Fowlescombe is a traditional mixed organic farm, with the main emphasis on livestock. The primary reason for us having animals is to maintain the old pastures and meadows to create and maintain a thriving wild-life population. Having done so, we now find ourselves as full farmers. We keep a closed herd of Aberdeen Angus pedigree cattle, and two types of rare breed sheep - Hebridean black sheep and the rarer Manx Loaghtan brown coloured sheep. Both flocks are pedigree animals. The sheep normally have two horns, some four and very rarely six horns. The animals are sold as pedigree animals or for meat. During their life they have a good life. Mostly they are kept out in the fields and visited at least twice a day. They are fed grass, grass products (silage, haylage and hay) with a very small supplement of grain product in the winter (currently crimp - which is derived from barley or oats grown on the farm). Occasionally we also give the sheep a small amount of rolled oats. We do not use pesticides or artificial fertilisers and have done extensive countryside restoration work, partly funded by a Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Visitors are welcome on educational farm walks. The farm is registered to the FABBL standard, which embraces the Red Tractor logo as well. What this means is a level of standard for the rearing and housing of animals, and requires the farm to be inspected from time to time. We are also members of several other organisation, including the Soil Association and the Small Farms Association.
We have won the Gold Award from the Taste of the West for both our lamb and beef