Author Topic: Hello! Just joined from North Devon.....looking for some local contacts.... (Read 1611 times)

jo10230 · « **on:** November 10, 2018, 11:38:20 am »

Hi there.

We have just moved to North Devon to a small 6 acre farm.

We had a similar size property in Kent where we had a network of contacts but being new to the area we are trying to establish a similar network here!

By way of an introduction, we have a handful of chickens and ducks (for eggs), a horse and a donkey who are ridden and driven respectively and I also have a colony of honey bees (planning on expending the apiary!!). Also have 4 dogs and 2 cats!!

We have a one particular field we would like to use for hay (for our own use) approx 2 acres and are looking initially for some advice and then someone who could do the hay for us.

I'm also looking for somewhere local to buy small bale straw in small numbers (currently looking to buy 5 bales) and possibly small bale hay depending on what we can organise re our own field.

Look forward to hearing from some of you I hope!!

Jo and Paul

nimbusllama · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2018, 08:03:02 am »

Hi there, not a local contact but just wanted to say hello and welcome to the forum

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2018, 10:13:53 am »

Hi there

from just over the border in North Cornwall. I lived in North Devon - near Lynton - before moving up to the far north of England to farm. I moved back to North Cornwall two years ago.

I probably don’t have too many useful farming contacts over your way, but before I moved away I worked at Exmoor Farm Services, in Kentisbury, on the Bridgman’s site. Exmoor Farm Services is a farmers’ co-operative, using the buying power of a group to get good prices for members, and helping to reduce the burden of paperwork for its members too. Not of interest to you as a prospective member, I’m sure, but if you get a chance to talk to Alison at one of the county shows (they do North Devon and others), she knows all the local producers!

Oh, and if you haven’t already, do join DASH - Devon Association of Smallholders. Great group, they have meet-ups (often at each other’s smallholdings), and do small ads and so on. I was secretary for the North Devon group before I moved away. There’s an active Facebook group now, too.

Re: hay, if you don’t find something more local, Whitehouse Farms in Ivybridge have cornered the market with good quality wrapped small bale hay, haylage and straw. Many of the ag merchants across the region stock their products; if you contact Justin (through the Facebook group), he’ll be able to tell you who is your nearest stockist.

There’s also a good quality range from Livaton Farms, also wrapped, and stocked at Mole Avon and Mole Valley. This is the Meadow Hay linky. They also do a haylage and a straw.