Meet Our Animals

Slade Farm is a mixed organic farm that spans 800 acres. You might be wondering what a mixed farm is (and how big is an acre, for that matter - it’s about the size of a football pitch). A mixed farm is what it says on the tin: we ‘grow’ a mixture of animals, arable crops and vegetables. In a future post we can talk about the pros and cons of mixed farming, but for now let’s take a look at our animals. 

Slade is home to a balanced blend of animals – sheep, pigs, and cows – each with an important role in keeping the land productive and healthy. By using lower stocking densities, we protect the pastures and soil from overuse, allow our animals the space they need to stay happy and healthy, all while maintaining a sustainable environment. 


Crossbreeds, all

Before we get into how each of our animals contributes to the farm, it is worth noting that each species (cow, sheep and pig) that we raise is a cross of various pure breeds. The hope is that by mixing different breeds we raise animals that have all the strengths of the pure breeds, whilst minimising the negatives. 

With that in mind, here’s how each animal contributes to the farm.


The Sheep: Productive Grazers and Soil Builders

Our flock of 500 sheep – all a cross between Texel, Suffolk, and Romney breeds – are essential grazers on the farm. The Texel adds muscle and strength, the Suffolk brings a hardy, lean build which is fast to mature, and Romneys are well-suited to our climate.

Sheep with a view - Dunraven Bay in the distance

Lambing season is the busiest time of year on the farm and begins in late February and lasts about seven weeks. Each ewe can have anywhere from 0 to 3 lambs, which averages out to around 1.6 lambs per ewe across the entire flock. So, we start off with 500 sheep and end up with around 1300! Now you can see why it’s such a busy time. If you come to the farm any time in March you’re guaranteed to see escaped lambs prancing all over the place and Polly and Graeme looking in need of a well earned rest. 

Ahead of the ewes giving birth we bring them into the sheds and get them comfortable. This is so we can keep a closer eye on them as they give birth (and lend a helping hand if need be) and so that the newborn lambs are protected from the worst of the unpredictable early spring weather. This close care during their first few weeks helps us ensure each lamb gets off to a strong start.

Beyond providing wool and lambs, the sheep are vital for pasture management. Their grazing keeps grass controlled, and their manure naturally fertilises the soil, adding nutrients for the next crop cycle. All the manure that builds up in the sheds during lambing is composted down and later spread across the fields to improve soil health, and enhance the productivity of the farm.


Pigs: Soil Tillers and Composters

Our 50 pigs, a cross between Duroc and Gloucester Old Spot breeds, are efficient foragers and soil tillers. Duroc (an American breed) is strong and calm, while Gloucester Old Spots are skilled foragers and excellent mothers. Their natural rooting behaviour turns up the soil, which aerates it and adds organic matter through their manure.

Little…

…and large

The pigs also help reduce waste from our two-acre market garden. Imperfect or surplus vegetables that don’t make it into the veg bags each week become a nutritious addition to their diet, keeping waste to a minimum while giving the pigs a varied feed. With space to roam, the pigs naturally enrich the soil, helping prepare it for future planting without the need for non-organic inputs.


Cows: Grazers and Soil Enrichers

Our 150 cows—a mix of Hereford and Angus breeds—are essential in keeping our pastures fertile and productive. We have 50 mother cows, 50 calves, and 50 yearlings (or ‘fats’), rotating their grazing areas to prevent overuse of any single pasture. Herefords, known for their red coats and white faces, are very efficient at turning food (grass, silage, oats, etc.) into body mass, while Angus are renowned for their meat quality.

Calving season begins in January, during which we bring the cows into the sheds to ensure that the calves have a safe, warm environment. This controlled setting allows us to monitor the health of both mother and calf, helping the young ones get a solid start before heading back out into the fields once the ground has dried up enough for them to not churn it into a mud pit. Having the cows in the sheds also creates a bit of fun on the yard as the calves occasionally squeeze through the fence and go on adventures together.

Predominately Angus genes on show

Like mother, like child - Hereford colour on both

The cows’ grazing and natural fertilisation help maintain grass health and soil fertility. Their manure enriches the pastures, and rotating them across fields ensures that no single area is overburdened. This rotation supports crop health, especially for our wheat and oats, by creating a natural cycle of soil enrichment and regeneration.


