This is
The Farm
Hugh is the 3rd generation of the Gay family to farm at Newton St Loe as tenants of the Duchy of Cornwall. Son Josh, is now the 4th generation and is gradually taking on the day to day running of the farm, working alongside Hugh.
The farm is a traditional mixed farm, with cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, grain and lots of luscious grass.
Josh is passionate about Regenerative Agriculture and he is continuously transitioning our farming practices to be more in line with a 'Regenerative' way of thinking, improving soil condition and increasing carbon sequestration.
This is
The Theory
Healthier soils lead to healthier plants while helping to remove carbon from the atmosphere.Typically, most regenerative farmers follow these four core principles:
Minimising soil disturbance
There are many micro-organisms in soil which create its fertility.
Disturbing them through breaking up the soil by ploughing or by using chemicals destroys the soil structure that acts as their home. Directly planting the seeds for the next crop into a slot in the ground, rather than ploughing the whole field is an example of this and is exactly what Josh has introduced to our farm.
Keeping the soil covered
Keeping soil covered protects it from wind and water erosion, while preventing moisture evaporation and weeds from germinating.
Maintaining living roots in the soil as much as possible through the year helps keep nutrients and food supply for micro-organisms. This is done typically by growing cover crops in the gaps between cash crops.
Maximising plant or crop diversity
Increasing the range of crops and animals in the farming system decreases pest and disease pressure while supporting biodiversity and improving soil health.
Integrating livestock
Grazing livestock on cover and cash crops enriches the soil with organic matter and stimulates plant growth, helping pump more carbon into the ground. Our native breed cattle and sheep live their entire lives on the farm, grazing slowly and naturally.
We rotate them through paddocks with short grazing and long rest periods, allowing diverse plant species to thrive. Our pasture-raised chickens follow behind, helping reduce the need for chemical wormers — another win for soil biodiversity.
Our pigs are born and raised here too, naturally farrowed without crates and fed a soya-free diet.
This is
Family
Hugh and Celia have four grown up children, all of them have helped out on the farm whilst growing up.
Now, daughter Kirsty, having established the Farmshop cafe and more recently had a family of her own, works part time focussing on business development. Josh has been working full time on the farm after finishing a degree in Agriculture at Reading in 2016.
Meanwhile, second daughter, Naomi and Will, twin brother of Josh, both help out in the business during busy times like Christmas and our farm Open Day.
This is
Field to Fork
Our livestock have the luxury of living outside on our lush pastures during the spring, summer and autumn as well as in the winter with additional bail grazing. We have a beef suckler herd of Pedigree South Devon, Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle. We breed our own calves who then stay with their mothers for 8-9 months and live on this farm all of their lives.
The cattle, sheep and chickens graze in rotation improving soil health and biodiversity. Every day fresh eggs from our free-range pasture chickens are delivered down to the Farm Shop.
Our pasture is in the Higher Level Stewardship scheme, which means no chemical fertilisers or pesticides can be used. On this land we have planted fields of British wild flowers and over 200 trees. Ponds, hedges and stone walls have been restored.
