animals, whereas in an in-house system, they are not using much energy as they are just growing."

You can catch the episode tonight (February 27) on BBC 2 at 7pm.

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