Starting Soar Mill Seeds in October 2000 was as a result of two things. The failing pig industry and our 360 outdoor pig herd becoming less profitable and my own compassion for bird watching and conservation. In fact all our family love living and working with wildlife. 

Southdown Farm is NOT organic, we farm in a conventional manner but in harmony with our natural surroundings. Where possible we create habitat and food sources around the farm to allow as many plants and animals to breed and survive, a profitable commercial farm can be a haven for wildlife if managed correctly. Soar Mill Seeds allows us to boost these aims and objectives. We use sprays on the farm but try to limit them for use as stale seed bed preparation only. No other herbicide and importantly insecticide is used unless we have a real problem.

We farm on the very tip of south Devon near Salcombe, our land ends in 400 foot high cliffs. We have 446 acres of land rented from the National Trust, comprising of 180 acres of extensively grazed grassland supporting sheep and cattle, 260 acres of arable land which includes that used for Soar Mill Seeds.

In 1997 we took on the whole farm, including the arable land, up until then we rented 50 odd acres for our outdoor pigs. From this moment we had the opportunity to manage and use this land in such a manner to increase its wildlife potential. We were already putting out feed stations around the farm, buying in large amounts of 'cleanings' from local farmers. This helped boost the number of wintering birds but then of course they were lost during the summer as no suitable habitat was available.

In just three years this has all changed with the Hare population increasing from 6 pairs to around 18, a small herd of Sika deer regularly calve each year and raise their young to maturity. The bird life has increased tremendously with the return of wintering Reed bunting, Cirl bunting (30 wintering pairs and 15 breeding pairs), regionally important numbers of Skylark c2000 birds, flocks of 600 Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, House sparrow, Chaffinch and smaller flocks of Greenfinch and Cirl bunting. All sustained from the winter stubbles.