OUR STORY
Feltham’s Farm is 22 acres of organic land in the north of Somerset’s beautiful Blackmore Vale. It is run by Marcus Fergusson and Penny Nagle, who moved here in 2014. There are always people around, as our cheese business employs cheese folk and we have volunteers all year round. This is a community of people interested in good food, sourced both locally and organically.
The farm is great for children – Marcus and Penny have three of their own, so there are swings, tree houses and Tarzan swings. Animals are very much part of our lives: we have pigs (and sometimes very cute piglets); sheep (and lambs); and various poultry depending on the local fox. Children are always welcome to join in the feeding times in the morning and early evening, and we’re happy to talk about the animals and how important it is to connect to nature.
THE FARM
Feltham’s Farm is certified organic with The Soil Association. We have always farmed using organic principles, so that means no chemicals on the land and no antibiotics or restricted treatments for our animals, which are all free range and fed organic food. We do not use chemicals, pesticides, or GM modified seeds, we try to avoid single use plastics, and where possible we use biodynamic principles too. We set up the Organic Cheesemakers' Network to raise awareness of how important organic is to our food system ..
THE CHEESE
Our cheese business came about almost by accident, after Marcus was made redundant from a corporate job in London (much to his relief). We wanted to do something on the farm but at 22 acres it was too small to farm conventionally while making enough money to live on. Marcus has always been obsessed with cheese and after a one-day course at River Cottage, there was no turning back. We’re just a few years in to this adventure but we have won numerous awards and the order book keeps getting fatter. In many ways, it seems that this is a mid-life crisis that seems to be panning out OK.
THE COTTAGE & CABIN CHEESE EXPERIENCE ROOM
Feltham’s Cottage and the Cabin / Cheese Experience Room will be 100% sustainable, powered by solar panels for electricity and ground source heat pumps for heating and hot water. As with any busy working farm there are sometimes piles of stone in yards, tractors blocking views, and compost that needs moving. However, you can relax safe in the knowledge that everything we and you are doing is sitting lightly on the planet. Please do help us recycle where possible.
Our two double-bedroomed cottage is modern, warm and cosy, with Wi-Fi, a wood burning stove (fire wood is provided free), local produce in a hamper, and crisp white sheets. The Cabin / Cheese Experience Room is directly opposite the cottage, with concrete and underfloor heating, and corner sofa.
WORKING AT FELTHAM’S FARM
We have worked with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) for many years now. We have fewer volunteers now, but will still consider some. So, provided we feel the fit is right, if you wish to volunteer with us for up to 25 hours per week we give you food and accommodation for free. The work is rewarding (if you like organic food, farming and animals) and can be insightful. We believe in good conversations over communal meals, and have a healthy interest in great food. We eat a lot of what grow here. Our first woofer, Guillaume, still returns to us almost yearly for a fun weekend to catch up. We find the process enriching and rewarding, not just for us but for our children too. Farm work is not for the faint hearted, and hay making time in July is particularly gruelling. But we have it on good authority that this and pig wrestling look very good on any CV….
