Christmas is coming and the geese are getting fat
British Goose Producers was formed in 1982 as a sector group of the British Poultry Council when the industry was struggling to survive at a time when turkey totally dominated the Christmas market.
With goose finding its way onto more and more Christmas tables, things are different now and to celebrate their 30th anniversary, the group chose to hold their annual goose walk in Shropshire, visiting William and Jennie Brisbourne at Nesscliffe where Christmas geese production is a vital part of a family farming business.
The Brisbournes are well known for their poultry production and the sight of their geese grazing the hills overlooking the Welsh mountains is now a landmark for those travelling from Shrewsbury to Oswestry. They were a fine sight for the 40 or so goose producers who had travelled from throughout the country to inspect the goose set-up on the farm ahead of their annual meeting at Nesscliffe Village Hall.
D M Brisbourne & Sons run a very diverse partnership which also includes a 150-head beef rearing and finishing enterprise, contract rearing of 150 dairy heifers, 1,000 store lambs and 300 ewes on tack, arable cropping on 450 acres and a racing stable.
The Brisbourne family has been farming at Nesscliffe since 1925 when William's grandfather took over the tenancy of Broomhill Farm and subsequently purchased the farm. William now runs the farm in partnership with his two brothers Mark and Anthony. Their late father Tony held his own racehorse training licence and the partnership continues to train racehorses with Mark being the hands-on trainer and Anthony assistant trainer at the stables at Great Ness.
The poultry enterprise consists of 1,600 free-range geese, 1,100 free range Bronze turkeys and 300 barn chickens all reared and finished on the farm.
"Brisbourne Geese started in 1979 when I sold surplus geese for the Christmas table from my hobby flock," explained William.
"I soon realised that the small amount of money I made was very handy, particularly for a 16-year-old lad at Christmas. Since these small beginnings the flock has grown and we now rear 1,600 birds from day olds,"
The Brisbournes have built up farmgate sales to around 600 with the remainder meeting a ready demand from farm shops and butchers across Shropshire and into neighbouring counties and the Welsh Borders.
It is very much a family affair with all hands on deck in the shop at Christmas time, William's mother Mary, who has been involved since the beginning, still serves customers along with Jennie and three children.
Broomhill is a fine example of a mixed family farm working in synergy to make the most of resources.
