Beta site under development
Connecting with nature to farm in a holistic and regenerative way.
Nestled below chalk downland overlooking the north-eastern part of the Island is the historic Nunwell Estate - home to an exciting nature friendly farming business which puts biodiversity and animal welfare at its heart. Young business owners Francesca Cooper (33) and Hollie Fallick (30) are two young women new to the farming scene and keen to make their mark. They are raising native breed Belted Galloway cattle, Saddleback cross Berkshire pigs and laying hens.
Francesca and Hollie were childhood friends and grew up on the Island, close to the Estate. Together they spent many days riding horses, walking, cycling, and playing in
this beautiful landscape. After moving away for work and travel both decided to return to the Island to raise their young families. Francesca and Hollie both had small children when the farm on the Estate became available. This did not hold them back, and in 2021 they applied for the tenancy with help from their partners and families and Nunwell Home Farm was born.
With the support of estate owner Robert Oglander, whose family have owned the Estate for 1000 years, Francesca and Hollie are now working alongside the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust who steward around a third of the Estate and are transforming this area into ‘Wilder Nunwell’ nature reserve. Nunwell Home Farm run their animals across the Estate using Mob grazing techniques and provide grazing for Wilder Nunwell which helps the Wildlife Trust create diverse habitats in this landscape, which has been recently reverted from intensive arable production.
At the core of the farm is a passion for raising highly nutritious food for local people from happy animals who have space to express their natural instincts. Nunwell Home Farm spread no artificial fertilizers or pesticides on the land and use no routine wormers or antibiotics on their stock. The pigs are raised outdoors on grasslands and forage crops and a small ration of a soya-free pig feed which the team have developed using Island grown pulses and grains. The cattle are grass fed their whole lives. The hens are moved around the pasture in mobile coops, eating forage and breaking down the cattle manure whilst fertilising the land.
Agroecological farming - building healthy soil, improving water quality, and farming in a way that encourages biodiversity and captures carbon, is incredibly important for the team. Both families are keen climate activists and turned vegan at one time as a reaction to the climate crises and industrialised animal production. However, after they found that they and their families were not thriving on this diet they started looking further into agroecological farming. From this they became passionate about starting their own farming business, producing meat that they could be certain was good for their health, animal welfare and for the planet. It is now their passion to share these products with their customers. Nunwell Home Farm are excited to be starting to partner with other forward thinking island businesses such as the Ellen McArthur Foundation, The Garlic Farm and Rapanui. They offer regular tours of the farm and sell their meat and eggs via their website. Delivering to their local area (including Brading, Bembridge, St Helens, Seaview, Adgestone, Ryde, Binstead and Wootton) every Friday. You can also sign up to ‘Egg Club’ which is a weekly subscription service.
