National Butchers Week falls in the month of March each year. To us, the (rather brilliant) people we work with are more than just butchers or even farmers, we consider them dear friends and equally a fundamental part of our Blacklock family.

There’s no better farmer to talk about than Matt Chatfield. Upon returning from London to Launceston to run his family farm he spotted a gap within the farming industry and decided to start caring for old sheep (colloquially known as “Yaws” in Cornwall) that had fallen on hard times.

Unable to lamb anymore, other farmers deem them surplus to requirements and they’d otherwise be “culled”.

Matt lifted inspiration from the way Iberico pigs spend their days roaming the various terrains of Spain and thus @thecornwallproject was born.

Some may have heard of the term “mob” grazing, where the flock move from field to forest eating the greenest of shoots as they go. That’s what Matt’s herd do!

By slow-rearing these animals, essential nutrients are invited back into the soil, creating a better ecological system for biodiversity to thrive and allow the land to regenerate.

At the very, very end of the ewes retirement, we receive his Cull Yaw. The shoulder and leg slowly roasted overnight until it is soft and yielding before being lovingly rolled in chef’s spice mix and finding home on top of a spongy crumpet.

It’s a special dish that comes from an equally special place if you ask us.

We love our Cull Yaw Crumpet but we love Matt even more.