And there you have it – a little tour of the Slade Farm animal team! Each animal has its own role, from the sheep who keep the grass in check (and give us a yearly lamb marathon) to the pigs who happily handle our veggie leftovers, to the cows who enjoy most of the year out in the fields and occasionally test the fences. So, next time you visit, you’ll know a little bit more about the animals you see, and what they’re doing for the farm.

(The keen eyed among you will note we left out two very important animals, our dogs Moo-two and Severus. We felt they probably deserved their own post in the future)


All photos taken on Slade Farm, by Felicity Crawshaw 

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Locally Grown Organic Produce: Amazing, Ethical, Fresh Food

Knowing where and how our food is grown should be an important part of our lives but for most it isn’t. Reclaiming a connection to your food is a positive step for us as individuals and the communities that we live in.

Slade Farm is an Organic Farm sitting between St Brides Major and the picturesque Heritage Coast in the Vale of Glamorgan. The food that is produced is grown and raised to Organic standards in a system that produces its own nutrients meaning that the food is truly sustainable.

Why Choose Locally Grown and Reared Organic Produce?

1. Flavourful Freshness:

When you buy locally grown produce from Slade Farm Organics, you're getting food at the peak of its flavour. Just-harvested vegetables not only taste better, but also retain more nutrients compared to produce that has travelled long distances. Buying seasonal food also reduces our carbon footprint. Supermarket veg brought in from South America can have up to 28 times the carbon footprint of veg grown here in Wales.

2. Supporting Local Farmers:

By purchasing from Slade Farm Organics, you're supporting local farmers and strengthening the community. When we set up the veg bag scheme we established it as a CSA, Community Supported Agriculture. Why is that important?

  • It looks after the farmer by binding in the members to the success and failure of the crop.

  • It looks after the community ensuring that people have a consistent source of highly nutritious food.

  • It looks after the land by ensuring commitment to Organic and Agroecological principles.

By becoming a member of our schemes, you help sustain small-scale agriculture and keeps money circulating within the local economy. Being an asset to the local community is what it is all about. We build on that through working with local school children and community groups to promote a connection to the land and our food.

3. Environmental Benefits:

Our way of farming and growing is to work with nature. We are not attempting to mass produce food. Consequently our impact on the land that we occupy is much less than industrial farms. We don’t use pesticides, herbicides and fungicides that damage the ecosystems that we all rely on. Likewise, we don’t over stock the ground and we don’t over produce waste products that can’t be used in the system. If you are supporting local farms with our ethos, you are actively contributing to a better environment that is encouraging and growing biodiversity.

Discover Slade Farm Organics

At Slade Farm Organics, we consider a commitment to organic farming practices and sustainability as central to our identity. Some people who shop with us value that, others just like the way the food tastes. Our farm shop is open every Thursday from 2-5 (expanding to 2-7 from the end of May) and every Saturday from 10-2. Make a plan and come and see us if you have the time.

1. Fresh Organic Vegetables:

With over 8 tonnes of fresh organic vegetables produced every season (May-December), Slade Farm Organics offers a wide variety of seasonal produce to get you working in the kitchen. From salad bags to juicy tomatoes, our vegetables are bursting with flavour and nutrients.

We offer weekly veg bags filled with a selection of our finest organic produce that comes from here on the farm. When you prepare a meal with Slade Farm Organic veg it is a direct connection to the land here in the Vale of Glamorgan.

2. Monthly Organic Meat Deliveries:

In addition to our Organic vegetables, Slade Farm Organics also offers monthly Organic meat deliveries to the local community. We rear rare breed Organic beef, pork, and lamb using sustainable and ethical farming practices. It’s a slow process that can’t be rushed.

Organically reared meat tends to be richer in essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, offering a healthier option. We also create organic sausages and burgers from our meat, perfect for summer BBQs! Ultimately, choosing organically reared meat is not just a culinary preference but also a conscientious decision towards sustainable agriculture and personal well-being.

3. Organic Welsh Flour

Yes, we grow organic wheat on the farm that is then milled at two Welsh water mills, Y Felin in St. Dogmaels and Felin Ganol. The Wheat that we grow is a heritage variety, a landrace called Hen Gymro (Old Welsh), that is perfect for home-made breads. When buying our organic flour, you are not just supporting our farm, but two traditional Welsh mills too.

Reconnect With Your Food!

Buying locally grown organic produce from Slade Farm is a conscious choice to eat healthier and to live more sustainably. We dedicate ourselves to producing food the way it should be. Visit our farm shop, book a monthly meat delivery  or try one of our veg bags.