When Mark and Lorraine Stanton bought Vowley Farm in Wiltshire, it was because of their love of horses, and deep interest in natural horsemanship.

Gloucester old spots.

Their journey since has taken them well beyond their plan for an equestrian centre to the reality of 16 hour days just to survive. Adaptation has been the key to their survival, and today Mark continues to take on consultancy work in the IT sector, while Lorraine is editor of the magazine they founded ‘Natural Horsemanship’.

Vowley Farm is small even by UK standards, and at only 110 acres not considered an economic proposition as a conventional farm.

The Stanton’s have built a niche market for themselves by concentrating on the retail, rather than the wholesale market, and nurturing a strong local clientele with the quality of their product.

The farm’s pride is a herd of British White cattle. These are placid and very handsome animals that do what the Stanton’s hoped – turning fine Wiltshire grass into prime beef.

“When we arrived we took on the original herd of very mixed stock,” Mark explained. “They certainly fattened up OK, but we had to pour a huge amount of grain down their necks for them to do so.

So we asked ourselves what might fatten up on what is available in England – grass for instance?

How about an English breed?

After some research we came across the British Whites (happily the society secretary was local) and they have proved ideal.

They have all the attributes that beginners like us needed – naturally polled, easy calvers, well mannered, easy going and quiet.”

Considering the cattle, and the rather rare Ixworth Hens, that Vowley Farm is producing successfully, it seems a bit of a shame that there isn’t (yet) a breed of white pigs.

British Whites.

Instead, the farm produces the very attractive Gloucester Old Spots, which are brought in as weaners and are fattened to 60kgs.

Their weight increase has been aided by a piece of good fortune.

A few miles away is a dairy specialising in Goats’ cheese.

Due to the infernal regulations that blight every aspect of farming and food production in Europe, this dairy was going to be obliged to spend a huge sum every month to dispose of the whey – probably around 400 litres a week.

To cut a long story short, in Mark’s words, “the piggies love it.”

It does mean a round trip every week, and a certain amount of heaving and back-strain, but both sides consider they have an excellent arrangement.

The Gloucester Old Spots, is now probably the most numerous rare breed, and once endangered pig in England. “They are lovely animals, and have become the sort of ‘bijou breed’ on alternative farms.

They take life gently and don’t move fast for one very good reason – they can’t see straight ahead due to their big floppy ears.”

The Ixworth Fowl is a kind of amalgamation of every known white chook ever produced.

They originated in Suffolk (eastern England) during the 1930s under the eye of one Reginald Appleyard who was keen to produce a table bird of note.

They don’t look particularly big, but they are a very “solid” bird – far heavier than their size might suggest.

Their qualities may have led to their near-demise as a breed in the 1950s, for although Rural Living did not have the opportunity to sample one, they were described by Mark as “quite delicious.”

As with most things at Vowley Farm the loyal clientele has ensured they are in demand.

Vowley Farm is a remarkable enterprise. It relies upon the innovation of its owners, and their willingness to work in other fields to survive.

It doesn’t “make money” in the conventional sense, but it does provide a wonderful environment for the many Woofers (willing workers on organic farms) who pass through, and a source of very high quality beef, pork, chicken and seasonal turkey for local markets.

Moving a weaner.

Rural Living was able to sample a pork chop, and can testify that it was the kind of chop that would have had nutritionists and vegetarians in paroxysms of horror; solid meat, a layer of pure fat like a half-moon and quite out of proportion to its size, and the kind of full-bodied flavour that only comes from steady growth accompanied by fresh air, sunshine and kindness.

Vowley Farm is organic, and the questing minds of Lorraine and Mark have led them to investigate the Bio-dynamic system of farming.

For convoluted reasons the farm is not officially BD. However the methods have certainly made a big difference.

Envious neighbours have noticed how good the paddocks, one or two of which were rife with dock and other undesirables, now look.

Certainly the mole-ploughing on such a low, flat, clay soil has made a big difference to the drainage, but the lushness of the grass is another thing altogether. “Perhaps it’s all in the Hay-tea,” Mark jokes.

Mark and Lorraine have had to struggle to survive, and at one point considered wearing t shirts at market with the legend “It’s spelled F A R M, Mr Brown” (Mr Brown being the Labour Prime Minister at the time).

For a long time in the UK farming seems to have been regarded as a very third class occupation, but places such as Vowley farm may well be pointing the way not just to a renaissance in England, but the way forward for farming in general.

Supermarkets have strangled local enterprise so much, that the wheel has began to turn full circle.

More and more people are beginning to ask why their food has to travel so many thousands of “food-miles” when what they really need can be produced almost on their own back door.

The Stanton’s limit their attendance to local markets – the farthest they go is to Devizes, about eleven miles away. This saves on all their travel costs, but ensures their good name reaches a wider audience, and they operate a delivery service.

The reputation for quality they have worked so hard to build, has borne fruit.

Customers are now seeking them out, and making the long trip down a narrow lane to one of the most peaceful, healthy and beautiful farms in England.