Young Vale couple shocked and delighted at triple gold awards

It’s Gold, Gold, Gold for farming couple John and Rebecca O’Dwyer of Oaklands Organic Farm in the Vale of Glamorgan.

At the prestigious True Taste Awards ceremony they were delighted when it was announced that out of  hundreds of other producers they won three top prizes in the beef section, meat section and organic produce section. Expert tasters decided after hours of sampling Welsh produce and heated debate, that the Oaklands free-range organic Tamworth leg of pork and sirloin steak were officially the most delicious in Wales.

The farm’s high standards of animal welfare and commitment to organic methods paid off as the couple also stole two bronze prizes (highly commended) for their Sweet-cured Organic Free-range Woodland Tamworth Short-back bacon and their organic free range chicken.

Rebecca and John farm in Bonvilston and are proud of their low carbon footprint, selling locally at farmers’ markets, supplying local restaurants and offering free local home delivery. They have only recently diversified by expanding their Welsh Black Beef herd and rearing rare-breed pigs so to leap straight into pole position is a real coup.

This is the ninth Welsh or national award for Oaklands Farm since 2007, making all the hard work on the farm worth it.

‘We love our animals and try hard to make sure they have a good life living outdoors,’ explains John.

‘We are off-grid at Oaklands Farm and draw our energy from solar and wind power, backed up with a generator and bank of batteries.  All our vehicles are run on home-made biodiesel and food miles are kept to a minimum as our animals are slaughtered either on the farm or at the local EC regulated abattoir.  

‘The farmhouse at Oaklands is a wooden eco-dwelling with a log burning stove that uses firewood gathered from our own 16 acre woodland.  The ancient oak woodland, which is sustainably managed, helps us off-set methane gasses from the suckler cow herd. 

‘We are striving towards a carbon-neutral existence and constantly review all elements of the business as new technological developments are made. ‘

Rebecca added, ‘To keep winning awards is a real confidence boost that we can continue to farm humanely and at the same time please the public and expert judges. We hear from our customers that our meat is juicy and delicious and now we have the national awards to back that up. It’s was a huge surprise to win three golds this year and obviously we are over the moon!’

For more information about Oaklands Farm, further photographs and quotations please contact Rebecca O’Dwyer on 07974 001194 or email contact@oaklandsorganics.com

Rebecca would also be delighted to  arrange a tasting session and/or farm visit so you can experience Oaklands Farm and its produce at first hand.