
Jade Stock
Shropshire
Poultry (free-range/extensive)
TURKEY & GEESE, HEREFORDSHIRE/SHROPSHIRE BORDER: Jade runs a very seasonal farming business, rearing 200 Bronze free-range turkeys and 50 Norfolk free-range geese for the Christmas market on 7 acres (2.8 hectares) of land.
Jade’s farming year starts in June with the arrival of 200 turkey poults and 50 goslings. She rears them over six months until they reach the ideal weight for the Christmas table; approximately 4-10kg for a turkey and 4-6kg for a goose.
Jade slaughters, plucks and dresses her own birds on the farm, with the help of family and friends. They’re sold to customers locally and to a local restaurant and butchers, as well as online.
Jade is a first-generation farmer. She decided to start poultry farming following a drunken night in her local pub. She says: "About six pints and four gins down I saw the light and it was golden…turkeys that is! In all seriousness, it was a friend - the local gamekeeper. He knew how to raise turkeys and set us up with our equipment and gave us loads of advice to get started."
Jade has grown the flock from 10 birds to more than 200.
The birds don’t provide enough income to make a living all-year-round so Jade runs another company from home. She is a freelance financial adviser providing bespoke financial advice to rural communities in Herefordshire and the surrounding area.
Jade and her husband, James, have three children who all play an active part the care and welfare of the birds.
Jade likes shopping and anything horsey, but admits her children have a better social life than her these days.
Declared interests
Member of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and Golden Turkeys Association (Traditional Farm Fresh Turkeys).
Media experience
Featured in NFU Countryside Magazine and Farmers Guardian
Wrote a column for The Countryman (December, 2018)
Wrote three articles for In The Country Magazine
Appeared in Mother and Baby Magazine (May 2019)
Jade writes her my own blog and won Farm Blogger of the Year Award in 2019
Featured in Country Smallholder December 2020
Wrote two articles for Rural Life magazine.
Interviewed by Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 regarding turkey demand.
Quote in the Financial times December 2020 regarding turkey demand.
Interview for Wired UK December 2020.
Radio interview with BBC Hereford and Worcester.
Podcast for Farmer Guardian's Over The Farm Gate.