Wiltshire farmers honour late father with outdoor ten-course banquet
Two Wiltshire cattle farmers have paid tribute to their late father with a ten-course banquet of locally produced food.
Josef Bowles and his sister Elisabeth welcomed 24 special guests to the inaugural Burderop Banquet, an intimate event celebrating local food, farming and the legacy of their father, the late Dr Adrian Bowles.
Adrian established the family’s pedigree Dexter herd in 2019. Following his unexpected death in 2023, Josef and Elisabeth have continued the family business, producing Bowles Burderop Beef from grass-fed cattle reared on the estate.
Josef said, “Dad started the herd and this was very much about honouring him and what he began here. Elisabeth and I are carrying that forward, so having everyone together in the landscape, eating food connected to this land, felt like a very special way to remember him.
“There was a moment as the sun was setting when we all raised a glass of The King’s Ginger to Dad – one of his favourite drinks. That was incredibly important to us. This wasn’t simply about putting on a dinner. There was a much deeper meaning behind it.”
The evening brought together a variety of products from local producers and services from local suppliers, showcasing some of Wiltshire’s finest businesses against the backdrop of Burderop.
Josef added, “Burderop has been here for centuries, but a place stays alive through the people working in it now. Dad became part of that story when he established our Dexter herd, and now Elisabeth and I have the privilege of continuing it. For one evening the field became our dining room. People could taste food grown, raised or made close to the land and meet some of the people responsible for it. I think Dad would have loved it.”
