Meet the team

Meet the whole farm family

Today Westy & Worzel remains very much a family business with these two at the helm, producing certified organic, 100% grass fed beef and lamb. Meet the team . . .

Andrew Westlake AKA 'WESTY'
Farmer

Used to be a pretty good footballer in his younger years, but now enjoys watching Liverpool FC win. 

Likes watching reruns of Only Fools and Horses and Friends.  Partial to a pint of Golden Fiddle from Branscombe Vale Brewery and hates sprouts! 

Favourite thing about farming is new lambs and calves and seeing the results of his hard work in his fit, healthy animals.  

Biggest frustration is being a first-generation farmer and not owning his own land.
Andrew Westlake AKA Westy - Farmer portait arms folded - Westy & Worzel, A taste of organic farming - Branscombe, East Devon.jpg
Worzel AKA Ian Westlake - Farmer of Westy & Worzel, A taste of organic farming - Salcombe Regis, East Devon

Ian Westlake AKA 'WORZEL'
Farmer

In his day a rugby player for Sidmouth Rugby Club, he now enjoys the more sedate pastime of cycling and often cycles to the Fountain Head for a pint of Golden Fiddle.  

An Arsenal fan, ensuring there is ongoing family rivalry during the football season.  

Favourite things about farming are bringing new life into the world and chatting to passersby who are interested in what he's doing.  

Worst thing about farming is the paperwork.

Nicola Westlake
assistant farmer & office manager

Before she met Westy, Nic worked in training and development.  A role with the National Trust brought her to Branscombe where she met Westy.  

She loves the customer-facing parts of the business, showing people what the farm is all about and also (begrudgingly on sunny days) does quite a bit of the admin!  Her small hands are beneficial at lambing time.
Nicola Westlake Westy & Worzel Farm Experiences in Branscombe Devon with lambs
Jay Westlake - Apprentice Farmer - Westy & Worzel, A taste of organic farming - Branscombe, East Devon.jpg

JAY WESTLAKE
teenage apprentice farmer

Westy and Nic’s teenage son enjoys listening to music and spending time at the beach.  

He looks after the hens, helps move cattle and sheep and walks the farm dogs.  He has an eye for the detail and enjoys checking out what other farms are up to.

Fern
CATTLE DOG

Worzel’s large, black, barking Huntaway. Bred for driving and herding sheep and cattle in New Zealand, Huntaways are known to be loyal and reliable. 

Fern can also be a bit “goofy” and has been known to run directly into a vehicle or tree whilst in pursuit of something exciting. Loves chasing swallows.
Fern - Cattle Dog - Meet the team Westy & Worzel, A taste of organic farming - Branscombe, East Devon
Ruby - Kelpie Sheep & Cattle Farm dog at Westy & Worzel, Branscombe, Devon

RUBY
SHEEP & CATTLE DOG

Westy’s old girl Ruby is a Kelpie, an Australian breed successful at mustering and droving with little or no guidance – in other words she likes doing things her own way.  Could be called stubborn!

Loves to tear up paper bags and silver foil and get into the neighbours' food bins!

TAN
Nic's "pet"

Nic’s “pet”, loves a tennis ball, carrots and a trip to the dog field.  Thinks of herself as a farm dog, but doesn't have a clue what to do.  
Tan - Sheep & Cattle Dog - Westy & Worzel, A taste of organic farming - Branscombe, East Devon
Kip - Sheep & Cattle Dog - Westy & Worzel, A taste of organic farming - Branscombe, East Devon

KIP
Sheep & Cattle DOG IN TRAINING

Westy’s young girl (Ruby’s replacement – sshh, don’t tell her). 

Young, fast and headstrong, loves stealing vegetables, doesn’t like coming back when she’s called!

Our 100% Grass-FED COws

Our beef cattle come from what are commonly considered to be the best beef breeds, the Aberdeen Angus and the Hereford. 

We have both an Aberdeen Angus and a Hereford bull, and by crossing the breeds you produce what is commonly known as a “baldy”. The term is generally used for black Aberdeen Angus cattle that have the white Hereford head, but they can be other colours too. 

Grass-fed cattle fatten more slowly, and they are usually a minimum of 24 months old before they go for beef.
Cows in field at Branscombe seafront and raised for grass fed organic beef - Westy & Worzel Branscombe, East Devon
A few lambs enjoying grass at farm fields at Manor Mill Farm - Westy & Worzel Branscombe, East Devon

Our 100% Grass-Fed SHEEP

Our lambs are Lleyn or Lleyn x Suffolk. Both breeds do well on organic systems. 

As with the beef, we fatten them slowly on grass. 

Our preferred way to sell lambs is for customers to pre-order a half or whole lamb.  We take the lambs to our local organic slaughterhouse ourselves, with minimal stress, then collect the butchered and vacuum-packed meat and deliver it directly to our customers the same day.

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