Organic bacon made without nitrates. Here’s what you need to know.
Helen Browning’s: What is it?
Helen Browning’s Organic is named after farmer Helen Browning, who switched to farming organically at the family-run Eastbrook Farm in Wiltshire in 1986 – way before organic farming was trendy. Helen’s philosophy for the farm is to grow the best quality crops and animals while making space for nature, and their produce is all the better for it.
Helen Browning’s Organic predominantly offers a range of fresh and pre-cooked beef and pork from their free-ranging, dairy-bred, grass-fed, British Friesian cross cows and British Saddleback sows, as well as a carefully selected range of additional products – fresh and frozen lamb from a friends’ farm in Buckinghamshire, turkeys and fresh pork sausage meat at Christmas time.
We highly recommend trying one of their bundles picked to showcase their range of fresh premium organic meat and added-value pre-cooked specialities, which start from £20.
Did you know?
Helen Browning’s Royal Oak is a boutique hotel and dining pub set at the centre of Eastbrook Farm, with 12 interesting bedrooms, hearty menus offering the best of the farm produce and stunning walks around the historic Ridgeway. They also offer educational workshops and courses as part of Eastbrook Experiences as well as farm tours, wild camping, foraging and wildlife photography lessons.
Helen Browning’s: How sustainable is it?
The tagline ‘Live for today. Farm for tomorrow.’ sums up the ethical ethos at Eastbrook Farm, and through their organic approach Helen Browning’s conscientious farming prioritises the preservation of the land and the variety of habitats found across this ancient farm land – from Downs pasture, woodland, thriving hedgerows, wildlife valleys and chalk brooks.
The farm and the meat produced is 100% Soil Association organic certified and Helen says:
“I see first-hand the difference farming my land organically makes – from more bees and hedgerows, to contented, healthy animals, to lots of people gainfully working here and enthusiastic customers.”
While mostly known for their high-welfare organic pork, in 2020 Helen Browning introduced a range of ethically produced high-welfare, lower carbon ‘Good Beef’.
As Helen says:
“We recognise the importance of pasture fed livestock in improving soils and maintaining the grasslands that harbour wildlife and the need to move away from feeding animals crops that we could be eating ourselves, such as cereals, pulses and soya. Our ‘Good Beef’ live most of their lives on downland pastures, building carbon in the soil, and encouraging the floral diversity on which pollinators and many other insects depend.”
As one of the UK’s few female farmers, Helen has always gone against the grain in pursuit of a better way of farming and in doing so has helped to shape organic farming across the UK. Helen is Chief Executive of the Soil Association, a trustee of the RSPB and a Commissioner for the Food Farming and Countryside Commission. Helen sits on the BBC’s Rural Affairs Advisory Committee and was a member of the National Food Strategy Advisory Panel… but remains first and foremost a farmer, and was awarded an OBE in 1998 for services to organic farming.
Helen Browning’s: Where can I buy it?
Sent directly from farm to your doorstep in recyclable, chilled packaging or from specialist organic retail outlets nationwide. Unless, of course, you fancy visiting and seeing what they do for yourself (we highly recommend this…)
