ORGANIC duck eggs and special sausages from a farm have been selected for a prestigious award.

Wimpole Estate’s Home Farm has scooped the National Trust Fine Farm Produce award for the seventh time in eight years.

Judges of the competition, which is supported by the Freedom Food initiative, remarked that Wimpole’s Stockman’s special chipolatas were “well seasoned and meaty, giving the perfect farm-house taste.”

Richard Morris, Farm Manager at Wimpole Home Farm, said: “The awards are important to us. Everyone works very hard and take a lot of pride in their work so it’s nice to have that recognised by the judges.”

Ducks were introduced to Wimpole in March 2011 to supply the estate’s restaurant and shop as well as nearby National Trust property Anglesey Abbey.

“We have quite a small scale operation with around 50 ducks,” said Richard. “They have freedom to roam during the day with lots of lush grazing and places to peck and scratch and we also feed them locally grown organic feed.”

The ducks lay approximately 400 eggs a week which means the farm can also supply local pubs and shops. The Stockman’s special chipolata pork sausages are produced from rare breed pigs. Wimpole currently butchers up to 150 pigs a year for both their own requirements and to sell from the farm shop. Rob Macklin, Head of Food and Farming at the National Trust and chair of the judging panel, said: “This year’s award winning foods have really captured the essence of the special place where they have been grown, bred or produced. It is our aim to really connect customers to where their food comes from and these awards are a great way for us to do this.

“Since 2006, over 250 products have received a Fine Farm Produce Award and this year’s winners will join a group of some of the very best producers that the country has to offer.”