Fernhill Farm

An Arcadian Place to Stay

SPINNING A YARN
Sep
14
to Nov 30

SPINNING A YARN

  • Somerset Rural Life Museum (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

SPINNING A YARN

Discover the story of wool in Somerset through an exhibition and art installation

14TH SEPT - 30 NOV 2024 - Abbey Barn installations close 2 Nov

This Somerset Art Works project focuses on Wool, with an exhibition, large scale installation and film, opening in September 2024 at the Somerset Rural Life Museum Glastonbury, with project partners South West Heritage Trust.

A programme of events for community outreach, school workshops and talks will also take place.

Alongside the commissions there will be a rich display of museum objects, oral archives, a community artwork installation plus contemporary work created using wool by Somerset-based artists and makers. An exciting programme of talks, workshops and family activities offer opportunities for all ages to explore this fascinating material.

View Event →
Official After Party - The Skimmity Hitchers
Mar
16
6:30 PM18:30

Official After Party - The Skimmity Hitchers

Official After Party - The Skimmity Hitchers

We'll be playing the official evening 'after-party' in their recently refurbed Horseshoe Barns, with a whole host of international sheep shearers, farm folk and Somerset legends in attendance. We'd love you to come and join us for music, cider* and food at this very special, one-off event

View Event →
Mutton Club - end of Winter Celebration
Feb
10
7:00 PM19:00

Mutton Club - end of Winter Celebration

A long-time ambition of ours, is the Mutton Club - an appreciation for all things Fernhill Farm, and a celebration of sheep and nomadic shepherding

We won’t make you eat mutton on every occasion and all dietary requests will be fully catered for, it’s just a simple evening of togetherness with a focus on true food, lovely conversations, some sort of entertainment in a warm safe space here on the Mendip Hills.

View Event →
Mutton Club - Winter Solstice
Dec
21
7:00 PM19:00

Mutton Club - Winter Solstice

A long-time ambition of ours, is the Mutton Club - an appreciation for all things Fernhill Farm, and a celebration of sheep and nomadic shepherding

We won’t make you eat mutton on every occasion and all dietary requests will be fully catered for, it’s just a simple evening of togetherness with a focus on true food, lovely conversations, some sort of entertainment in a warm safe space here on the Mendip Hills.

View Event →
An introduction to Shearing and Animal Husbandry with NSA @ FHF
Sep
27
10:00 AM10:00

An introduction to Shearing and Animal Husbandry with NSA @ FHF

Aimed at those with a basic or no experience of sheep shearing and other associated sheep husbandry skills. The day will give an introduction to blade and machine shearing with a hands-on approach, including learning when the best time is to shear sheep, the importance of preparing a handling area, catching and getting a sheep into the right position for shearing and well as the opportunity to have a go at shearing yourself under supervision and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions throughout the day.

View Event →
FARM OPEN DAY - Blade Shearing Tournament & Fleece Sale – Autumn 2023
Sep
16
10:00 AM10:00

FARM OPEN DAY - Blade Shearing Tournament & Fleece Sale – Autumn 2023

Please find yourself invited to join us at Fernhill Farm to watch the sheep being shorn in our lively shearing shed.

World Class Blade shearers will be taking part in this bi-annual tournament to compete with plenty of the best this industry has to offer and help raise the profile of the Benefits of Blade Shearing here in the UK.

Buy fleece fresh off the boards in the shearing shed, as well as finished products made from our wool in our pop-up Sheep Shop - beautiful scarves, blankets, yarn, clothing, bespoke sheepskins and more in a range of natural and dyed colours. 

Throughout the day wool spinning and peg loom weaving workshops will be available from the Fernhill Fibre team, and we welcome all those who use natural resources to promote and create rural activities.

NEW - we are also welcoming visitors to create a spinning wheel sale / exchange area - we will take no commission or lead on this, its simply a way to share resources amongst the crowd as ancient tools should be celebrated as we recognise the importance of hand tools

On the food front:

The Fernhill Farm team will be here serving up delicious tasty meals, with an array of local ciders and ales and The Coffee.Box will park up and serve amazing cakes alongside their fantastic hot beverages.

Yeo Valley Ice-creams and Home Wood Sheep Cheeses complete the local feasts on offer - all within a few miles from our farm.

