Wagglehill Highland beef to be sent UK wide from Aberdeenshire

Life is rather sweet for Mr Fergus and his gang, who like to take life at a sedate pace.

There is no need to rush at Wagglehill Croft, where you can take in the views of the gorgeous Aberdeenshire countryside.

It’s not all grazing pastures however, for resident bull, Mr Fergus, has a job to do.

It seems he was clearly up to the task, as adorable new arrivals have made an appearance in recent weeks.

The resident girls, Iona, Fern, Grace and Faith, have been kept busy by parenthood, and make excellent mums according to proud owners Amanda and Gordon Stephen.

The pair live and breathe life on their croft, having decided to finally follow their dream and go into business.

The little beef box, where they sell their delicious produce, can be found on the croft near Turriff.

If you picture Scotland, a bonnie Highland coo may well spring to mind.

But aside from looking rather handsome, these good-looking beasts produce high-quality beef.

You’ll no doubt have heard of or enjoyed Aberdeen-Angus beef, but there’s a new product on the block thanks to Amanda and Gordon venture.

They have high hopes of sending Wagglehill Highland Beef across the country, with fledgling plans in the pipeline to create their own line of pies.

From the importance of sustainability to animal welfare, not to mention great-tasting produce, we asked Amanda what it takes to go from croft to table?

How did Wagglehill Highland Beef get off the ground in the first place?

“We moved to the area 10 years ago, it was very much a now-or-never moment.

“Rearing our own Highland cattle had always been the dream, so we finally decided to go for it and have never looked back.

“It wasn’t a world away from what we had been used to, as Gordon was born and raised on a farm.

“As a contractor, he has been on farms all his life, so it didn’t seem like a massive leap.
It was around January time when we got going. We had one bull, Mr Fergus, and three cows who were in calf.

“That was our start, we sold the calves on and we’ve been doing this ever since.”

What made you decide to sell the produce?

“Well, Gordon’s plan had always been to buy the cows to sell as beef.

“I wasn’t quite so sure until I tasted it. I didn’t need convincing after that.

“Highland beef is a quality product which is lower in fat, lower in cholesterol and higher in protein than other breeds.

“Once you’ve tried it, you won’t buy other beef again. The taste is honestly something else.”

Why this breed in particular?

“Highlanders are quite easy to look after, they tend to look after themselves.

“They’re also beautiful animals and easy to keep. They stay outdoors all year round, and we wanted something which is traditionally Scottish.

“I think we’ve only had one incident with a very protective mum. That proved challenging when we were trying to tag the calf, especially as these cattle have horns.

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing though, because we’ve found they make really good parents and they’re very hardy.”

How are they reared?

“Slow growing was always so important to us. We don’t push them on, meaning they are traditionally raised.

“They are fed on grass in the summer and silage in the winter.

“The cattle are born and raised here on Wagglehill Croft, and then they come back to us from the butcher.

“They don’t go to market until they are 30 months, and they are butchered and packed locally by Ewan Morris in Stuartfield.”

Does that make the end product more sustainable?

“Absolutely. It means we have achieved minimal food miles, so there is a low carbon footprint.

“We have tried to keep everything as minimal as possible. Our cattle don’t require vaccinations for example, because they aren’t travelling anywhere else.

“They only need worming, weighing and maybe a hair cut.

“I think sustainability and environmentally friendly products are important to customers, which is just as it should be.

“People can also come along to the croft, and I think they like knowing that our animals are very well looked after.

“They have a really good life here at Wagglehill.”

What’s available to buy?

“It really depends what we get back from the butcher, but there is always a good variety.

“Our taster pack, for example, offers Silverside, rump steak in a two-pack, round steak, sausages, burgers and mince.

“We also offer joints of beef which vary in size, and people usually message to see what I have available.”

So does the produce get sold on-site?

“Yes, it can do. We have what we call the little beef box, which is a metal container with two big freezers.

“People usually message on our Facebook page to say they will be nipping in past, and we also deliver to customers.

“At the moment we use social media, but our website should also be up and running soon.”

Does this mean there are some exciting plans afoot?

“Yes, although it’s early days we hope that once our website launches, we may be able to send our Wagglehill beef much further afield.

“Depending on couriers, we’d like to send it all over the UK. We’re also thinking of doing our own line of pies, so that’s in the pipeline.

“I think the biggest challenge is the fact that we’re in a very rural location, and people don’t really know that we’re here unless you’re local.

“It’s a thought to come out to us, depending where you live.”

Did that make lockdown difficult for you?

“Actually, no. I wasn’t sure how business would go in the beginning. We were so busy in the first lockdown, our beef was in such high demand.

“I think it was partly because of all the restrictions, and you couldn’t get beef for love nor money in the supermarket.

“It’s a quiet time for us just now, but we know trade will pick up again.

“We’re still pretty busy on the croft with calves born, we’re actually expecting a new arrival this week.”

It must be so rewarding to see your cattle from start to finish?

“It really is, and it’s one of the things I love about life on the croft. I can look out the window and see the cows.

“It can be heart-breaking when it’s time for them to go, but this is our business.
We also have our four permanent residents – Iona, Grace, Fern and Faith.

“Not forgetting Mr Fergus of course.

“I also love seeing our customers come back time and time again, and hearing their feedback. It’s amazing to see what people can make.”

You must have come across some tasty recipes over the past 10 years?

“We really have. I love it when customers let me know what they’ve made.
I tend to play around with different recipes.

“One of our customers in particular is a fantastic cook. She made crispy shredded chilli beef with our rump steak.

“You can’t beat Wagglehill Highland steak mince, served with tatties and skirlie. Simple, but so tasty.”

Are you looking forward to the year ahead?

“Very much so, especially as our plans are in motion. I think we’re going to go for it big time, we’re in a perfect situation.

“Our beef is available to buy all year round, and we always welcome new customers.
Once you’ve tasted Wagglehill Beef, there’s no going back.”

You can find out more via Wagglehill Highland Beef on Facebook.