Distillery link leads to tasty meats from Robbie’s happy pedigree pigs

Diners and other visitors to the distillery’s stylish bistro are also now experiencing the rich flavours of dry-cure bacon and ham from the farm’s 100 pedigree pigs that roam freely. The huge distillery complex recently opened its doors for guided tours, another important visitor attraction on the main road to Newcastle.

The unusual link-up is the result of a discussion between Robbie Neill, owner of the Stonebridge Cottage Farm on Crossgar’s Derryboye Road, and Aaron Flaherty, the master distiller at Hinch Distillery, a £15 million investment in quality spirits by local entrepreneur Terry Cross. It also reflects the distillery’s own focus on sourcing products from local suppliers. Other restaurants serving the unique meat include Jim Mulholland’s widely acclaimed 14 The Georgian House in Comber.

“I had an opportunity to meet Aaron recently and to find out how they used spent grain, an immensely nutritious waste product from distilling. He agreed to supply it to me for the pigs and then introduced me to Leo Small, the bistro’s head chef, who was keen to sample the bacon and ham that we produce. He subsequently placed an order for the products for use in the restaurant. It’s the circular economy in practice,” Robbie explains.

“It’s a tremendous boost for our small farm business to be supplying such a distinguished chef at what is an impressive distillery complex which now exports worldwide.”

Robbie farms on a part-time basis when rotas in his day-job as a Belfast-based elite firefighter allow.

In addition to the usual minerals and spent distillery grain in the feed, the pigs also enjoy whey curd waste from Mike’s Fancy Cheese in Newtownards, an artisan producer of the award-winning Young Buck premium blue cheese, as well as other waste grain from craft brewers Farmageddon in Comber, which is run by Eoin Wilson, another full-time firefighter - and Willy Mayne’s Bullhouse Brewery in Belfast.

“My long-term interest in sustainability led me to explore the potential to use these waste products from other food manufacturers because they are rich in protein, fibre and other nutrients. They must be the best fed and healthiest pigs in Ireland.” he explains.

A recently opened farm shop enables the public to enjoy the bacon, gammon and sausages.

Robbie draws his interest in recycling from growing up on the family beef and sheep farm, now run by brother Johnny, just down the Derryboye Road from his own small holding, “I loved working with cattle and especially Suffolk pedigree sheep on the farm,” he continues. Suffolks are also now part of his business.

What attracted him to pedigree pigs? “I had been looking at a number of farming ideas including doing something different with outdoor-bred pigs,” he says. “So, I did a bit of market research and talked to a number of knowledgeable people in the food industry here. There was overwhelming support for small batch premium pork products.”

He began to look at ways of rearing pigs in line with his passion for recycling. This led to the contacts with fellow firefighter Eoin Wilson.

“Eoin had been involved in rearing pigs using the spent grain but the team there decided to focus on brewing craft beers. He was keen to support my enterprise,” he continues.

He farms with wife Louise. They have three young children all under eight Robbie opted for the Oxford Sandy and Black breed of pedigree pig, sometimes called the ‘Plum Pudding” because of its distinctive rust colouring with black patches.

It’s a breed that’s been close to extinction in recent times: “I was attracted to the Oxford Sandy because of its temperament and its reputation for meat of a very high quality and, of course, flavour. It’s a multi-purpose and leaner breed which produces succulent pork, high quality bacon and ham.”

He now farms a herd of around 100 Oxfords: “Our focus is on high quality niche products and not on volume. Quality and taste are immensely important. It’s one step at a time. We are, after all, a small business that’s now making our authentic products available to the public. We’ve been encouraged by the market trend in favour of fully traceable meats and the interest among consumers on how food products are made and the people producing them. Our business is built on the pillars of quality, local, integrity and authenticity.”

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