The Farmers Butcher Ltd
Is owned by Michael & Sarah Alexander, now in their 7th year of trading. What started as taking over a mainly catering butchery, has evolved and developed into a well-established, and highly acclaimed retail Farm Shop, where the local produce is the star attraction. The catering trade is also still an important part of the business.
The shop is based at the beautiful Swallowfields Farm, in The New Forest.
Mike Alexander – Master Butcher
Having entered the butchery trade straight from school, Mike has many years of experience & vast amount of knowledge encompassing all aspects of the food trade.
During his apprenticeship, not only did he learn how to butcher meat, but also how to cook it! (Because if you can’t cook it, you can’t sell it!) Having spent at least one day a week working alongside an experienced chef during these informative years.
After some years in the business, he then went to The Dairy Barn, near Stockbridge, where he was the Manager of this award-winning Farm Shop for eight years. Working hands on alongside the farmers, often in the fields looking after the animals, where he learnt how important good animal husbandry and welfare, has an impact on the quality of the finished product. The experience of working with farmers who have such passion for their animal’s wellbeing has stayed with him throughout his career.
“Happy animals are tasty animals”
Then spending the next six years at The Ginger Piggery, in Boyton, Wiltshire, another farm shop where again produce was sourced from the farm and local area. Alongside butchery, he also partook in giving butchery demonstrations aimed at expanding the knowledge of children who visited from local schools.
Sarah Alexander
Sarah grew up in Codford, near Warminster where her family had a Garage.
Sarah spent her early working life as a Travel Agent in Warminster and then Salisbury, ending up at Thomas Cook, which is now Wildwood Restaurant. During this time, she was able to visit several holiday destinations in Europe, and even went on a Club 18-30 birthday bash in Ibiza!
Following the birth of her two children, she had various part-time jobs including; working at a primary school, a fishing tackle manufacturer, a charity, and in the accounts office of a food wholesaler in Codford. Prior to buying the butchers business with her husband – Mike she was Large Accounts Manager at the NFU Mutual in Warminster.
Some of her favourite things to do are, eating out, walking their three dogs, looking after her chickens, and visiting new places. On her bucket list is to visit Canada, New Zealand and re-visit The Maldives – one day.
Here at the Farmers Butcher, most of the time she is in the office doing the accounts, collating orders, ordering stock for the shop, social media, and everything else in between! She is allowed to help in the shop on Fridays!!