Category: animal-profiles

History of Farm

History of Farm

The landscape of Coopers Farm shows that a number of original hedge lines and shaws which appear to have been grubbed up over the decades. Michael has been very committed to the long term protection and management of the farm as integral asset to the High Weald AONB. With this in mind Michael visited the Sussex Records Office in Lewes to conduct research into original field boundaries and names based on the 1841 tithe Map and schedule which demonstrates that Coopers Farm was originally 7 paddocks.

The original owner was a Mr Benjamin Hall of Curtains Hill (1248) but rented it to Mr William Howard who occupied the site with a historical farmstead. 

Beyond Organic Farming

Our aim is to produce the best-tasting, healthiest and most environmentally friendly food. Everything we do stems from this.

To achieve this we are creating the most ideal, naturally healthy, environment that we possibly can. This will enable our fruit, vegetables and animals to thrive.

We consider that Coopers Farm is a working farm that demonstrates best practice for others to learn from. The goal of the project is to deliver the highest quality biodiversity baseline, in line with the management of traditional beef animals and with the minimum use of external materials. Thus minimizing and ultimately eliminating our carbon footprint. We recognize that this is a demanding goal, and a no compromise approach, but it is one that we believe will achieve our overall aim.

Our Chickens

Light Sussex Chicken

The Sussex chicken is a dual purpose breed of chicken that originated in England around the time of the Roman conquest of Britain in AD43. 

The Sussex was bred to be a dual purpose bird and is one of the most productive breeds of poultry. They lay large eggs that are cream to light brown in colour. A person owning a hen of this breed should expect approximately 240 to 260 eggs a year (from 180 to 320 eggs).

Sussex chickens are believed to have been first bred in Britain (in the area that was to become England) around the time of the Roman invasion of AD 43 making them one of the oldest known breeds. Originally bred as a table bird the Sussex has since become a dual-purpose bird, working for both meat and egg production.

Our Pigs

Gloucester Old Spot Pigs

The 'Gloucestershire Old Spot' pig is known for its docility, intelligence and prolificity. Boars reach a mature weight of 600 lb (272 kg) and sows 500 lb (227 kg). The pigs are white with clearly defined black spots. There must be at least one spot on the body to be accepted in the registry. The breed’s maternal skills enable it to raise large litters of piglets. This can be up to 32 piglets per year.

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'Ollie' our Boar resting inside during winter.
Piglets
1 week old piglets suckling on 'Nancy' our sow.

The Old Spots was once a very popular breed of pig. With the advent of intensive farming, certain lean, pale, high-yield breeds were chosen to suit the factory conditions and needs of mass-production. Many old breeds of pig died out or were greatly diminished, in this time. However, owing to consumer pressure in the United Kingdom, and changes to the law, both attributable to an increasing awareness of and concern about, farming conditions, pigs have been increasingly reared outdoors there. In addition, more consumers are looking for quality meat, as opposed to cheap, bland meat product. In these conditions, old breeds well-suited to living outdoors, such as the Old Spots. This is one of the reasons Coopers Farm have chosen this breed over others and adding value to the produce that we have at the farm.10999689_10153240390173420_1938739542726315996_n

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Many of our customers ask how long a sow is pregnant. The simple answer is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. A strange formula but consistently works.

Our Cows

Sussex Cattle

Coopers Farm runs a pedigree Sussex herd. The herd is split into two groups A and B. The A group is our breeding herd and the B group is the beef fatteners or finishing beef.

Sussex Cattle have evolved over many hundreds of years.  It is believed that the Sussex Breed of today is descended directly from the red cattle (Anglo Saxon) that inhabited the dense forests of the High Weald at the time of the Norman Conquest 1066.

The 'Sussex' has been an English breed for hundreds of years and has developed its special characteristics on clay soils on which it has been raised for a lengthy period of time and under conditions which have confirmed its inherent good qualities. For example, it has adapted to wet and cold conditions of winter to the dry drought conditions of summer. It is on account of its ancient lineage that Sussex Cattle are so prepotent and stamp their qualities in no uncertain fashion, while as from the first the colour has always been a mahogany red, this colour does not vary and is dominant in calves sired by a Sussex bull from other cows.

Originally, and for many generations, the Sussex were a draught breed and it is from the result of hard work in the plough, the wagon and in the timber tugs that they attained their hardy constitutions and a frame of such symmetrical proportions that when steers of the breed had finished with the yoke it was little or no trouble to feed them to great weights of excellent beef.

The modern Sussex is a highly economical, well muscled, easy and economical to produce animal giving the best quality beef.

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