We are Carrie & Tommy Andrews
Together with our son Luke, we run Wholly Cow - an Independent closed loop system consisting of a farm, micro abattoir, butchery, skincare, compost, worms and now Flock - a micro-tannery.
Connecting farmers to customers with food and now fibre.
It's important to us to preserve traditional craftsmanship and skills,being independent,making positive changes & direct connections with customers.
Carrie studied fine arts & Craft Design and has always been an avid maker, curiosity has lead her to practice many disciplines with farming unlocking many resources and opportunities.
Tommy was formerly a roading contractor in his family owned business, over the years he accumulated many valuable skill sets, his lateral thinking and proactive nature still remains as a key component in our business.
Carrie has begun Flock Leather Tannery, a journey which starts after the sheep skins are gathered from the micro-abattoir and then wheelbarrowed across the path to the small micro tannery { a shed, which leaks and has feathered friends. however we believe you have to get on and use what you have, because if you sit around waiting for everything to be just so,you will never do it!}
Here is where the magic happens. Learn about the process
The Farm
Our sheep & beef farm is situated on a 350 hectare park-like farm outside of Cambridge, Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand. A true paddock to plate operation, it also has an on-farm micro-abattoir.
The farm is an entire ecosystem, where we use holistic land management practices to build healthy, nutrient-rich, resilient soil that is continually improving year-on-year. Integrating trees & native bush within our farming system.
We minimise our environmental impact by adopting a more natural style of farming and a closed loop system. By doing everything on farm, we also minimise stress on our animals by reducing transportation.
As farmers and butchers, we love animals and that is why it is of significant importance that care and respect is implemented in all aspects of life and death. All animals raised on our farm are respected, taking full responsibility, with all abattoir waste being hot composted which then is spread back onto the land where the animal once grew.
Wholly Cow beef & lamb is processed in our micro abattoir by our small team. We then deliver the meat to our Wholly Cow butchery in Cambridge.
Why Sheep leather?
In the past, New Zealand had numerous small sheep leather tanneries, but now the skins are sent overseas for processing. At Flock Tannery in Cambridge, we decided to bring this art back home. After years of dedication, we've succeeded in tanning leather ourselves. We rescued old machinery and learned from a leather expert, ensuring the whole process starts and finishes with us. We avoid using chrome and treat waste liquids so they nourish our plants. Most importantly, we know where each leather item comes from, the life of the animal, and support local NZ artisans. This is genuine rural craftsmanship, aiming for a more sustainable future in fashion.
Circularity
At Flock, I make sure nothing is wasted, using the whole leather skin for our products. The designs reflect each hide's natural authentic traits , character,texture and thickness. A direct traceable journey. The decisions on what is to be made is determined from the individual leather skin, what characteristics it holds and what it would be most suited for.This makes each and every piece unique and unrepeatable.
A unique Farmer to Fashion story.
"We are all born unique - don't die a copy"
Flock celebrates individuality.