See David's handmade Windsor chairs at Fivepenny Chairs
See Kerry and Olly's beautiful goats at Three Daughters Dairy
See Tomas and Lally's fresh organic produce at Springtail Farm
Farming
Fivepenny Farm operates using agroecological principles. Agroecology is an ecological approach to agriculture within the context of a fair world. It refers to sustainable methods of farming that focus on nutritious food production whilst not damaging the resources that agriculture depends on. Agroecology values cultural and environmental diversity and takes an approach centered around land workers. It places the soil, the environment, and the health of the communities it serves at the heart of its practice.
The agricultural sector is in a unique position to address climate change. Food and farming accounts for 30% of UK emissions. Not only can the sector mitigate its carbon footprint by changing its practice, carbon can also be sequestered by the adoption of farming practices such as agroforestry and silvopasture. The land-based agroecological food production on the farm also provides an indispensable opportunity for education and innovation Âin agroforestry, sustainable and intensive minimum tillage vegetable production, climate resilient and adapted seed saving, and breeding techniques for agroecological low-input market gardening.
Fivepenny Farm has an established orchard of heritage varieties of apples, plums, pears and more obscure fruits like quinces, gages and mulberries, and an agroforestry field lined with cider apples. The sheep graze under the orchard and contribute to natural fertilisation.
Fivepenny Farm has produced raw milk and cheese in the past, in a micro-dairy which is something we hope to revive. Currently Ele raises livestock on pasture using high-welfare ogranic (non-certified) practices. The sheep and cows graze the orchards while the pigs roam the pasture and hoover up any surplus from the growing area.
Most of the market garden is managed by Tomas and Lally of Springtail Farm, who produce high value crops for the local wholesale market, including restaurants, cafes and farm shops. The rest is focused on seed-saving of diverse heritage varieties and landraces, most predominantly tomatoes! These will help to speed up adaptation to changing weather patterns caused by local climate change.
The farm is home to PEPC- the Peasant Evolution Producers’ Co-operative. PEPC is a collective of small-scale producers in West Dorset, South Somerset and East Devon who have joined together to help each other make a viable living off the land. PEPC is a company limited by guarantee in the local area, a cooperative that collectively owns equipment for adding value to local produce, specifically an apple press and bottling machine for processing apples into juice and a commercial kitchen. Members and non-members are welcome to use the facilities for a small fee which goes towards upkeep of the processing barn.
Processing
The Land Skills Hub is an ongoing project on Fivepenny Farm, instigated by Jyoti Fernandes and a community of others who are dedicated to increasing education and access to land for marginalised communities. The Peasant Evolution Producers Co-operative manages the Land Skills Hub and together with diverse representatives of communities across the country, aim to offer a series of workshops and courses over the next few years. A small settlement of people associated with the hub will live and work at Fivepenny Farm, but most of the community will live and work in their own places, visting for activites.
Jyoti has been dedicated to land justice activism for 30 years and is now planting the seed for the project, offering 10 acres of land and her life experience to the hub.
Education
