大象传媒

For Julian, from south Devon, motorbikes and meat are his two big passions, so he's got a dream job.

He's been a butcher for more than 20 years and now combines his love of meat with his thrill of riding around the county, offering farmers a freelance butchery service.

"I haven't got a car licence - I'm a biker through and through.

"It wakes me up in the morning and I can't think of a better way of seeing the countryside.

Julian became an apprentice butcher at 15

"It's to help farmers who want the odd body of beef cut up, or five lambs, so they can sell their meat at their local farmer's markets."

Julian's bespoke butchery service means he can turn up on his BMW F800, with his knives in his top box and cut up beef, lamb or, pork to the farmer's specification.

He started at the age of 15 as an apprentice with the butchers, Dewhurst. From there he's been on specialist boning courses, in abattoirs and worked on the shop floor at a supermarket butchers.

"I've been through loads of different places and learnt something from each one."

Now, although he lives in Kingsbridge, he travels to Tor Dean Farm, just off the A38 where he's a butcher with the Well Hung Meat Company.

"We now have a proper production line here, where the organic meat comes in, gets butchered and goes out the other end into the company's many and varied meat boxes."

He works with a close-knit team and his right-hand man is in fact听 a woman!

"I worked with Bev Hall at Lloyd Maunder - she's only small so she听 might not be able to carry a side of beef, but she's my first choice.

"She pays special attention to detail, as most women do!"

It's still early days for Julian's Biker Butcher service since he started up during the winter 2008-9.

"A few farmers asked me if I would butcher an animal at their farm and I thought, yea, why not.

Julian Hodge travels throughout Devon

"It's all about traceability really, but you get that from the abattoir.

"You don't need an all singing, all dancing state of the art cutting plant - a clean kitchen or barn with hot running water will do."

Julian's Soil Association organic cutting license means he can also offer farmers the SA stamp on their produce.

At the end of 2008 he was welcomed as a Member of The Worshipful Company of Butcher's Guild.

But he doesn't just know a thing or two about butchery. Julian can help anyone wanting to sell their meat make cost effective savings.

"I can help farmers make a profit on their meat by cutting it into the best cuts possible, right in front of them"

Julian can help work out what the market is whether it's winter and you want more joints of meat, or summer when most people want to eat from the BBQ.

Just as Julian's career has progressed, so has his bike ownership.

At nearly 40 he's a man who likes comfort and although he's got heated handlebars on his BMW, he's not ready for his pipe and slippers yet.

"It's like an organic piece of meat, once you've tried it you'll never go back."