Growing Food on 20 Acres — A Stock-Free Organic Farm in Somerset

Our farm sits on 20 acres on Exmoor in Somerset. Of that, around four acres are dedicated to vegetable production, while the rest is managed as wildflower meadow, woodland, hedgerow, and long-term fertility building.

We are currently in conversion to organic, and everything we do is guided by one principle: build soil first, and design the farm as a whole ecosystem.

Stock-Free by Design

We run on stock-free principles. That means we do not rely on imported animal manures or synthetic fertilisers. Instead, we grow our own fertility within the farm.

This approach requires planning, longer rotations, and patience. Beds regularly move into fertility-building leys made up of legumes and deep-rooting herbs. These rebuild nitrogen, improve soil structure, and support soil biology. Rather than treating soil as something to be fed from outside, we treat it as a living system that must be nurtured and given time.

Four Acres of Vegetable Production

Our vegetable ground is managed in a long-term rotation designed around soil health and balance. Cropping phases alternate with fertility-building phases so that the land is continually restored rather than depleted.

We grow a wide range of seasonal vegetables for local shops, veg boxes, and restaurants — from salads and herbs to roots, brassicas, squash, and polytunnel crops like tomatoes and peppers.

Because we supply locally, our food travels only a few miles from field to plate. Freshness and flavour are central to what we do.

Planting Willow for Fertility and Biodiversity

Nearly an acre of the farm has been planted with willow, grown specifically for ramial woodchip production.

Ramial woodchip is made from young branch wood — the smaller, leaf-bearing growth that contains higher nutrient levels and active biology. When combined with our meadow cuttings, it forms the foundation of our compost system.

But the willow planting serves more than one purpose.

It increases biodiversity across the site, providing habitat for birds, insects, and beneficial species. It strengthens the farm’s ecological resilience, adds structure to the landscape, and creates a long-term source of fertility grown entirely on-site.

Over time, this reduces external inputs and moves us closer to a truly self-sustaining system.

Compost From Our Meadows

Our wildflower meadows are cut annually to lower fertility and encourage species diversity. The meadow arisings are collected and combined with ramial willow chip to create compost.

This compost is returned to the vegetable ground, closing the nutrient loop.

Rather than importing fertility, we are steadily building it from within the farm’s own ecosystems — meadow, woodland, and willow working together with the vegetable ground.

Woodland, Meadow, and Growing as One System

Around six acres of the farm are woodland, with additional acres under meadow management. These areas are not separate from food production — they are essential to it.

The meadows supply compost material.

The willow provides ramial woodchip and habitat.

The woodland supports biodiversity and long-term resilience.

The hedgerows protect crops and encourage pollinators.

Food production and ecological restoration happen together.

Building a Local Food Community

Our aim is not only to grow vegetables but to establish a strong local food network.

We are developing a box scheme to provide regular, seasonal produce directly to our community. At the same time, we are working to supply local restaurants with fresh, high-quality vegetables grown just down the road.

By keeping food local, we strengthen community resilience, reduce food miles, and reconnect people with the land that feeds them.

In Organic Conversion

We are currently in organic conversion, working towards full certification. This means:

• No synthetic fertilisers
• No chemical herbicides
• No pesticides
• Transparent and audited systems

Organic conversion reflects our long-term commitment to soil health, biodiversity, and responsible land stewardship.

A Long-Term Vision

Our goal is to build a resilient 20-acre farm that can support two full-time growers, nourish our local community, increase biodiversity sitewide, and regenerate the land year by year.

Every salad bag, carrot, and tomato comes from a much bigger system — one designed around living soil, closed-loop fertility, and community connection.

We are growing food, but we are also growing a landscape.