Fernhill Farm meat boxes will be available from the freezers on the day - please bring your own chiller box and stock up for the Autumn feast season - Produce Shop details HERE

Fred Bonestroo will be bringing his Organic Veg truck again - Fred is a Blade Shearer who is Farmer Freds Close Farm Tetbury and grows a truly excellent range of seasonal vegetables in organic ways

Demonstrations:

Sheep Dog* demonstrations will happen just outside the shearing shed - Mike Dowden is chairman of the Come Bye and Away Sheepdog Training and Trailing group near Glastonbury and will be showing training ideas with all levels of working sheep dogs, from pups to old collies (*Please leave your dogs at home thanks)

Delighted to welcome wood carving workshops again with Tim Graham - Tim is a green woodworker and carver based in Frome. Using a variety of tools he creates spoons, cups and bowls from trees that have been recently felled. His work reflects the timber from which it has been carved utilising natural curves and bends in the wood to add strength to the finished products.

Tim will be running 30 minute carving workshops at 11am, 1pm and 3pm where participants can carve their own knitting needles using wood collected from Fernhill Farm. Please sign up at his stall on the day. www.timclivegraham.bigcartel.com  @timclivegraham

Land Logic Timber will be here with all things Timbers and sharp and dangerous tools again - thanks to Rupert we have built our sheds, glamping arcs and clad our Horseshoe Barns using our home grown and local timber supplies

On the regenerative educational theme, we have a full day of farm walks and talks:

10.30am - Arran Redman from ifA - Talking Soil - Arran is a Natural Resources Advisor working with i4Agri and is leading the project Exploring Livestock Emissions (ELE) Action Group Fernhill farm is participating in - soils samples have been taken and the details showcased here at our Farm Open Day - visiting pre-dug soil pits to show the effect holistic grazing has on soil systems, plant and root dynamics with nutrient exchange.

11.30am - Nature Recovery with the local Ranger Nathan Orr from the Mendip Hills AONB - see details below at 4pm

12.30 - regenerative sessions with Christopher and Sheila Cooke from 3LM - a 2-part informative introduction to studying Regenerative Farming principles -

12.30 - Part 1 is a 45 minute overview of Fernhill Farms EOV results, indoors looking at a slideshow with Jen interpreting field analysis data with practical explanations over the last 4 years on the Land to Market Platform with Savory Institute

1.15 - Part 2 is the 3LM Land Discovery Tour walking across the land looking at key indicator species etc - all outdoors for approximately 45 minutes

2.00pm - WET Systems with Jay Abrahams from Biologic Design Ltd - Wastewater is purified naturally at Fernhill Farm by a Wetland Ecosystem Treatment or WET System, based on permaculture design principles. Jay will shows his design slides in our Saloon classroom, followed by a tour of the WET system www.biologicdesign.co.uk

4.00pm - Nature Recovery with the local Ranger Nathan Orr from the Mendip Hills AONB

This information is approximate, times may vary on the day so please do check in again when your here for the latest updates and follow our event page from September 7th

Slideshows will be within the Saloon Classroom, next to farm café and toilets - meeting point is just outside the Saloon - within the Hay Shed, opposed to the Sheep Shearing Shed

Free entry to all – it's a perfect family day out (NO DOGS) and please do get in contact if you wish to get involved wool@fernhill-farm.co.uk

All proceeds are donated as prize money for talented shearers

See official event page on Facebook here for latest information: Blade Tournament Autumn Equinox 2023

View Event →
OUTCIDER 3rd - 6th August 2023
Aug
3
to Aug 6

OUTCIDER 3rd - 6th August 2023

OutCider Festival is an old school, no nonsense weekend of fantastic live music, cider and madness in the Mendip hills just south of Bristol.

No tribute bands. No X-Factor. No Carling lager. No tossers!

OutCider Festival features 35+ acts over two alternating, barn-covered stages. The mix of music is eclectic, energetic and definitely not anything mainstream. The camping field is lush and spacious and we welcome live-in vehicles.

We pride ourselves on a fun, inclusive atmosphere and many people return every year to be part of the big Fuelled By Cider family. We’d love to see you there too.

See our Facebook page for scores of positive reviews, plus photos, festival news and updates.

Tickets for 2023 are on sale now.

