Agriculture and Forestry

This quality landscape has produced a number of world class agricultural and forestry businesses which are leaders in their sector.

The Lakes Free Range Egg Company is a family-owned business producing and packing free range and organic free-range eggs located near Penrith. The business is industry leading in its approach to animal welfare and environmental provenance. Grazing on the samphire and herbal grasses of the Cartmel Peninsula on Morecambe Bay, the Holker Estates’ saltmarsh lamb is much sought-after. Traditional farm shops like Plumgarths near Kendal, and butchers like the multi award-winning Dales Traditional Butcher in Kirkby Lonsdale, Higginson’s Butchers in Grange-over-Sands and Lakeland Farm Visitor Centre near Windermere remain a vibrant element of life in Westmorland and Furness. As do regular local farmers’ markets, and annual agricultural shows, such as the county-wide showcase, the Westmorland County Show in September.

Westmorland and Furness is home to two vibrant livestock markets. Close to M6’s Junction 36, in an area known as the ‘Agricultural Quarter’, North West Auctions value and sell pedigree livestock and farm machinery, whilst also offering business consultancy, and rural property and land agency, including planning and architectural services.

Ulverston Auction Mart of the M6 is known accommodating for all modern-day farming needs. The farming community continues to diversify its offer, with farms becoming visitor attractions and activity centres. Raines Hall Farm even utilises its annual maize crop for one of the more original attractions.

Paragon Veterinary Group is a Cumbrian-based veterinary practice with a specialist in cattle breeding and fertility, including Embryo Transfer. David Black the Veterinary Surgeon and Managing Director has been recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a Specialist in Bovine Health and Production (Reproduction). A W Jenkinson and its associated businesses handle over 2 million tonnes of roundwood, chips, sawdust, bark, green waste and other timber co-products each year, collected from forestry sites, sawmills and other wood processing industries throughout the UK. NR Training is a new training provider offering a growing range of land-based courses in Cumbria. Their Rural Business Centre at Penrith provides one place for rural advice, education, training and knowledge transfer.