Fudge is the family's much-loved alpaca
Fudge is the family's much-loved alpaca
Life at Leigh Farm near Roborough is not likely to ever be quiet - in addition to the 150 cattle there are ‘a houseful of children and dogs’ plus an alpaca called Fudge, chickens, three horses and a tiny Shetland pony, Mr B.
Jon Eggins’ family has run the farm, part of Maristow Estate, since 1875 - Jon and wife Stacey took over the business from his Dad in 2009.
Jon said: ‘My parents did everything to make me do something else, knowing farming is a difficult job. I went off and became a teacher and tried other things, but I always say to my Dad I wish I’d followed my heart in the first place and gone to agricultural college.
‘I’ve always loved the farm, I’ve always loved the animals and time on the tractor - I think with farming it’s either in you or it’s not.’
Jon and Stacey, who are 41 and 42, met when they were both at school. Their eldest daughter is now at university and the second has started an apprenticeship - when we spoke via Zoom, Stacey was juggling her work as a chiropractic assistant with helping Jon and home schooling the three youngest children. Thankfully the six puppies born over Christmas have all gone to new homes!
Not usually to be found on a Dartmoor farm, the alpacas - three originally - arrived by way of a mistake said John: ‘We went to market to buy ducks and came back with alpacas - but no ducks!’
Fudge is now the only one left.
‘He’s an old man now,’ said Stacey. ‘When we had the three of them it was brilliant, they were so much fun, they’re the funniest creatures!’
Jon, proud owner of an alpaca jumper knitted by his mum, said he was particularly keen on their ability to stay put: ‘With every other animal on the farm, if you leave a gate open for five minutes, they’ll find it and they’ll be gone - you could leave a gate open for a week and the alpacas would still be in the same place!’
Leigh Farm’s main business is their prize-winning burgers, using their own beef, fed solely on forage and cereal grown on the farm. They are frequently judged top-notch by Taste of the West judges.
Jon said: ‘I suppose I make 3-4,000 burgers a week, selling mostly to restaurants and cafés around the South West, though we have sold all around the country into the catering trade.’
Jon and Stacey used to run a farm shop, initially from Roborough Village Hall and later from the farm, but they discontinued the venture following several break-ins.
Stacey said: ‘The second time it was awful, they stole the butchery knives so the police were involved, and they broke everything, they smashed every single egg, the chicken carcasses were smashed, it was just carnage and we thought enough is enough.’
John said: ‘At the moment the business we operate works very well with being a farmer. I know when I am busy on the farm I can dedicate my time solely to being a farmer and when I have down time on the farm I make burgers!’
Last year, during the first lockdown, Jon proved he also has green fingers, after making use of a polytunnel he’d swapped for a meat box. From chillies to courgettes, everything he grew in their ‘market garden’ was a success - he reckons thanks to an abundance of marvellous manure!
Now, this enterprising couple have a new venture up their collective sleeves - a DIY, build your own gourmet burger meal for two which they will sell via a specially designed website - so look out for the ‘gurt burger’, complete with relishes from the market garden . . .
As Stacey and Jon agree, modern day farming has many challenges, not all of which are readily understood, the process between farm and fork not always appreciated.
‘For most people if they’ve had a bad day it’s something to do with the boss - if I’ve had a bad day, something has died,’ said Jon. ‘Our animals live very high welfare lives, they spend as much time as possible out grazing, we don’t want them in the sheds, we want them outside living their best lives - a happy animal looks after its farmer the same way the farmer looks after them.’
Stacey added: ‘It’s a hard way of life but the rewards are amazing - our children are growing up in an amazing place and we have a lovely lifestyle - when things are going well!’