2023 Saturday & Sunday Tickets

Saturday & Sunday tickets allow entry from Saturday morning and camping in tents on Saturday and Sunday night. If you wish to arrive for the Friday entertainment and camping you will need to add a Friday Early Arrival Ticket.

Tier 1 Early Bird  - £79  SOLD OUT!

Tier 2 Standard – £89 

All tickets are sent by email two weeks before the event.

Friday Tickets

Friday Early Arrival Early Bird – £25 - SOLD OUT!


Friday Early Arrival Standard Ticket (Only valid with a Sat/Sun ticket) – £30

All include access to the site from 2pm on Friday 4th August and camping in a tent on Friday night. ON SALE NOW!


Thursday Tickets

Thursday tickets are £20 and allow access from 2pm on Thursday 3rd August.

Day Tickets are no longer available for this event.


Parking & Live In Vehicles

All vehicles will need either a parking pass or live in vehicle pass. Live in Vehicle passes are limited in number and once all are sold we will not be able to allocate anymore so please make sure you select correctly.

Live in Vehicle Pass

Standard 6M x 4M pitch £35
Large 9M x 5M pitch £55
Price is per vehicle and the same regardless of the number of nights you are staying.

Parking Pass – £10

http://www.fuelledby.bigcartel.com/

View Event →
Low Stress Livestock Handling Training 1-Day Course
Jul
13
9:30 AM09:30

Low Stress Livestock Handling Training 1-Day Course

Learn to see the world the way a cow does, so you can be safe and stress-free in handling them. Educator Miriam Parker was trained by the originators, Bud Williams and Temple Grandin, and was awarded an MBE for services in farming in 2006. The course involves classroom sessions, as well as outdoor exercises with cattle. We limit the course to 12 participants so everyone gets a turn

View Event →
Blade Shearing with Fleece Sale & Fibre Quest – Spring 2023
Mar
18
to Mar 19

Blade Shearing with Fleece Sale & Fibre Quest – Spring 2023

Fibre Quest is the quest to find local, organic, regenerative, real, natural and native fibres and is being held at Fernhill Farm - our regenerative eco-farm

In its second year, we welcome up to 25 exhibitors with natural, low-impact plant & animal fibres, natural dyes and earthy craft items to sell within a large marquee here onsite.

We aim to showcase the use of many different natural fibres alongside our wool harvesting system, with a key focus on holistic agriculture.

We have collated a Hive Hall Programme that includes talks from specialist speakers and a Saturday “farm” panel discussing regenerative fashion, and a Sunday “yarn” panel having a conversation with industry experts about establishing local links to improve the use of British Wool. These panels are at 11.30am in the Horseshoe barn and will be followed by a Q&A session with time for lunch, meet the speakers and enjoy a few short, informative films. Full programme will be published on the Fibre Quest website www.fibrequest.co.uk soon and more details are below*

There are plenty of craft workshops focussed on natural fibres, with free sit-in sessions and a children’s area in the Fibre Quest Marquee, and the FHF team will offer craft competitions in the sheep shearing shed in the afternoons.

​The Fibre Quest café will be within the cosy Horseshoe Barns, serving up homegrown farm meals, lots of teas, coffee and cakes and when your ready, the Fernhill Far BAA bar will open from midday, with sheep shearers tunes for a light hearted easy way to spend these Spring days.

Our Blade Shearing Tournament will enable you to observe some of the top blade shearers in the Northern Hemisphere exhibit their master craft in the sheep shearing shed - 10am - 5pm Saturday 18th March, with prizes for the winners of the Novice, Intermediate and Open finalists. This money is collated from the raffle drawn at 5pm, along with all proceeds from Andy’s and Jen workshops throughout the weekend, the BAA Bar, and new for 2023, the Mutton Club Shearers Banquet so please do come along and support the sheep shearing profession.

Blade Shearing Workshops will be available all day Sunday 19th where expert tutors will guide you through shearing a sheep using traditional hand shears we call blades - FULLY BOOKED

In the field, we will be showcasing the use of sheepdog handling close at hand, plus Land Discovery Farm Walks with Christopher Cooke from the Savory Institute and 3LM - here we will be discussing how to rehabilitate the land with animals grazing in rotation, conserving soils and enhancing biodiversity whilst harvesting replenishing resources that can benefit water, plant and mineral cycles.

