Elsworthy is a small regenerative hill farm near Wimbleball Lake, on the edge of Exmoor. I keep a herd of English Longhorns here and run farm safaris for people who want to understand a little more about the cattle, the land and the way the two are managed together. There are two sides to a visit. One looks at the regenerative work around the farm: the pasture, hedgerows, new trees and the gradual recovery of land that had previously been heavily grazed by sheep. The other is what I call "cattle whispering". The Longhorns are kept in natural family groups and we works with them using a quiet handling method influenced by Bud Williams. There are no dogs chasing them and very little rushing. If the herd needs moving, I'll go into the field beforehand, let the cattle know I'm there and give them time to respond. Pasture moves can begin simply by opening a gate and waiting. Visitors can see this at close quarters on the cattle-whispering safari, learning how the herd behaves, how it is possible to work out which animals influence the others and why giving cattle time can make them easier to handle. The other safari takes you around the farm to see the “regenerative activities”: changing the way the grassland is managed, allowing hedges to become less tidy, planting new copses and finding the balance between a hedge being natural, wild and still stock-proof. These aren't polished farm-park tours. They're a couple of hours on a working hill farm, seeing what's happening that day. Depending on the season that might mean calves, winter feeding, pasture moves or simply spending time among some very large and surprisingly gentle Longhorns.

Days, dates and times

Farm safaris are available throughout the year by prior booking. Visits last around two hours and can be arranged for a morning or afternoon. Private visits and group bookings are available.

About this experience

Choose between two guided farm safaris: Regenerative Hill Farm Safari: A guided walk around - see how this small hill farm is being managed differently. The safari looks at pasture, hedgerows, trees and the work being done to encourage greater diversity across land that had previously been heavily grazed. It's a 2–3 mile circular walk across hilly but relatively easy countryside, with plenty of stops along the way. Cattle Whispering Safari: Meet Elsworthy's English Longhorns and see the quiet handling techniques used with them. The herd lives in natural family groups and is managed using patience, voice and an understanding of the relationships between individual cattle. Rather than rounding the cattle up, the aim is to work with where they naturally want to move. Sometimes that means opening a gate and waiting five or ten minutes. How close you get to the Longhorns is up to you and depends on the cattle on the day. There's no requirement to touch them.

How to book / attend

Book through the Elsworthy Farm website - see below or email info@elsworthyfarm.co.uk

Social Media

Instagram: @elsworthy_longhorns

What will participants learn or take away?

How a small regenerative hill farm works, how English Longhorns behave when they're kept in family groups, and why Philip believes patience and understanding the herd can work better than trying to force cattle to do something. You'll also see how grazing, hedgerows and tree planting are being used to change the land at Elsworthy – and probably leave knowing rather more about the individual personalities of cows than you expected.

Website

elsworthyfarm.co.uk

Address Summary

Skilgate, Somerset