Publicity & Awards
December 2009
Normanton Polled Herefords take 1st place in the commercial steer or heifer class at the National Hereford Calf Show at Shrewsbury Sale Ground.
"We were up against some stiff competition with excellent Belgian Blue and Limousin crosses in the ring, so to win with a Pedigree Hereford really does show just how far the Hereford Breed has come in recent years," says Tim Livesey. Normanton 1 Fran a twelve month old steer will definitely be out on the summer show circuit in 2010 strutting his stuff for the Hereford Breed.
November 2009
Normanton Polled Herefords take 1st and 2nd place at the Birmingham Winter Fair Fatstock Show.
"This is the 1st time we have entered a Fatstock show so we are absolutely delighted with our achievments," says Tim Livesey.
Competition was very intense in the Hereford class with entries from throughout the Midlands. Birmingham Winter Fair is a must win show for any beef breeder.
This has been another great year for the Normanton Herd, with various major wins throughout the summer show season, (recognition of the pedigree attributes of the herd), a first and second place in the Midlands and East Anglia Beef tasting competition, (recognition of the eating attibutes) and now a 1st and 2nd place in a major Fatstock show, (recognition of the commercial attributes of the herd).
September 2009
For the second year running Normanton Pedigree Hereford Beef gets 1st and 2nd in the Midlands and East Anglia Hereford Breeders Association Beef Tasting Competition.
Michelin Star Chef Aaron Patterson of Hambleton Hall selects Normanton Pedigree Hereford Beef as the best tasting Hereford Beef in the Midlands. “There were two steaks that stood out from the rest by a country mile,” said Aaron Patterson. “They were so succulent, tender and packed with flavour that they made my job so much easier”
“To get 1st and 2nd place two years on the trot judged by two fantastic Chefs means that we must be doing something right at the Normanton Herd,” commented Tim Livesey. “Everything we do is geared towards the eating quality of the meat so this is recognition of our hard work and attention to detail. 100% Grass fed beef, matured slowly and hung on the bone for a minimum of 6 weeks, along with selective breeding to improve flavour and marbling are just some of the things we do to get our beef so good.”
Summer 2009
Normanton Polled Herefords scoop Junior Male Champion with their homebred Hereford bull, Normanton 1 Eastern Promise at two of the countries most prestigious shows, The Three Counties and the Shropshire and West Midlands.
There were 120 entries at The Three Counties making it one of the biggest shows of Hereford cattle in the UK. “These are the sort of shows we dream of winning. You are up against the very best breeders in the country. A win at a show like The Three Counties doesn’t come easily,” said William Livesey as he led his prize winning bull back to the cattle lines.
“Eastern Promise is a great young bull, very correct, dark and thick all the way through,” says Tim Livesey. “He’s our first totally homebred show winner.” Eastern promise is a grandson of the Normanton stock bull, Hollowseal 1 Wombat on his fathers side and Doonbiddie Hustler on his mothers side. His mother is without doubt one of the best Normanton cows, full of milk with an excellent udder and very feminine. “We will use him on some females this autumn and maybe show him again next year when he’s matured,” added Tim Livesey
September 2008
LIVESEY HEREFORD BEEF IS THE RIGHT PEDIGREE FOR BBC’s Great British Menu Winning CHEF – GLYNN PURNELL
Top Midlands farmers LIVESEY BROTHERS scored yet another success when they won the Midlands & East Anglia Hereford Breeders Association Best Tasting Beef competition – in a taste test conducted by top chef and Great British Menu National winner – GLYNN PURNELL.
Michelin starred Birmingham chef Purnell taste-tested beef from 15 producers in the Midlands and East Anglia Hereford Breeders Association but settled on Livesey’s beef for both 1st and 2nd place! - showing great strength in depth.
It’s an exceptional accolade for Livesey Brothers from one of the UK’s top chefs – who’s bold an innovative cooking has brought him critical acclaim and numerous awards including a Michelin star.
Livesey’s approach to breeding beef cattle is quite unique as they have total control from the breeding right through to final butchery. Animal welfare and flavour of the beef are paramount at Normanton Pedigree Herefords, the home of the Livesey herd of 150 head of one of the oldest breeds in the world.
Livesey Brothers’ Pedigree Normanton Hereford beef was rated highest thanks to it’s flavour and texture which the brothers have worked so hard on over the last few years. It’s been a real labour of love, with 30 months of hard work in looking after the cattle, which are taste-tested to select the best bloodlines and selectively bred for flavour. The cattle are not fed a grass based diet like most of the premium beef sold in the UK, but they are fed a diet of 100% grass – nothing else. “Cattle were made to eat grass, why feed them anything else? The Hereford breed is one of the best converters of grass into muscle, we don’t need to feed high Carbon Foot Print cereals to our cattle which makes our meat really climate change friendly. No pesticides, chemicals or fertilisers are used anywhere on our farm,” says Tim Livesey.
The beef is hung on the bone for a minimum of 6 weeks in their own on-farm butchery giving a deep colour and an unsurpassed tenderness succulence and flavour.
Tim Livesey commented, “What greater satisfaction can we have than to win such an award from some of the finest taste-buds in the Country – it’s great recognition of our “labour of love” to provide the very best foods in the UK. All of our team on the farm here have been part of a culture of food-excellence that has led to us having such a fantastic year of endorsements and awards.”
July 2008
ROYAL AGRICULTRUAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND’S EXCELLENCE IN PRACTICAL FARMING AND BUSINESS AWARD
Local Exotic Mushroom farmers - Livesey Brothers – are delighted to announce another major award.