Christopher will also guide you through the World View carousel in the Stone Circle - discussing how the holistic thinking differs from before. These will be available Saturday and Sunday and please gather for these sessions in the Shearing Shed.

The Fernhill Fleece Sale will be running on both days from the Sheep Shearing Shed, where you see how we throw each fleece from the boards and onto our grading tables for hand picking and sorting before sale - we begin our annual wool harvesting from February so there will be plenty of prepared fleeces with all the colours and curls from our pure Organic Romneys, and Romney X Shetlands, along side our speciality flock of lustre breeds that include Teeswaters, Blue-Faced Leicester's, Leicester Long wools and Wensleydales

Jen is also offering workshops in Wool Handling and Adding Value to Fleece - please book your slot here  

The Fernhill Fibre shop will be selling fleeces, craft items, yarns, felts and finished products made from our verified regenerative wool fibres - this sits nicely alongside the Fibre Quest event as we welcome several of our fibre clients here to showcase how they can truly make our natural fibres shine with colours and clothing styles. We will also have our own leather goods and meat boxes for sale from our mini farm shop here on site.

*Hive Hall Programme:

SATURDAY 18th March

 In Hive Hall – Horseshoe Barn

10.00            A selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield 

11.00            Talk: Starting a Dye Hobby with Caroline Bawn

11.30            Fibre Quest Panel:  Regenerative Fashion Value Chains: What They Look Like & How to Grow Them

•        Elizabeth Keach – Fashion Brand Atonement.Earth MA Regenerative Fashion (Chair)

•        Sheila Cooke – 3LM                                                     

•        Amelia Twine – Sustainable Fashion Week

•        Jen Hunter – Fernhill Farm and Fernhill Fibre               

•        Bob Blandon – British Wool

Saturday’s expert panel will be discussing the following points:

1.     What should be meant by the term: 'Regenerative Fashion'?

2.     What are the main barriers preventing Brands and Farms from     working together?

3.     How can policymakers better support regenerative fashion?

4.     What financial support or incentives should be in place for those practising or looking to transition, to regenerative fibre farming

5.     What role should monitoring carbon and biodiversity play on regenerative farms?

 

12.30     LUNCH & a selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield

1.30        Film Premiere: Forgotten Fibre + Q&A - Tristan Sherfield & cohort

2.00        Talk: Traceable Wool - QR codes - Bob Blandon - British Wool

2.30        Talk: Holistic Management, Regen Verification -Sheila Cooke 3LM

3.00        Talk: Jake Locke of silvasheep.com

3.30        Talk: Regenerative Certification - Jason Gale - A Greener World

 

In the Shearing Shed

Saturday - Blade Shearing Tournament 10am - 5pm – Novice, Intermediate, Open competitions

Bar opens from 12 noon offering local ales, wines, ciders and cocktails from 4pm

Children’s Corner - all day - FREE activities and hands on tasks that demonstrate the process of working with wool

Fernhill Fibre Craft Competitions – from 2.30pm. Prizes for winners and runners up

·        Under 15's 2D needle felting – create a picture using Fernhill Felt judged by Saj Collyer - £5 entry

·        Over 15's Tuffet weaving – create the best design for the FHF tuffet judged by Central St Martins College students - £10 entry

RAFFLE - prize draw announced at 5pm with the winners of the Blade Shearing Tournament and Craft Competitions

Sheep Shearers Mutton Club Supper – 7pm – please pre-book here

 

In the Field

3.00     Land Discovery Tour: an introduction to Nature’s Fundamental Processes. Farm walk - One hour

4.15      World View Carousel – How the holistic worldview differs from anything else prior. Walk to Stone Circle – 45mins

All with Christopher Cooke from 3LM – Holistic Management Trainer for Savory Institute                                                                                                      

Please meet in the Sheep Shearing Shed - Voluntary contributions accepted

 

Sheep dog demonstrations - Times confirmed on the day

 

 SUNDAY 19th March

 In Hive Hall – main room, Horseshoe Barn

10.00            A selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield 

10.30            Talk: Fibreshed

11.00            Talk: Lucy Stockton – Mendip Hills AONB

11.30            Fibre Quest Panel: Why is wool only 1% of the global textile volumes - how can we create more awareness about the benefits of wool

