Meet the Mob

Background: Vet, Poultry advisor, Pet Blood Bank

Current role: Director and co-founder of Solsgirth Home Farm and Big Birds Produce Ltd

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Jan would like the farm to run as a regenerative agricultural farm and be sustainable. Her aim is to encourage small business development, creating a community hub with regular farmers markets and encouraging people to be involved in the farm. She wants to educate people to understand the number of different jobs that are involved in farming, from livestock care to marketing to planning and design (& accountancy!)

Background: Veterinary Nurse, Training, Pet Blood Bank

Current role: Director and co-founder of Solsgirth Home Farm and Big Birds Produce Ltd

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Leigh’s background gives her a particular interest in utilising the farm for education for people of all ages, backgrounds and capabilities. She is keen to see the farm become a space for the community, and promoting local food, drink, crafts businesses through the market and other events.

Background: Animal Care Assistant, Setting up emergency clinics

Current role: Support Manager, Managing Solsgirth Properties

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Mags brings her amazing attention to detail and organisation skills to the role of Support Manager, ensuring the smooth day-to-day running at Solsgirth. Although she can and does turn her hand to anything her focus is on managing our various properties where her eye for detail and knack at interior design are invaluable. Mags also gives some much needed common sense at times!

Background: Farming, Army, Horticulture, Web Design, Estate Manager

Current role: Farm Manager

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Wayne manages the farm, helping with regeneration agriculture and conservation, learning some new ways of farming as well as keeping some traditional ways too. He has a keen interest in bees and horticulture, ideal for working with the apiaries and orchards. And Wayne is extremely useful around the farm as he can design, build and fix most things, helping to keep the farm running efficiently.

Background: Computer Arts, Social Media, Farming

Current role: General Site Assistant

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Dawn grew up locally and is combining hands-on work on the farm with studies towards a PGDip in Career Guidance. She loves seeing the progress on the farm, and can often be found tickling piglets or chasing after naughty chickens. Our boar Napoleon is her favourite animal at the farm as he is always ready for a snout scratch!
 

Background: Environmental Science, Farm Manager, Farm & Environmental Adviser
Current role: Land Manager
 

Chris firmly believes that soil should be managed as a living ecosystem, which in turn can support sustainable food production and biodiversity and that these objectives should be integral to each other, not diametrically opposed. He used to keep carthorses and rare breeds of livestock so has gone full circle from the old way of doing things, to modern and sometimes back again! His expertise and enthusiasm are the perfect combination to help plan, support and manage our regenerative agriculture journey.

Background: Sheep Farmer all over Scotland
Current role: Shepherd, Sheep stick and crook maker

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Jan’s Dad, Hamish has been farming all his life across Scotland from Skye to Turriff and down as far as Berwick. Apart from amassing 70-something years of experience as a ‘dyed in the wool’ sheep farmer, he also has a lot of contacts and friends in the farming community. Hamish can also be seen at our markets making his sheep sticks & crooks, which keeps him busy until he’s back out catching sheep in the fields.

Background: Animal Care & Horticulture
Current role: Agriculture Assistant

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​Rebekah met her first dairy goat kid when she was 13, it was owned by a family friend who gave her the chance to show it at the Royal Highland Show. She raised it to become Champion Goat four years later. After school she studied  Animal Care and Horticulture at Scotland’s Rural College. She has worked for a community interest company teaching children and adults, alongside her goat escapades and breeding her own hybrid succulents.  Rebekah has now returned to her first love - working with animals - and is our Agricultural Assistant.