Downacres Farm started life in 2010 when I gave up teaching to become a smallholder.  I bought 15 acres of pasture land on the top of Wembworthy Down looking out over the Taw Valley and so began my dream of self-sufficiency and of living and farming sustainably.With help from farming friends and the Devon Association of Smallholders – DASH,  I started with vegetables, poultry, weaner pigs and then Shetland sheep. The breed had caught my eye at the North Devon Show where I was attracted bytheir super fine fleeces and their huge range of natural colours and patterns. I had always wanted to learn to spin and these hardy little sheep could supply top quality fleece as well as meat.

A few weeks later, while hay making, I had a visit from another newcomer to the village enquiring whether I had hay for sale. We got talking, I mentioned my plan to acquire some Shetland sheep, he said, “You need to speak to my wife!” His wife is Lenice Bell, one of the top breeders of Shetland sheep, whose Todhill Flock name is recognised both nationally and abroad. She and her husband Chris had just moved down from Scotland having retired from full-time farming.

Lenice sold me six beautiful ewes as a starter flock in Autumn 2011. They were Todhill Willow, Todhill Yarrow, Todhill Byony,  Todhill Spot,  Todhill Valarian and Todhill Grape (known as Scrumpy).  Lenice has passed on to me a wealth of knowledge about the Shetland breed and over the years we have become good friends

Seven years on and my passion for these wonderful little sheep continues to grow. They have individual personalities that are sometimes endearing and sometimes infuriating, but always give so much pleasure and reward. The flock has grown and produced several champions and reserve champions at the shows.  I have sold my Downacres sheep at Sedgemoor Show and Sales and the Shetland Sheep National Show and Sale, where they have been bought by other breeders around the country. Their fleeces consistently win prizes in Fleece Competitions including the 1^stPrize  and Reserve Champion at Devon County 2018.

They are ALL very special sheep!