•        Andy Wear – Fernhill Farm (chair)

•        Katie Allen - Loopy Ewes

•        Sheila Cooke – 3LM

•        David  Wilkins – Rampishamhill Mill

•        Anna Heaton – Textile Exchange, Devon

Sunday’s expert panel will be discussing the following points:

1.     How can we improve local wool supplies, ensuring quality at every stage of processing

2.     What can renewable energy offer regenerative textile industries –use of renewable resources – fibre, electricity, water and stopping pollution  

3.     How does wool compare to plant fibres and new emerging textile products made from Algae, casein milk proteins, Tencel (wood pulp) both in the natural environment and for human health  

4.     We are all consumers – what should, could and must we all do in our daily lives to support the re-emergence of local and regenerative textiles

 

12.30     LUNCH & a selection of short films curated by Tristan Sherfield

1.30        Film Premiere: Forgotten Fibre + Q&A - Tristan Sherfield & cohort

2.00        Talk: Textile Exchange - Anna Heaton

2.30        Talk: Preparing your fibre to send to a mill and choosing the right end product - David Wilkins - Rampishamhill Mill

3.00        Talk: What is Regenerative Fashion - Elizabeth Keach

3.30        Talk: The Power of Stinging Nettles for Personal & Environmental Health - Jane Gray

In the Shearing Shed

 

Blade Shearing workshops throughout the day (fully booked)

Bar opens from 12 noon offering local ales, wines, ciders and cocktails from 4pm

Children’s Corner - all day - FREE activities and hands on tasks that demonstrate the process of working with wool

Fernhill Fibre Craft Competitions – from 2.30pm. Prizes for winners and runners up

·        Under 15's 2D needle felting – create a picture using Fernhill Felt judged by Saj Collyer - £5 entry

·        Over 15's Tuffet weaving – create the best design for the FHF tuffet judged by Central St Martins College students - £10 entry

RAFFLE - prize draw announced at 5pm with the winners of the Blade Shearing Tournament and Craft Competitions

 In the Field

1.30     Land Discovery Tour: an introduction to Nature’s Fundamental Processes. Farm walk - One hour

3.00      World View Carousel – How the holistic worldview differs from anything else prior. Walk to Stone Circle – 45mins

All with Christopher Cooke from 3LM – Holistic Management Trainer for Savory Institute                                                                                                   

Please meet in the Sheep Shearing Shed - Voluntary contributions accepted

 

Information about Tickets and Accommodation:

This event was partially funded in 2022 by the Mendip Hills AONB under their new initiative Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) project and its a huge help to get us started - Thank You Mendip AONB.

2023 will be a ticketed event - £5pp for Saturday or Sunday, £8 for both days

Accommodation is available for shearers and wool handlers - please contact Jen.

Accommodation is available for exhibitors - please contact Fibre Quest

Coming along to the event, you can also book campers pitches when you purchase your entrance tickets www.fibrequest.co.uk

Fibre Quest is in collaboration with the already well established Stitch Fest South West - Devon’s biggest yarn festival held in November since 2016. Please do get in contact if you wish to get involved I'm interested

If you wish to read more about the history behind Blade Shearer - here is an interview with Andy: fernhillfibre.co.uk/blog/2020/2/12/leading-blade-shearer-highlights-wool-potential

Please note - this is a No Dogs site as we have a working pack of hounds here and sheepdogs demonstrating their skills too - thanks for your understanding

View Event →
Mutton Club - Indian Winter Solstice
Dec
21
7:00 PM19:00

Mutton Club - Indian Winter Solstice

A long-time ambition of ours, is the Mutton Club - an appreciation for all things Fernhill Farm, and a celebration of sheep and nomadic shepherding

We won’t make you eat mutton on every occasion and all dietary requests will be fully catered for, it’s just a simple evening of togetherness with a focus on true food, lovely conversations, some sort of entertainment in a warm safe space here on the Mendip Hills.

Look forward to welcoming you - guest speaker will be award winning Andrew Wear - Sheep Farmer of the Year by Farmers Weekly 2022

View Event →
Mutton Club - Moroccan
Nov
26
7:00 PM19:00

Mutton Club - Moroccan

A long-time ambition of ours, is the Mutton Club - an appreciation for all things Fernhill Farm, and a celebration of sheep and nomadic shepherding

We won’t make you eat mutton on every occasion and all dietary requests will be fully catered for, it’s just a simple evening of togetherness with a focus on true food, lovely conversations, some sort of entertainment in a warm safe space here on the Mendip Hills.

