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Wild Venison - Rearing

Our wild Venison is from local fallow deer when available, but may also be from Scottish red deer if fallow is not available.

"Persons fond of hunting have invented peculiar terms by which the objects of their pursuit are characterised : thus the stag is called, the first year a calf, or hind-calf; the second a knobber; the third a brock; the fourth a staggard; the fifth a stag; and the sixth a hart. The female is called in the first year a calf; the second a hearse; and in the third a hind."

Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, 1861

Graig Farm Wild Venison is mostly from fallow deer, which have been culled from nearby forests, where they are an increasingly serious pest, damaging young trees. There are some times of the year ("closed seasons") when we are unable to obtain local fallow, and may offer wild Red Deer from Scotland or elsewhere in the UK.

Fallow stagsFallow dear are generally larger than a sheep (up to 100 lbs). They are gregarious, and move around in groups. Together with roe deer are a serious threat to forestry as the kill young trees.

 

Red Deer StagRed deer are much larger an are the familiar "Monarch of the Glen", with branched antlers. In the wild, red deer are not found in any numbers in Wales or the Marches.

After shooting in the wild by skilled marksmen, the carcasses are then hung to mature, and to ensure a superb flavour and texture. Venison is very low in fat. Due to seasonality of supply, venison may be frozen.

"Two suggestions for venison by Apicius have Jericho dates as an ingredient, and a third dried damsons or prunes, so the preference for a sweet fruity sauce with deer meat goes back to at least the first century AD"

Food and drink in Britain, C. Anne Wilson - Publ 1973

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