West Dean Farm sits on the
very
edge of the Exmoor National Park between the parishes of Combe Martin and Trentishoe.
West Dean Farm
Exmoor
North Devon
About Us
Traditional farming has helped create Exmoor’s distinctive landscape, sustainable agriculture is essential for maintaining the characteristic landscapes of the National Park, and can play an important role in helping to manage and enhance Exmoor’s wildlife and the environment.
Having successfully bred a mixed flock in the past we are now moving towards more specialist breeds which we hope to grow in numbers over the coming years.
Take a look below at some of our new and exciting ventures, and please check out our gallery page for more photos by hitting the link above.
The Coloured Ryeland
The Ryeland is one of the oldest English sheep breeds going back seven centuries. The breed was developed in the area surrounding Ross-on-Wye and was highly prized for its fleece. The monks of Leominster in Herefordshire bred sheep and grazed them on the rye pastures, giving them their name.
Although the exact origins of the Ryelands are lost in the mists of time it is believed that they were derived from the Spanish Merino.
They were considered to have the finest wool of all British breeds of the time. Queen Elizabeth I was given 'Lemster' wool stockings and liked them so much that from then on she insisted only on 'Lemster' Ryeland wool. An Elizabethan observer wrote that 'among short-wools, Ryeland has pre-eminence with Leominster as the centre of its trade'.
Exmoor Horn
The Exmoor Horn sheep are an ancient breed indigenous to Exmoor. Although farmed commercially, they are a minority breed and are classed as “at risk” since 95% of the breeding stock is within the moorland areas of Devon and West Somerset. They are one of the few hill breeds with a relatively fine fleece, and with a good staple length. Unusually, both males and females are horned. Scientific studies have shown that Exmoor Horns are genetically adapted to their environment. They are tough, hardy sheep, able to withstand high rainfall with minimal foot trouble.
West Dean Farm Honey
Globally there are more honey bees than other types of bee and pollinating insects, so it is the world's most important pollinator of food crops. It is estimated that one third of the food that we consume each day relies on pollination mainly by bees, but also by other insects, birds and bats.
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Some interesting reads
We will keep you updated on articles we think you may like.
click the photo to read more >
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Exmoor sheep farmers strengthen local supply chains
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Exmoor farmers encourage public to buy lamb direct
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Find out about the benefits of Exmoor grass-fed lamb
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Robin Milton writes about his Exmoor farming experiences