The second continues on Saturday 26th November 2022 from 7pm

Look forward to welcoming you - guest speaker will be award winning Andrew Wear - Sheep Farmer of the Year by Farmers Weekly 2022

View Event →
Webinar - Utilising data to guide land management decisions
Nov
10
7:30 PM19:30

Webinar - Utilising data to guide land management decisions

WEBINAR: Demonstrating Achievable Change

Utilising data to guide land management decisions

We are delighted to announce that, Andy Wear and Jen Hunter of Fernhill Farm, were voted Sheep Farmer of the Year by Farmers Weekly last month. The BBC attributed the win to their “holistic approach to land management”.


Winning ways include:


Their land did well in this past Summer’s drought. Neighbours kept asking Andy why he had so much grass.

  • They shear wool by hand with blades to eliminate the noise and vibration of machines and their sheep relax as though being massaged.

  • They lamb outdoors, and feed only grass with low inputs, reducing business overheads.

  • They focus on meat and wool quality, as well as wool genetics, achieving high premiums for fleece sales through Woolkeepers.


Please join us on Thursday the 10th of November at 19:30, when Andy and Jen will tell their story in the webinar, Demonstrating an Achievable Pathway to Change: Utilising Data to Guide Management Decisions.


They will speak about their experience over the past three years with Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) to improve their management of the land.

There will be time for Q&A.


Following the webinar we will send a recording of the webinar to registrants, as well as a Land Discovery Tour, which enables you to begin seeing your land through a holistic lens.

Questions? Please contact me:

Sheila Cooke, 3LM

sheila.cooke@3lm.network

Tel: 07446 780081

View Event →
Mutton Club
Oct
15
7:00 PM19:00

Mutton Club

A long-time ambition of ours, is the Mutton Club - an appreciation for all things Fernhill Farm, and a celebration of sheep and nomadic shepherding

We won’t make you eat mutton on every occasion and all dietary requests will be fully catered for, it’s just a simple evening of togetherness with a focus on true food, lovely conversations, some sort of entertainment in a warm safe space here on the Mendip Hills.

The first starts on Saturday 15th October 2022 from 7pm - FULLY BOOKED

Here is your menu:

  • Cumin and parmesan bread stick with a mini black pepper and local cheddar bread muffin.

    MAIN

  • Succulent Fernhill farm mutton stew with pearl onions, red wine, thyme and rosemary

    SIDES

  • Fernhill farm homegrown potato dauphinoise with thyme and garlic

  • Salt baked celeriac

  • Roasted autumn root veg

  • Greens

    DESSERT

  • Fernhill farm homegrown apple tarte tatin with vanilla fudge ice cream

Please PRE-BOOK your special dietary needs here thanks jen@fernhill-farm.co.uk 07903584695

On this first occasion we are offering this at £20pp with a Bring Your Own Drinks bar set up as we are not permitted to sell alcoholic drinks at Fernhill Farm

Most welcome to help yourself to water, teas and coffees all evening, with soft drinks and glasses available so please do bring a bottle or two of your favourite tipples

As we have onsite accommodation, it’s also possible to book a bed here - please enquire with numbers and let’s see what we can do to arrange a breakfast chef too thanks

Look forward to welcoming you - guest speaker will be award winning Andrew Wear - Sheep Farmer of the Year by Farmers Weekly 2022

View Event →
Blade Shearing Tournament & Fleece Sale – Autumn 2022
Sep
18
10:30 AM10:30

Blade Shearing Tournament & Fleece Sale – Autumn 2022

Please find yourself invited to join us at Fernhill Farm to watch the sheep being shorn in our lively shearing shed.

World Class Blade shearers will be taking part in this bi-annual tournament to compete with plenty of the best this industry has to offer and help raise the profile of the Benefits of Blade Shearing here in the UK.

Buy fleece fresh off the boards in the shearing shed, as well as finished products made from our wool in our pop-up Sheep Shop - beautiful scarves, blankets, yarn, clothing and more in a range of natural and dyed colours. 

