- Farms Menu
- The Milk Pool
- Coombe Farm HQ & Hill Dairy
- Broadstone Farm
- East Lease Farm
- Higher Burrow Farm
- Marks Barn Farm
- Armswell Farm
- Blannicombe Farm
- Childhay Organic Dairy
- Court House Dairy
- Crackmoor Farm
- Cross Farm
- Fordscroft Farm
- Goathill Farm
- Higher Lillington Farm
- Highlands Dairy Farm
- Knott Oak Dairy
- Land Farm
- Manor Farm - Godmanstone
- Manor Farm - Hillfield
- Manor Farm Seavington
- Marshwood Farm
- Maundrils Farm
- North Wooton Farm
- Pipplepen
- Puxton Court Farm
- Sadborow Farm
- Springwood Farm
- Thong Dairy
Coombe Farms
Other Milk Pool Farms
4. East Lease Farm
With conservation woodland on two sides and rivers on its other two boundary lines, East Lease Farm, at Haselbury Plucknet, near Crewkerne, could be said to sit in a perfect pastoral setting. It has been organic since 1999.
Adding to its interest are two traditional Somerset dew ponds – small, shallow watering holes -- that are a feature of farming in several parts of southern England. Generally created on land with a lot of clay, in the past they were used to catch rainfall and provide drinking water for animals in fields where there was no natural supply.
“The clay soil means that we have to be spot on for crop cultivation. If we don’t time the sowing of grass seed very carefully it doesn’t take well,” says farm manager Nick Wilson. “On the other hand, we do manage to grow a good supply of our own winter wheat, which we turn into organic silage, so we are virtually fully sustainable throughout the year. We not only know all of our cows, we also know exactly where their food has come from.”
Owned by Coombe Farm, East Lease Farm has ... acres and around 300 Holstein/Friesian cross milking cows. Nick is also experimenting with some dairy Shorthorn cattle, to see how they do on his land. Shorthorns are a very traditional English breed, with a history that can be traced back to the 1500’s. Hardy, and suitable for rearing as a beef or dairy cow, Nick believes they could have a lot to offer today’s organic dairy farmer and will add to the quality of the herd in the future.
More...