³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

John Atkinson and his partner Maria Benjamin have a mixed farm on the eastern shore of Coniston Water in the Lake District. John’s family have farmed there at Nibthwaite for six generations but to keep their farm commercially viable they’re going 'back to the future’- they’re copying the model of the old school mixed farm which was still common around 50 years ago before it became usual practice for farms to specialise and intensify. They’ve developed a portfolio of micro-businesses that capitalise on the farm’s strengths and John and Maria’s interests and skills.

Maria, a former artist and film-maker, has found a niche market for the farm’s speciality rare breed wool and is adding value to wool for other farmers; her shepherd’s bag made from twitter shepherd James Rebanks’ Herdwick wool is carrying Lauren Laverne’s David Bowie albums around. She also makes high end Jersey cow milk soap which is selling in Japan.

John loves livestock and is trying to rehabilitate rare and native breeds to show there’s still a place for them on modern commercial farms. He’s a Trustee for the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and has spent the last year rearing the seven ‘primitive’ UK breeds to produce a true comparison of the costs, the flavour and commercial potential of the meat and wool.