Throughout the day wool spinning, peg loom weaving and needle felt workshops will be available from the Fernhill Fibre team, and we welcome all those who use natural resources to promote and create rural activities.

The Fernhill Farm team will be here serving up delicious tasty meals, with an array of local drinks and The Coffee.Box will park up and serve amazing cakes alongside their fantastic hot beverages.

Free entry to all – it's a perfect family day out (NO DOGS) and please do get in contact if you wish to get involved wool@fernhill-farm.co.uk

All proceeds are donated as prize money for talented shearers

View Event →
Two Stand British Strong Wool Ewes Blade Shearing Record
Sep
17
6:00 AM06:00

Two Stand British Strong Wool Ewes Blade Shearing Record

Two stand British Strong Wool Ewes Blade Shearing Record

September 17th, 2022 from 6am to 6pm for 9 hours of Blade Shearing

Location is our Sheep Shearing Shed @ Fernhill Farm

https://www.facebook.com/events/AndyWearandElfedJackson

Please find details of the official sponsorship letter here:

I am Andrew Wear from Fernhill Farm on the Mendip hills, Somerset with a huge passion for Blade Shearing. Together with my partner Jen Hunter and our two teenage sons we holistically manage 1300 Romney cross Shetland ewes alongside our events and wool enterprises.

 Awarded the BISCA long standing dedication to the shearing industry, I am recognised as a UK ambassador for Blade Shearing and delighted to share we are a current Sheep Farmer of the Year Finalist 2022.

 I would also like to introduce my teammate Elfed Jackson, a farmer and part time agricultural collage tutor running 700 Welsh Mountain Ewes with his wife Bwn, on the family’s tenanted farm on the Carneddau range in Snowdonia.

 We have known each other since 1985 when we first competed at the Royal Bath and West show. Since then, we have competed against each other at most shows here in Britain and travelled and competed at many World Shearing Championships including South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland and France.

 As we are both celebrating a very special 60th birthday this year, we have decided that we are going to attempt a Two stand, nine-hour, Strong Wool Ewe Blade Shearing British record at Fernhill farm –

 We will be the first two in the UK to attempt a British Two stand Strong Wool Ewe Blade Shearing Record and we are confident that we will be successful.

 We are therefore writing to ask if you would kindly offer to sponsor our British Record attempt.  We are seeking to raise a considerable amount for our chosen charities and to help cover costs.

These costs include a £2000 fee to the British Isles Shearing Competition Association (BISCA), the expenses of adjudicators and judges who will be present to scrutinise the quality of our shearing throughout the day. A designated animal welfare officer will ensure that the highest standards of husbandry are maintained under strict record conditions and a team of people, that without their help in preparing the sheep and making sure the day runs smoothly without whom a record would not be possible, will need accommodation in the vicinity of the farm.

Andy and Jen will be responsible for management of the record sheep until the event, and with their vast experience of running previous British & World records at their farm, we can trust the highest standards of organisation will be achieved. This detailed preparation incurs costs including setting up the shearing stand to British Record requirements and ensuring the correct sheep handling facilities are in place, as well as managing the flock’s optimum health through the summer.

Other costs include employing a technician, a skilled expert to manage our shearing gear, a sheep Vet present on the day in charge of welfare, a first aider, and providing Fernhill Farm Food and Accommodation with ample facilities for all the team on the day.

Our chosen charities whom we are raising funds and awareness for is the DPJ Foundation and FCN.

The DPJ Foundation, which supports those in the Agricultural sector in Wales. The mental health farming charity works with leading organisations in agriculture including NFU Cymru, FUW, YFC, Vets and Welsh Government to help provide an accessible and flexible service.

The Farming Community Network (FCN) is a voluntary organisation and charity that supports farmers and families within the farming community through difficult times.

We should be very grateful if you would please consider the following sponsorship brackets:

 Premium Sponsor

Required financial contribution: £1,000

 Your Company logo will feature on all team t-shirts and our shearing singlets on the day.

Your Company logo will feature on all promotional material and social media surrounding the event.

Your Company logo will feature on the tally board which will be photographed throughout the day.

Your Company banner will be positioned above the shearing stand in main view of supporters present on the day and video streaming of the event worldwide.

 Major Sponsor

Required financial contribution: £500 - £1,000

 Your Company logo will feature on all team t-shirts and our shearing singlets on the day.

