On the farm
4 min read
The hens are moving into the orchard
Why 300 hens spend their days under the fruit trees, and what that does for the eggs, the grass and the trees.
For most of the year, our 300 hens live in the orchard. They move round under the damson and apple trees in three mobile houses, and it might be the best decision we’ve ever made on the farm.
Good for the hens
Hens are woodland birds. Under the trees they feel safe from buzzards, they have shade in summer and shelter in winter, and they spend the whole day scratching and dust-bathing — which is exactly what hens want to do.
Good for the trees
The hens eat the grubs and fallen fruit that would otherwise spread pests and disease, and they fertilise the ground as they go. We’ve needed far less help for the trees since they moved in.
Good for the eggs
Deep yolks, strong shells and a lot more flavour. They’re collected twice a day and on the shelf in the shop the same morning — usually still a little warm.
02 — Field notes
Keep reading.
Shop news
2 min read
The shop is open on Mondays in December
Christmas hours, hamper orders and when to book your turkey.
In season
3 min read
What’s in the boxes this October
Squash, leeks, the first kale and the last raspberries: what’s going into the boxes this month and how we cook it.
On the farm
5 min read
Why we still grow damsons on the bank
Forty trees, three hundred years of valley tradition, and a fruit almost nobody eats straight from the tree. Here’s why we keep them.
Recipes
6 min read
Mum’s damson & almond tart
The recipe everyone asks for in the kitchen. Make it with damsons, or plums if you’re not lucky enough to live in the valley.
Come and see what’s ready.
The shop opens at nine, the kettle’s on by ten, and the fields are open for picking most days from June to October.