The Backstory

It’s all my ovaries’ fault.

There I was enjoying life as a broadcast journalist and boozy London party girl, when WHAM! I met Oli. In a bar.

(Just to be clear, he didn’t actually club me over the head…)

On our first date he told me his ultimate dream was to be a farmer. I laughed.

But something about this gorgeous, ruddy-faced boy stopped me from trying quickly and politely to get the bill and make a swift exit.

Soon afterwards I fell head over heels.

We both rashly quit our jobs in the City to pursue a life in the Hampshire countryside… And make lots of babies.

Fast forward to today.

We’ve started an oak framed construction company; weathered Oli developing a frightening heart condition; had three beautiful, sunny, amazing children; together endured the devastating stillbirth of our second daughter; and we’ve bought a derelict farm in the most magical spot.

This is the story of how we set about restoring Rowan Farm and learning the ropes of how to grow and rear our own food.

In the process, we learned so much more than just how to sow seeds and muck out the pigs.

We learned how important your food’s provenance, animal feed and soil quality are in the end product on your plate. And how that in turn can affect your own health and wellbeing. We learned how to start nourishing our bodies in a way that nourished our lives.

I want to share with you some of the things I have learned through many, many mistakes (and the odd unexpected success) about how to move, how to grow your own food and how to eat well in a way that will look after you, as well as look after the planet.

That City girl I once was wouldn’t believe where I have ended up just over a decade on. It’s been one hell of a ride. And it’s about to get even more exciting…