A FARMING family from South Lakeland has been serving up lessons in the complexities of meat production and modern animal husbandry to trainee chefs.

Students from Trinity House catering college in Ulverston were given a grounding in the production of top quality beef and lamb during a visit to the Geldard family's Low Foulshaw Farm, Levens.

Traceability, and feeding regimes for sheep and cattle and the difference in quality between heifer beef and steer beef were all explained by brothers Charles and Richard Geldard on a tour of the farm.

One of the key lessons for the culinary students was the difference in husbandry techniques used to produce meat for butchers shops, the catering trade and for supermarkets and fast-food shops.

Richard Geldard outlined the difference in feeding and maturity between the top quality beef animals used to supply domestic and trade customers at the family's Plumgarths food park near Kendal and those used to supply large retailers.

He explained that, although the meat on many supermarket counters conforms to a modern idea of what fresh meat ought to look like, it may not eat as well as meat which is not as cosmetically correct.

They also heard that high animal welfare standards, as well as being desirable in their own right, make a difference to the quality of the meat.

Trainees Eddy Lomas, 29, and Kiel Armstrong, 17, were both clearly impressed with the farm and surprised at the complexity of modern farming.

Eddy said: " Having spent some time on a dairy farm as a youngster I thought I had a fair idea, but I didn't realise just how much effort is put into it.

It makes you realise that what makes one piece of meat better than another - it's not just the luck of the draw."

Kiel said: "Its about quality not quantity here.

It has given us so much more insight - the public need to realise what goes into it."

According to Duncan Collinge, executive chef at the Lakeside Hotel at Newby Bridge where meat from Plumgarths is served, customers nowadays frequently ask where the meat served to them comes from.

"It makes a lot of difference if you can name the farm," he said.

Mr Collinge, who also trains chefs at Trinity House, organised the visit with the Geldards and is keen to bring more trainee chefs to the farm, said: "This has been an education for me was well.

The produce here is of phenomenal quality and having confidence in the ingredients give you confidence in the dish."

Steve Cambers, marketing manager at Plumgarths, said: "'Where the meat

comes from is the most popular question asked at Plumgarths.

People are

really interested, not only for the produce itself, but for welfare and food miles as well."

But Richard Geldard said: "People should not be expected to buy local produce just because it is local; they have a right to expect quality produce as well."

As Charles explained, for the family the visit was about getting closer to the consumer and rebuilding the link between food and farming and showing people, such as the trainee chefs, the link between good farming and good food.