Your Company logo will feature on all promotional material and social media surrounding the event.

Your Company banner will be visible at the back or sides of the shed on the day of the event.

 Sponsor

Required financial contribution: £250 - £500

Your Company logo will feature on all promotional material and social media surrounding the event.

Your Company banner will be visible at the event.

 We should be very grateful if you could contact me at your earliest convenience, so that work to organise the event can begin as quickly as possible with your support. This is the first time a British 9 hour, two stand, Strong Wool Ewe Blade Shearing Record has ever been attempted and success on the day will be down to the huge effort from all involved and the generosity of sponsors in making it possible.

Media coverage of the event will no doubt be extensive, previous shearing records in the UK have attracted a great deal of global media attention for the sponsors involved.  

 If you are able to commit to sponsorship, please return by post your approved contribution as a cheque made payable to Fernhill Farm or pay directly into Account Fernhill Farm 01137809 sort code 30.99.51

 Many thanks in advance for your contribution, which will empower farmers of all ages to share in good and difficult times and raise money for such worthwhile charities.

 Yours sincerely Andy Wear

andy@fernhill-farm.co.uk

07712616797

View Event →
Blade Shearing with Fleece Sale & Fibre Quest – Spring 2022
Mar
19
to Mar 20

Blade Shearing with Fleece Sale & Fibre Quest – Spring 2022

Delighted our next Open Day will become a two day event that welcomes you all to join us at Fernhill Farm to watch the sheep being shorn in our lively shearing shed at our wonderful verified regenerative eco-farm on the Mendip Hills.

The reason we have extended this over the weekend is due to the launch of an exciting new show FIBRE QUEST - bringing our industry back to the farm.

Fibre Quest is in collaboration with the already well established Stitch Fest South West - Devon’s biggest yarn festival held in November since 2016.

Fibre Quest, held at Fernhill Farm will showcase the use of many different natural fibres alongside our wool harvesting system, with a key focus on holistic agriculture - as well as talks and workshops focussed on natural fibres, we will be discussing how to rehabilitate the land with animals grazing in rotation, conserving soils and enhancing biodiversity whilst harvesting replenishing resources that can benefit water, plant and mineral cycles.

​Welcoming exhibitors with natural, low-impact plant & animal fibres, natural dyes and earthy crafts, there will be a programme of traditional textile skills and workshops held over the weekend and a series of talks to inspire and educate.

Our Farm Open Day will still enable you to observe some of the top blade shearers in the Northern Hemisphere do their master craft and see sheepdog handling close at hand. 

Blade Shearing workshops will be available on Sunday where expert tutors will guide you through shearing a sheep using traditional hand shears we call blades - please register your interest here

The Fernhill Fleece Sale will be running on both days where you see how we throw each fleece from the boards and onto our grading tables for hand picking and sorting before sale - this happens in the shearing shed and workshops in Adding Value to Fleece will soon become available in our programme of events - please register your interest here so we can gauge how best to deliver this new offering. 

The Fernhill Fibre shop will be selling fleeces, craft items, yarns, felts and finished products made from our verified regenerative wool fibres - this sits nicely alongside the Fibre Quest event as we welcome several of our fibre clients here to showcase how they can truly make our natural fibres shine !

This event has been partially funded by the Mendip Hills AONB under their new initiative Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) project and its a huge help to get us started - Thank You Mendip AONB

We have always maintained a free entry event here as it's a relaxed family day out - to ensure Fibre Quest can offer the same, please help our FREE ENTRY to the show by supporting our Go Fund Me page before visiting us thanks

There will be a Fibre Quest shuttle bus from and to Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Bus Station, plus a special order bus which can come via the airport where requested... please do send a contact form if you would like to book a bus and we will send details when booking is open.

Please do get in contact if you wish to get involved I'm interested

If you wish to read more about the history behind Blade Shearer - here is an interview with Andy: fernhillfibre.co.uk/blog/2020/2/12/leading-blade-shearer-highlights-wool-potential

 Accommodation is available for shearers, wool handlers and exhibitors, campers welcome too www.fernhill-farm.co.uk

Please note - this is a No Dog site as we have a working pack of hounds here and sheepdogs demonstrating their skills too - thanks for your understanding

View Event →