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Farm Diversification
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Farm diversification project started in lockdown turns into successful PYO venture

June 26, 2022
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Farm Diversification

Farm diversification project started in lockdown turns into successful PYO venture

A horticulture project started in lockdown has now blossomed into a successful pick-your-own (PYO) farm diversification venture for one small family farm.

What started as a lockdown farm diversification project for Siôn and Lucy Owens, to nurture an interest in growing among their three children, has now turned into fully-fledged business with sales of flowers, fruit and pumpkins.

The Owens run a small flock of sheep, and have other jobs too – Siôn as an accountant for a firm of agricultural auctioneers, and Lucy works in the marketing and sales department at a butchers.

In the first months of the pandemic, they started growing flowers at their home near Ruthin, Denbighshire, to sell from the garden gate.

“The children were all home, and it was a bit of a project that we could all have a go at,” Lucy explained.

Later that year, they were offered 1.6 acres of land to rent at Cae Derw, and their small-scale project became a much bigger one, with input and support from the Farming Connect scheme.

“It was more land than we had intended to take on, but it was in a prime spot close to a road, so an ideal position for a PYO,” said Lucy.

To keep the enterprise as sustainable as possible, Lucy opted to use the ‘no-dig’ method, apart from the soil in some sections being turned once at the very beginning, to provide a more even surface. No-dig allows beneficial micro-organisms, worms, and fungi to thrive, promoting better soil health outcomes, and also helping with weed suppression by not exposing further weed seeds for germination.

The Owens family haven’t gone down the route of organic certification because they say registration is not financially feasible on their scale, so have opted for a ‘grown naturally’ philosophy.

“We needed some muck to increase levels of soil organic matter, so we contemplated whether we should haul organic manure from a farm distant from us, or use manure from the conventional dairy farm next door. From an environmental point of view, it seemed sensible to make use of the resource nearest to us,” Lucy explained.

They have even used fleeces from their sheep as a weed suppressant as part of a Farming Connect trial, and this has been very effective.“We will need to shear the sheep again soon to top this up!” she said.

In autumn, the family opened their doors for PYO pumpkins, offering multiple varieties from the aptly-named Polar Bear (a large white) and Knucklehead, to the smaller squash varieties. It was a success, and that offering will be repeated again this year. Cut flowers and their autumn-fruiting raspberries have been popular, too – in April, visitors enjoyed picking tulips for the first time.

They are also offering an opportunity for children to learn more about growing, to share the experience enjoyed by their three – Betrys, Rolant and Cledwyn – by launching the ‘Mini Growers’ Gang’.

“We had our first session on Good Friday, planting pumpkins and walking around the field, learning about nature and growing and doing other activities,” Lucy said.

She admits it has been a joy to share the garden with others: “I’m not very precious about where and what people can pick – that’s what the flowers are there for.

“And I grow a lot of ‘cut and come again’ varieties, so whatever is picked one week will be back again the next.” Among the varieties that have grown well are cosmos, dahlias and snapdragons.

The venture hasn’t been without its challenges, though – pests, mainly slugs, have been a major issue. However, Lucy said they are learning as they go along, and 2022 will be the first real test, to establish if the business can be financially viable to allow more of the working week to be devoted to it.

“It is hard work, there is no denying that – the tulips we have been selling recently were planted in the snow – but we will continue to juggle it with our jobs until the financial side of it becomes more sustainable,” she said.

If you are planning a farm marketing strategy to promote your farm diversification we would also recommend seeking support from marketing advisors, you can Check out our farm marketing strategy guide here, or you can book a consultation with us here.

Article taken from Farming UK

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5 Instagram Reel ideas to market your artisan-spir
5 Instagram Reel ideas to market your artisan-spirit farm business

🍸 Why do we use [insert unusual ingredient] to make our [insert spirit]?
🍸 A tour of our distillery! What system do we use?
🍸 3 ways we are making our [insert spirit] carbon-neutral!
🍸 How do we make [insert spirit]? See our behind-the-scenes process!
🍸Cocktail Masterclass
🍸 Which spirit should I choose for my cocktail?

Do you use reels for your business?


Alternative meat products to add to your farm busi
Alternative meat products to add to your farm business - Charcuterie 

Charcuterie can be an excellent option for extending a product range as the products can be made from your existing meat supplies, or you could choose to team up with a local charcuterie business. 

Additionally, the shelf life of charcuterie products is often significantly longer than other meat-based products. Charcuterie also often uses less desirable parts of an animal, such as in the case of using cheaper cuts in salamis.


Instagram Reel ideas for your dairy diversificatio
Instagram Reel ideas for your dairy diversification

🧀 What happens to male calves on our farm?
🧀 A tour of our milking parlour! What system do we use?
🧀 Why do we use mob grazing for our cows? And what is it?
🧀 How do we make our ice cream? See our behind-the-scenes process!
🧀 Cheese tasting masterclass
🧀 Which cheese should I choose for my cheese board?
🧀Why should you buy milk from vending machines rather than from the supermarket?

 #cheese #britishcheese #dairy #dairyuk #britishdairy #milk #milkvendingmachine


8 farm diversification options for livestock farme
8 farm diversification options for livestock farmers

1. Milk vending machines – for dairy diversification
2. Crop mazes – for kid-friendly farm diversification
3. Shepherd Huts – the classic farm diversification
4. Glamping – the agritourism option
5. Ice cream – the tasty farm diversification
6. Storage containers – the commercial farm diversification
7. Clay pigeon shooting – for estate diversification
8. Growing truffles – the high-end farm diversification

If you are planning a farm marketing strategy to promote your farm diversification then we would also recommend you book a consultation with us.

 #lamb #hogget #beef #organicfarming #pork #rarebreed #highwelfaremeat #agrimarketing #backbritishfarming #farmdiversification #ukfarming  #farmmarketing #farmbusiness #agriculturemarketing #buybritish #organicfarming #agribranding #farmbusinessinnovationshow #farmlife #ruralpowerhouse #CountryLandandBusinessAssociation


Diversification idea – wool business!
Why choose a

Diversification idea - wool business!
Why choose a wool business?

A wool, yarn or fibre business can be an effective farm diversification for adding value to something that is often a by-product of the sheep farming sector. But there are also lots of other types of fibre to consider, from alpaca to plant-based fibres. Fibre businesses are useful for bringing in additional income on a smaller scale and tend to work well alongside a wider farm business strategy or even as a way to make money from your smallholding.

Fibre businesses can range from selling raw fleece through to spinning yarn and even dying yarns. 

Do you sell wool or fibre from your farm?

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How much would you need to sell to invest £600 pe
How much would you need to sell to invest £600 per month in your business? 

Is it 20 veg boxes? 2 glamping holidays? 100 bars of soap? 
How many new clients would we need to bring you?

With packages starting from as little as £200 and most under £675 per month, why not? 

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Video content for wool businesses needn’t be har
Video content for wool businesses needn’t be hard. Some ideas could include:

🐑 How is it made videos – show the processes within your business, such as spinning
🐑  Why do we do … – explain your practices and educate your audience
🐑  Product reveals – show your new products dressed and displayed in the best possible light
🐑  Before and after – show your goods before and after processes: from sheep to yarn,
🐑  Meet the team – show yourself or your team behind the business.


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Want to transform your farm business?
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