Venison Farm

Visit the first deer farm in Britain started in 1973 by John & Nichola Fletcher.  John Fletcher was a veterinary surgeon specialising in deer.  After finishing his veterinary training in 1969, John spent five years researching the wild behaviour and breeding cycle of the red deer on the island of Rum, off the west coast of Scotland. Nichola Fletcher is one of the UK's leading experts on game: its cooking, preparation, folklore, and appreciation. The author of four books, she demonstrates and lectures at events all over the world. 

A visit to the farm can be a very informal presentation by Nichola followed by a venison lunch or it can be a full tutored game tasting.

Nichola's tutored game tastings offer a unique opportunity to find out what game actually tastes like as well as why. Her Tutored Game Tastings are unique and take the form of a whole evening's fascinating eating and entertainment during which Nichola will cook, in front of you, 15-20 different types of game meats. 

She will explain some of the many things which affect the taste of these meats: diet, marinating, hanging (or not), killing, etc as well as some dos and don'ts of cooking game meats.

Most meats are prepared without accompaniments to give the opportunity to compare the tastes and textures.  Included in the tasting will be (all items subject to availability) game birds such as :

• guinea fowl
• pheasant
• partridge
• pigeon
• grouse
• woodcock
• wild duck
• wild goose. 

Game meats will comprise: 

• hare
• rabbit
• grey squirrel
• venison

You will be able to taste the difference between hung and not-hung meats; marinated and non-marinated meats; farmed and wild meats, raw, smoked and cured meats. The "meal" is interspersed with refreshing salads and Nichola's own home made bread to clear your palate, then rounded off with desserts.