DIVERSIFICATION is a word that can sometimes intimidate farmers, but others see it as a new opportunity, and grab it with both hands, and that’s exactly what Matt Waldie, of North Callange Farm at Pitscottie, has done.

Coming from a traditionally arable background, Matt has taken the plunge into native-bred cattle, with the help of a chunk of Scottish Government grant money.

Having purchased eight Belted Galloways – not a breed that is often seen in Matt’s native Fife – at the breed society sale in Carlisle in 2014, an injection of ScotGov money just last year has helped Matt grow his herd.

“I went for Belted Galloways because I work as a farm manager for an arable contracting company that covers over 2000 acres, so I’m very busy much of the year, and I wanted a breed that was hardy, and generally very self-sufficient, and to me, the Belties ticked those boxes, and so far, I certainly haven’t been disappointed.”

Matt, 28, who lives with his wife Lorna, now runs a herd of 42 Belted Galloway cattle, with 20 breeders currently on the ground. Calving through February and March, the hardy cattle are grass fed outside for almost the entire year.

Uniquely though, Matt is in the process of setting up a relationship with both a local butcher, and a local restaurant, which will hopefully see him selling his cattle for meat, and seeing them right through to being on customers plates in a successful local restaurant.

Stewart Minick, of Minick of St Andrews artisan butchers, hopes to start regularly killing Matt’s cattle, to both sell in his shop, and to supply to Duncan McLachlan, the head chef at Playfairs restaurant in St Andrews, part of the Ardgowan Hotel.

Stewart was keen to get on board, as he is well aware of the value of home-grown, locally bred beef: “Smaller farming set ups approach us quite often to kill and cut maybe a single beast for them, and that’s how Matt and I started working together,” he explained.

“Smaller herds can often find market access problematic, and as much as we do work with large scale herds with bigger production levels, we’re always keen to work with the smaller herds, because you know exactly what level of work and effort has been poured into their product.

“It’s also a massive bonus for us, because customers in our shops love provenance – they love to know where their meat has come from, and the story behind it, and they love local meat that hasn’t the miles on it that your supermarket beef does," said Stewart.

“People will try it once because it’s something a bit different, but nine times out of ten they’ll come back for the quality. We sometimes have trouble getting young folk into the butchers shop, but we’re getting there, and when our produce comes from a young person like Matt, who has something a wee bit different to offer, then it certainly doesn’t do our cause any harm either.”

Matt is also actively involved with the Royal Highland Education Trust, and through 4Front Farming, a company founded by four local farmers including his father, is equally keen on educating young people about what happens on working farms and where there food comes from.

Playfairs chef Duncan, who has been friends with Matt since their school days, got chatting to Matt about his cattle when he took his wife to the restaurant for a meal.

“Matt was telling me about his cattle, and how they were reared, and it all sounded great to me,” explained Duncan.

“I was also lucky enough to taste some of his home-grown Beltie beef at Matt's wedding, as Stewart had butchered two of his bullocks for him, which were served to guests, and it was delicious, so I was keen to see how we could take things forward.

“I really want to make it a feature in the restaurant. Locally sourced meat and produce is a massive thing for us. If we know that something is good quality and well looked after, and if that results in an amazing flavour, then it more than ticks all the boxes of what we are looking to serve up to our customers.”

Matt originally invested in cattle as something to call his own, as he isn’t a partner in his father’s farm, and although he is a manager for 4Front Farming, he wanted to start an enterprise that he can both invest in, and hope to reap the full rewards from.

He is realistic though, and is the first to concede that the ScotGov money he received has played a key role in making his Beltie venture a more viable business endeavour.

“The grant was a massive boost for us” admitted Matt. “It allowed me to up my numbers from eight to 20, and it also allowed me to invest in a portable cattle handling system and re-fencing, which makes a world of difference for occasions when the cattle need worked with.

“The cattle are partially out-wintered on stubble so that makes that easier too.”

He works with only 20 hectares of grass land available to him, and although he’s happy with his herd numbers for now, if things were to take off, he would not think twice about upping his headcount.

His stock bull was reared from birth, from a 'Huntfield' cow bought in calf at Carlisle, and is son of the 2013 Royal Highland show male champion and overall reserve champion, Southfield Major Ronaldo. With his first crop of calves now on the ground, Matt is delighted with his progeny so far, and is keen to see what the future holds, now that things have been able to move forward.

“Overall, starting with the Belted Galloways was a means of me having my own capital, so to speak, so being able to increase my numbers has really ensured it’s a business, not just a hobby. They were never intended to be a hobby, but small numbers definitely leave you feeling a bit limited when it comes to what you can do," he said.

“Being involved in the breed has been brilliant so far, and I’ve shown at Fife and West Fife shows, which gives you another taste of what the breed can offer you, and I’m a firm believer that things like shows can be a good shop window.

“I now also have more heifers to sell at the Belted Galloway Society sales held at Castle Douglas and Carlisle, which is obviously a massive boost, and if things with Stewart and Duncan can take off too, then all the better.

“I know I’ve only been in the breed a short time, but, so far, so good!”