Farm and Livestock
Our Aberdeen Angus cows graze on top of Dolebury Warren, an ancient Roman Hill Fort
Naturally coloured Romney x Shetland commercial sheep flock
Traditional Working Livestock Farm
Fernhill has always been alive with the sounds of nature. It’s an all-grassland farm with orchard, woodlands, hedges, and limestone walls that create a diverse range of field boundaries. This makes this a safe haven for both livestock and wildlife.
Through our holistic practice, we hope to make a difference for the future of our struggling planet. Our animals are multi-purpose and produce meat, wool and leather, while increasing soil biodiversity and sequestering carbon. This method of using livestock for the benefit of the land and environment is known as Regenerative Agriculture.
We have ruminant herds of cows and sheep, which slowly rotate around these fields on the Mendip Hills to mimic the natural grazing patterns of large herbivore herds. We allow long periods between grazing for each field to let plants recover and mature so their roots reach deep into the soil, extracting minerals and ensuring the long-term stability and quality of the land. The grass then provides nutritious food for the livestock, which in turn provide us with lean, rich meat.
Our sheep also provide wool that is harvested annually by expert shearers and used to create a range of natural fibre textiles that are processed here within the UK. You can read more about our wool and see products available on our sister website, Fernhill Fibre.
Sister sows rearing family litters in Tuckers Woods
Weave the Border Collie dog penning lambs for shearing
Two Sister Sows
Our Saddleback x Spot sows are a non-essential but useful part of the farm, reclaiming lost woodlands into functional agro-forestry areas, rooting up weeds and chomping up windfall apples, polytunnel waste and crunchy root crops. Rearing two litters each year, these sisters and their piglets are a delight to see when you visit the farm.
Working dogs
No farm is complete without a working dog and we have three: Weave the Border Collie, Fizz the Beardie Collie and Coco the NZ Huntaway. Together they help Andy shepherd the sheep all around the Mendip Hills. After work they delight in chasing the three cats: Whiskey, Miss Tibby and Smudge. There’s rarely a dull moment on a working livestock farm!