Lower Hewood Farm is just south of Chard, technically in Dorset but to all intents its at the junction at the junction of Somerset, Dorset and Devon. As such it is positioned right in the heartland of Land Workers Alliance activists. It is home to Alexa de Ferranti, herself chair of LWA in 2014 and who farms the 45 acres or so to produce high quality lamb, mutton and pork. The odd goat also makes an occasional guesting appearance!

Feeding Body and Soul really began in earnest with a week’s stay at Lower Hewood. Alexa is an artist, both practising herself and lecturing part time at Southampton Solent University, and has ambitions for Lower Hewood to be as much an arts centre as it is agricultural establishment. I got possession of the ‘artist in residence’ pod for the week!

I travelled down to Dorset on the Saturday and spent most of the Sunday then walking the farm. Lower Hewood is a great place to just let time pass over you! The rolling, organically certified farmland comprises nine fields, a small area of woodland surrounding a natural pond, a ground spring which supplies the farm with water, several small paddocks and farm buildings. The farmhouse is a wonderful large and traditional thatched building. It also has an interesting history, being the original River Cottage where Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall started to build his gastronomic empire. Quite fittingly Alexa herself is no mean cook!! She is also pretty good at avoiding a camera

For more information see Lower Hewood Farm

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