Grass fed beef with a clear story

People often ask what breed our cattle are. The honest answer is that breed matters less to us than health, temperament and how well each animal thrives on species-rich pasture.

Our herd includes native Hereford genetics, Stabilizer genetics and a mix of cross-bred cows. Nigel, our pedigree Hereford bull, was chosen for his meat quality. Rambo, our Stabilizer bull, brings hardy maternal genetics and strong eating-quality traits.

We are not chasing show-ring cattle that need grain and high inputs. We want healthy, calm, long-lived cows that can rear calves well, graze naturally and play their part in a resilient pasture-based system.

Calves stay with their mothers for 9–10 months before moving to Park Farm, where my brother Chris manages a group of young cattle. Most are ready for beef between 20 and 26 months of age.

The Rumming family has farmed in North Wiltshire for generations, moving between farms across the area.

My grandfather, David Rumming, came to Waterhay Farm in 1949 after farming at Park Farm and Vines Farm near Wootton Bassett. During the war he was sent to Vines Farm by the local war committee, where he later married his housekeeper, an evacuee from the East End of London.

Park Farm was once part of the Bolingbroke Estate at Lydiard Park. The Rumming family were tenants there well over 100 years ago before my great-grandfather was able to buy the farm during the difficult years at the start of the 20th century. The family has been there ever since.

We believe farming and wildlife should share the same landscape. Our fields include hedges, rivers, pasture and meadows, each managed in different ways to support both food production and nature.

Recording what lives here matters. We keep building records of birds, plants and insects, with help from experts, students and surveyors where we can. More than 100 bird species have already been recorded across the land we farm.

One important part of this work is North Meadow, a traditional floodplain hay meadow near Cricklade. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve, and holds around 80% of the country’s Snake’s-head fritillaries in one field.

For the last four years we have helped make hay there, working with Natural England to support the management that keeps the meadow so rich. We also work on nearby sites where haymaking had stopped, helping to restore biodiversity. It is a practical example of how demand for 100% grass fed beef can support better land management.