Known to many households and reputable eateries around Ayrshire James ‘Jim’ Nisbet, of Sorn Mains Farm, Sorn, has been supplying quality butcher meat for almost 38 years.

Born into a family of six, at Magbiehill Farm, just outside of Stewarton, in Ayrshire, Jim worked hard on the farm, but always knew there might not be enough work to go round.

Therefore, at the tender age of just 15, he went to McGarrity’s butcher, in Kilmarnock, and spent four and a half years learning the art of the trade.

“McGarrity’s taught me a lot about the trade - how to work with people, how to build a good relationship with your clients, and, most of all, how to select the best cuts of meat,” Jim explained.

At 19, Jim made the decision to buy his first butcher van, and this would enable him to reach the front doors of Ayrshire, where he could provide the very best service to all of his clients.

“However, to this day, I still keep in touch with McGarrity’s, who I am ever grateful to for giving me such a first class start in the business,” Jim added.

“I feel it is very important, in my business, to keep in touch with other local butchers, as there is plenty of room for everyone in the trade.”

In 1991, Jim moved his young family to Sorn Mains to expand the business further, as he felt there was an opportunity to develop the herd and improve the quality of his stock, so that he could provide the people of Ayrshire with first-class meat.

From this point on, he has never looked back, and went on to take on a further 600 acres on the farm, found on the glorious Dumfries House Estate, which is, of course, owned by HRH Prince Charles.

Prince Charles enjoys spending time at the estate, and in the Ayrshire countryside, and Jim prides himself on being the main supplier of meat consumed within the estate, a credit to the outstanding quality that the Nisbet family is committed to providing.

In his business, Jim has an articulate eye for what he is looking for and has passed this quality onto both his son, James, and daughter, Jennifer. Both now married, Jennifer was recently the primary school teacher of the year for Scotland, while James has many titles attached to his cattle and livestock, with his daughter of just eight-years-old taking the reserve champion junior sheep handler at 2018’s Great Yorkshire Show.

From start to finish, Jim is all about quality, from the meat he provides, to the quality of service he gives to his clients.

He said: “In talking to my clients and getting to know them, it allows me to provide them with exactly what they are looking for.”

In developing his herd of more than 430 prime breeding quality Limousin cross and Aberdeen-Angus cross cows, Jim’s customers can be assured that, where possible, his meat is supplied by his own quality herd.

“In this time of uncertainty, ensuring what is on your plate is of a good quality, and knowing where it came from is, in itself, something that is very much sought after,” Jim added.

Of late, Jim has been encouraging some of the eateries he supplies to try his own Scotch Lamb, which is another area that son, James, has been developing on the family farm, which now runs more than 1200 breeding ewes.

Encouraging eateries to try his Scotch Lamb, as well as producing a more substantial ding dish than what your average supermarket can offer, means that Jim is always busy, and these are just some of the areas he hopes to develop in his ever growing empire.

On speaking to his clients, Jim realised that the average busy working family does not always have the time to prepare a meal of both good quality and nutrition, so between himself, and his wife, Margaret, they are now working hard on the ding dish that will be ready to eat in seconds, and also provide some of that all important five-a-day, while also leaving your mouth watering.

So, from being able to provide good old-fashioned mince to the local corner shop, to providing a prime filet topped with the best dressings at a quality Ayrshire eatery, the Nisbet family butcher is the one to use to fill your fridge in 2019.