Two enterprising farmers from the Deddington area, Sebastian Peissel and Anthony Collier, have proved they are a cut above the rest. Farmers across the country have endured frustration after frustration this year, coping with flood damage, foot and mouth restrictions, blue tongue, rising feed costs and bird flu. In fact, 2007 will probably go down as one of the worst of farming years, with hundreds of farmers suffering huge losses.

Sebastian and Anthony have kept their heads above water. They owe their salvation to farmers' markets, a return to traditional farming methods and by joining forces to produce lamb and Gloucester Old Spot pork which is now butchered and prepared for market on Sebastian's farm.

They got together about 18 months ago, seeing their partnership as a way of making their farming more viable. Sebastian looks after the 400 ewes and their lambs, Anthony looks after the 150 Gloucestershire Old Spot sows and their delightful piglets. Together they organise their butchery, named The Meat Joint, which, thanks to a Defra/EU grant, is located in a former stable building on Iron Down Farm, dating back to 1740, which was once home to heavy work horses.

By preparing their own lamb and pork, and marketing it themselves, they are bringing employment to two local butchers and cutting out the middle man. After hours of trial and error, they have also devised award-winning recipes for their Gloucester Old Spot sausages and found a highly successful faggot recipe that dates back more than a century, which is also winning them awards.

Antony smiles as he remembers the time their faggots were being judged and admired.

He said: "The judge had already awarded them a Gold, but instead of moving on, he remained at the table, grazing on the bits that had fallen on to the plate. It was obvious he was enjoying it."

They decided to make faggots when they realised that this was a way of using the pig's liver, which does not always sell in high volume.

"Shoppers see the faggots and smile, often admitting that they remember their grandmother making them. Because we cut samples for them to try, even people who are too young to remember them find themselves buying a pack," said Sebastian.

The Meat Joint butchers trim to a very high standard, but none of the meat is wasted. Anthony and Sebastian sell the full range of cuts - offal, liver, hearts, the lot - even breasts of lamb which they stuff, making them easy to cook.

They also sell mutton, which is now becoming very popular, thanks to the Prince of Wales and the Mutton Renaissance campaign which was launched three years ago to support British farmers struggling to sell their older animals and get this delicious meat back on the nation's plates.

Mutton comes from sheep that are more than two years old who have lived on a forage-based diet, whereas lamb generally comes from animals that have been reared for five months.

As the ewes and lambs at Iron Down Farm thrive on clover-based leys, which were laid down a couple of years ago, to save the need for artificial nitrogen, their diets help develop succulent meat. In the winter, the flocks feed on farm-grown barley, which means that Anthony and Sebastian are not effected by rising feed-costs. The Gloucester Old Spots forage in an old orchard during the fine weather, only coming inside to strawed pens or yards in the winter.

Since the pigs moved on to Iron Down farm, the bird population has increased severalfold. Woodpeckers and song thrush are so at home there now, they can be seen pecking away quite close to the farmhouse.

This, says Anthony, is because of the wallows he dug for the pigs, so that they can cover themselves in mud during the summer months to avoid sunburn. "When the pigs aren't using the wallows the birds move in. They have made such a difference."

The sows' weaner and fattener ration includes a mix of wheat, barley and lupins - the last providing essential protein - which is grown and milled on the farm.

Gloucestershire Old Spots are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, too. People are coming to realise that this spotted pig, which has excellent maternal instincts and an even temperament, can't be hurried. While standard breeds can be matured in just six months, the Old Spot needs at least eight.

Once nicknamed Orchard Pigs, because they are excellent foragers and especially fond of apples, Gloucester Old Spots are particularly intelligent.

Anthony has watched them take hold of a low-hanging bow of an apple tree, shake it, then let go once an apple or two has fallen.

Sebastian has been attending farmers' markets since they began a decade ago and held the post of chairman for the local markets for two years. Tomorrow you will find him at the Didcot farmers' market. He and Anthony will be at the Appleton Community Market on Sunday and Bicester farmers' market on Thursday. The rest of their trading days this month include Chipping Norton farmers' market (Saturday, December 15), Witney farmers' market Wednesday, December 19, Banbury Charter Market (Thursday, December 20) and Deddington farmers' market (Saturday, December 22. Their meat can also be collected by arrangement from the Meat Joint at Iron Down Farm, telephone 01869 338635.

They both admit that this year has been difficult and that farming now is not an easy option, but as Anthony says: "There are moments when I stand on a brow of the hill and look down at the fields shrouded in mist and my heart still beats with joy at the sight of the countryside in all its glory. Yes - it's a struggle and yes we have had to diversify and join forces to survive - but it's been worth the effort."