Rebecca and Stuart Mayhew
Old Hall Farm,
E A Mayhew & Sons,
Norfolk
For Rebecca and Stuart Mayhew, diversifying away from intensive arable and pig production has not only transformed the fortunes of their farm but also reignited their passion for agriculture.
They have, in a very short time, diversified what was an intensive business into a calf-at-foot raw milk dairy, farm shop, restaurant and organic vineyard.
They have grasped the opportunities presented by Covid-19 and, in doing so, have hugely increased footfall to the farm shop, where products from their 40-cow pedigree Jersey herd are sold.
By opening their farm to the public, who are able to see daily milking taking place, they have also become the go-to place for families in the area to take their children and learn about where their food comes from.
With rare breed cattle, goats, hens and pigs all sitting alongside a holistically managed arable operation, the Mayhew family is enlivened by the opportunity to show that behind the food people eat are real producers and real farms, rather than just faceless retailers.
Stuart says: “We spent a lot of years being very busy fools and investing a lot in the farm, but we are now ready to reap the rewards of what we have done for the past two years.”
Rebecca adds: “It is now about how we can showcase farming in a different manner and we want to keep pushing forward.”
With the farm shop containing a butcher and a deli, there is also a 65-cover cafe which is open seven days a week.
Vineyard
Not stopping there, the farm now has a vineyard and the first grape harvest from the vines is set to be taken this year to produce their own wine. The vineyard, like much of the rest of the farm, is managed using no sprays or synthetic fertilisers.
With plans to milk 60 cows by 2022 and Rebecca assessing the options for opening a small abattoir on-site, or even a mobile one, it is clear the new commercial direction for Old Hall Farm has breathed new life into the business and its owners.