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The Delicious Legacy
The Cornwall Project - An Interview with Matt Chatfield
Today's episode is taking a little bit of turn; I always wanted to know more about the Cornwall Project and Cull Yaw mutton, a meat not so popular in UK but there's a man that is fighting to change this: Matt Chatfield. We talk about traditional farming, timeless ancient techniques, Silvopasture and how this will help humankind for the future too.
Our online interview was very challenging as Matt is obviously down in Cornwall in his caravan somewhere in a field with only a mobile phone and sporadic 4G signal. We were regularly losing connection due to wind apparently and the quality of the audio is not the best one I'm afraid, but nevertheless I think you will enjoy the knowledge that Matt kindly offered here and shared with all of us! Matt highlights the fact that there are many farmers that are doing an excellent work both to feed the people but also care for nature.
Anyway I hope you enjoy Matt's thoughts and actions, and buy his lovely aged mutton! Incredibly tasty and versatile!
Some brilliant quotes:
- "If you look after nature, flavour looks after itself."
- "I just look after nature by using the sheep and incredible things happen."
- "I detest factory farming especially what we do to the chickens and pigs."
His Cull Yew meat is some of the tastiest mutton I have ever tried, and of course is extremely ethical, done with love and care and according to ancient methods and traditions of rearing animals that help the environment and nature, wildlife and as an added bonus sequester carbon into the ground, so help combat climate change too!
According to many farmers nowadays this is the future. Top quality meat from really happy animals grazing in woodlands.
Silvopasture is the term that's used and we talk with Matt about it quite extensively.
We are chatting about farming and farmers in general, how can they make a living and also get some younger people into farming, why the current talk of rewilding is such a con, and why it would be great to rewild Kensington with bears and wolves (!!!)
And of course the need to feed the nation and do it from our soil and land, and not make it impossible for farmers to grow meat here. How offsetting our meat production it is a form of colonial future which isn't not so far removed from the horrors of the colonial past.
And many, many other subjects!
Fascinating talk, very pleased with it, I hope you will enjoy it too!
Thanks to Maltby and Greek for their support. I'm delighted to say that the listeners get a 15% discount from the deli in London,
when you shop online using the code "delicious" here: maltbyandgreek.com/delicious
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18. Macaroni and Cheese: Origins, Myths and History, from Ancient Rome to Renaissance
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16. Acquired Tastes an Interview with James Chatto Part One
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15. Odyssey: Food, Feasting and the meaning of 'Xenia'
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14. Flint Dibble: Zooarchaeology, Ancient Greece and Food
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