The Old Ways Farm

REGENERATIVE FARMING

Sometimes the old ways are the best indeed.

Alasdair McNab is passionate about family farms which provide communities with nutritionally dense food.

'The Old Ways' Regenerative Farming practices high welfare farming systems which mimic nature and improve biodiversity and soil health.

About the farm

By using pigs and poultry, they aim to make significant ecological improvements to their land as well as producing free range eggs, traditional dry cured bacon and sausages of the tastiest degree!

As new entrants to agriculture it is difficult to gain access to land so they are enormously lucky to have neighbours like Philip and Julia Colfox at Symondsbury Estate. The couple were very supportive of Alasdair McNab in regenerating the agriculture space in which he rents.

He is now achieving a lifelong dream to farm, process and market meat and egg products to our local community.

Symondsbury Estate sits outside Bridport 6.6 miles West of Modbury Farm Shop in Dorset.

The land is beautifully undulating and criss-crossed by ancient Holloways which were used to transport goods and livestock from country to coast.

Colmer's Hill is already an iconic part of the West Dorset landscape and one of the most recognisable places around. Just by looking up and admiring it lifts ones spirits and strengthens the heart when walking up it!

Woodland, cropping and permanent pasture dot the landscape in equal measure and wildlife thrive in this environment which benefits from a metre of rainfall per year.

The Old Ways Farm raise Duroc x Tamworth pigs in the woods and on pasture for their entire life. Their flock of laying hens leave the brooder at eight weeks and spend the rest of their life on pasture where their nutritious, healthy eggs are collected daily by hand with care and attention.

They practice Regenerative livestock systems which constantly give the animals fresh ground to roam and vegetation to eat.

The idea of farming mimicking nature is not a new one but one which is chosen to enhance the animals ability to express their most natural behaviour, produce nutritionally dense food and the tastiest of eggs!

We feel this is a Lensomy (unconditional love) Lifestyle for all involved especially the hens and the farm dog who follows Al every where! If you venture into Bridport on market days you will find them both cooking up breakfast baps and selling their produce.