Permaculture maps of Higher Barn Farm
Click on the link below to view working documents of the Farm Plan.
Community Market Garden
A local collaboration with Roadwater Community Shop
With the support of FiPL (Farming in Protected Landscapes) funding from Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA), With the Wild is developing a thriving ecological community market garden at Higher Barn Farm, Roadwater. This project is an exciting step towards community focused sustainable and regenerative agriculture, implementing no-dig methods and incorporating agroforestry to grow a wide variety of nutritious ecological produce.
The garden integrates agroforestry rows of hazel, elder, and cobnuts alongside the vegetables, all cultivated with a deep commitment to increasing biodiversity and enhancing soil health. The produce is sold in collaboration with the Roadwater Community Shop, providing fresh, local food with minimal food miles. Thanks to FiPL funding, the site has also benefited from infrastructure improvements, including the installation of a 5,400-liter rainwater harvesting tank, tree planting and compost making systems.
In addition to providing high quality food for the local community, the market garden serves as an educational resource for education and training in agroecology and permaculture. It also provides the venue for community workshops and events that engage both locals and farmers. Through these initiatives we seek to help to build a more resilient local food system while promoting ecological and climate-friendly farming practices.
Our plans for 2025
We're really excited to be bringing a number of projects to fruiton over the next couple of years including:
- Farm Events and Activities
Tree planting, water infastructure, polytunnels and compost bays - Infrastructure and Tree Planting
Additional livestock, wildflower meadows, and lots of educational visits. - With the Wild Education Centre/Cookery School and Processing Barn
From building design and specification through to construction
Proposed New Polytunnels for February 2025
We are currently seeking funding for two large polytunnels which will:
- provide year-round, organic food for the local community - with low food miles and reduced carbon emissions - provided to the local community in collaboration with Roadwater Community Shop;
- provide a controllable environment for growing food, enabling reliable production in changing climate conditions, and thereby increasing the resilience of With the Wild CIC as a sustainable community interest company;
- enhance the provision of educational opportunities on the farm by providing additional sheltered learning space; &
- increase the production of fresh produce which is taken into local schools as part of the With the Wild Food & Farming Outreach Education programme including sensory food education that delivers the National Food Strategy recommendations.
Proposed Compost Bays for March 2025
Our planned new and improved Compost Bays will enable us to manage waste simply, quickly and efficiently giving us a steady supply of rich organic compost enabling our enhanced Market Garden to thrive in nutrient dense soil.
Completed projects
Since moving to Higher Barn Farm in July 2020 our projects have included;
- establishing With the Wild CIC
- undertaking training and research in agroecology, permaculture, agroforestry and field to fork processes including researching and training in sourdough baking and fermentation
- creating a holistic farm plan based on permaculture principles
- sowing a deep rooting green manure mix across the entire site to “kick start” the regeneration of the soil
- planting about 600 trees as hedging/shelter belt and a further 2500 trees through the Woodland Trust More Trees programme - for wildlife, edible fruits/nuts and timber
- establishing a community no-dig market garden; integrating agroforestry rows of hazel, elder and cobnuts and producing a wide range of organic vegetables for the local community - sold in collaboration with Roadwater Community Shop
- installing a sustainable irrigation system including a 5400l rainwater harvesting tank
- installing stock-proof fencing to protect new woodlands and to enable rotational grazing
- planting 400 hazel trees and 40 walnut trees as silvo-arable agroforestry rows in “Walnut Fields”
- further tree planting in conjunction with the provision of a series of community workshops providing an introduction to the principles and examples of agroforestry
- designing and commencing planting of two food forest areas
- creating a fenced off fruit tree orchard which also houses hens (in a mobile home-constructed henhouse) and geese
- starting establishing a wildflower meadow (with support from ENPA meadows “Sowing the Seeds” scheme)
- undertaking grain trials in YQ, rye and heritage wheat varieties and collaborating with neighbouring farmers to grow, mill and bake ecological heritage grains in conjunction with South West Grain Network
- constructing prototype bicycle thresher and undertaking trials in no/min till wheat sowing methods
- establishing connections, collaborations and friendships with other farms and farmer
- designing and constructing a compost toilet
- hosting a number of educational access and community visits including participating in Somerset Food Trail
- erecting a small polytunnel, glasshouse and fruit cage
- visiting local primary schools and providing sessions on the relationship between soil and human health and a series of “Taste Ed” sessions
- Purchasing first livestock: 5 x Exmoor Horn Sheep; 5 x Kune Kune Pigs; Hens, Geese and 2 x bee hives
- Providing a series of Summer Children’s Workshops - nature based crafts, wildlife exploration and cooking with fresh produce from the market garden
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With the Wild CIC is registered in England
Higher Barn Farm, Slade Lane, Roadwater, TA23 0LY
Company registration number 14030416 info@withthewild.co.uk
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