Brothers Tim and Simon Livesey will accept the ROYAL AGRICULTRUAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND’S EXCELLENCE IN PRACTICAL FARMING AND BUSINESS AWARD at the Society’s annual dinner and awards at The Royal Show on Thursday, 3rd July.
This top industry award is another endorsement of the farming practice followed by Livesey Brothers and their 80-strong workforce at Packington.
The Excellence in Practical Farming and Business Award (awarded annually) looks at all aspects of modern farming. Over 100 farmers were nominated for the award and Livesey Brothers particularly impressed the judges with their range of produce, product development and working in harmony with the natural environment.
The award comes after a year of accolades. Livesey Brothers’ mushrooms were featured in the recent Lurpak butter commercial recently, and then the farm featured on ITV1’s “Taste of the Midlands” programme. Just a few weeks ago a Gold Rosette was won by the National Farmers Union using Livesey Brothers mushrooms in their display at the Chelsea Flower Show. (The NFU also used Livesey Brothers exotic mushrooms as an example of the best in English farming produce at the NFU’s annual dinner, attended by dignitaries that included Gordon Brown).
Tim Livesey commented, “We’re on a bit of a roll at the moment. The team here has worked hard in recent years to ensure that we’re producing the best local produce – from our herdsmen to our mushroom pickers. The ever increasing focus on “food miles”, additive-free, traceable and sustainable food sources is playing into our hands. We haven’t had to change our methods, we’ve always believed in growing things the right way – not the cheap way”.
All of the varieties of mushrooms grown at Packington are available at The Mushroom Basket Farm Shop at Lowerfields Farm, Normanton Road, Packington, Leics. Or via www.themushroombasket.com. To compliment the mushrooms you can purchase their very own Normanton Pedigree Hereford Beef (hung on the bone for a minimum of 5 weeks) and Normanton lamb, all butchered on-site.
June 2008
LOCAL BUSINESSMEN TO RIDE THE ROAD OF DEATH IN BOLIVIA FOR RAINBOWS HOSPICE.
Barking-mad local businessmen Tim Livesey (Livesey Bros. – Packington) and Mark Milner (MTS Logistics – Heather) are just about to embark on the “ride of their lives” - quite literally – as they depart to ride the “Road of Death” in Bolivia!
The pair are part of a team of 16 Leicestershire thrill-seeking riders all raising money for the Rainbows Hospice in Loughborough. The team is trying to raise £50,000 and includes former Leicester Tigers player/coach Dean Richards.
Riding the “Road of Death” means cycling down 40 miles of almost completely downhill un-surfaced road along a cliff-edge. The road has only 40 metres of crash barriers along its entire root and up to 700 feet drops off the side! The road drops an incredible 15,400ft, and with little uphill riding the team will be concentrating on staying on the road!
The “Road of Death” is so-called owing to it having the highest level of fatalities per kilometre in the world. 8 cyclists have met their deaths in recent years, but most deaths occur to locals in buses and other motorized vehicles.
Fortunaltey the team is travelling on an organized trip with local guides to assist with safe passage. Interested cyclists can visit www.gravitybolivia.com for more information and some leg-wobbling photographs!
Mushroom-man Tim Livesey commented, “Mark and I have cycled Lands End to John O’Groats a few of years ago, but the excitement and anticipation of this is something else. In a moment of madness we agreed to be part of the team – it’s difficult to refuse a challenge, especially when it’s for such as worthy cause. We’ll be trying to take things seriously, particularly our personal safety”.
Even with 16 riders, the £50,000 target is a challenge in itself, and the pair are looking for donations – none of which goes towards the cost of the trip, which has been met solely by the participants. Tim Livesey can be contacted at The Mushroom Basket, Normanton Road, Packington – on 01530 415862 or tlivesey@liveseybros.co.uk
RAINBOWS CHILDREN’S HOSPICE – LOUGHBOROUGH, provides respite, palliative and terminal care for families that include a child with life limiting illnesses
Leicestershire Exotic Mushrooms feature on the menu at the NFU Centenary Dinner attended by Gordon Brown (Feb08)
The snowballing international appreciation of the diverse and unique mushroom produce grown by local Exotic Mushroom farmers - Livesey Brothers – took on another level this week as they featured prominently in the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Centenary Dinner held in London. The dinner featured none other than Prime Minister Gordon Brown speaking about the importance of quality and diversity in British produce.
Packington based farmers Livesey Brothers were approached by the NFU who recognised that their farm could supply the very best in rural British produce for the highest level of delegates.
The NFU conference and dinner is an important part of the National economy’s calendar, and apart from attracting the biggest guest of them all – Gordon Brown, the event also attracted opposition leader David Cameron and Hilary Benn – Secretary of State for the environment, food & rural affairs. All 3 speaking about modern farming and it’s vital role in the health of the Nation. 25 years ago, the 75th conference’s featured speaker was P.M. Margaret Thatcher, whilst 50 years ago it was Winston Churchill – again underlying the importance and history of the event and it’s significance within the politics of the day.
Livesey Brothers’ Hon Shimeji, Shiro Shimeji and Oyster mushrooms – 100% PACKINGTON GROWN – featured prominently on an all-British food menu, where they took pride of place on top of fillet steak for around 900 delegates. LCD screens around dining room communicated the origins of all the foods they were eating, surprising many delegates that mushrooms of such diversity were grown in Leicestershire.
This event comes hot-on-the heels of Livesey Brothers mushrooms being featured in a recent Lurpak TV commercial and being displayed on two award winning exhibits at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Tim Livesey commented, “What better an endorsement of what we are doing here in Packington is there than being featured amongst the very best of British produce at an event like this? We were proud to be asked to supply, and proud to promote North West Leicestershire and The National Forest area.”
