Who are the Rare Breeds?
Based at Horsenden Farm, our group started out with two pigs in 2017. We then added Shetland cows, Bagot goats, chickens and geese in following years. The Horsenden rare-breeds constituted community group was officially established in 2022. The aim of the group is to use native and rare breed animals to help manage land around Horsenden Hill and contribute to Ealing Council’s conservation grazing programme. The group consists of ten dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers from the local area, working in close collaboration with the Council ranger. We use a buddy system on rotational shifts to ensure excellent animal welfare. Holistic care is followed to avoid the use of chemicals which can be harmful for dung beetles and other creatures. We are passionate about supporting the survival of native and rare breeds and demonstrating the contributions they can make to our community and environment.
Why do we keep animals?
Horsenden was historically farmland going back many centuries. In recent years livestock have returned, to graze the meadows in order to encourage wildflowers (some which are rare for London, such as dyer’s greenweed), in an environmentally friendly approach to looking after meadowland called conservation grazing.
Our other animals do their bit too, from keeping the grass short in the orchard, to providing eggs to sell to locals and visitors on the farm shop, to helping us reclaim new meadows and orchard spaces from scrub thickets and previously overgrown, unmanaged areas.
What comes next?
Now that the team has several years experience of looking after the pigs, chickens, goats, cows, geese (and now ducks) of Horsenden, we’re planning to keep horses, to include horse logging in our conservation management practice. Horse logging is an environmentally low-impact way of taking out felled trees (because the horse and cart won’t damage the land like heavy machinery would), so the local wood can be used at the farm by the volunteering community for making fence posts, furniture, and other green woodworking projects.
And the fundraiser!
To have horses we need a stable, and we’re launching a crowdfunder to raise the funds to build it. As well as constructing a stable we’re building a new state-of-the-art chicken coop to ensure our birds have a safe home. If you are interested in supporting the animals at Horsenden, please have a look at our fundraiser. Any support is gratefully received!
Meet the animals
Shetland cows
Ilex and Bramble and Bluebell are Shetland cows, a hardy and calm breed very suited to conservation grazing. The benefits are already visible in only a few short years, with annual surveys showing an increase of wildflower growth.
Baggot goats
Helping us reclaim areas that were overgrown with ivy, Alfie and Yogi are the resident Baggot goats. As curious as they are handsome, these hard working eaters often accompany volunteer groups as they clear areas of overgrowth.
Heritage pigs
“It started with a hay bale..”
The reclaiming of Horsenden farm as a working farm started with the arrival of some pigs several years ago. Since then they’ve helped turn the soil over ahead of reseeding for wildflower meadows and orchard planting.
Embden Geese
The geese have been doing a fantastic job of keeping the orchard cared for, and honking enthusiastically to anyone who’ll listen. They begin their egg laying on Valentines Day each year – an old farmers myth that turns out to be true!
Chickens
Chickens have been farm residents for many years. The eggs that they lay are sold on the farm shop (the income for which goes to supporting the farm). They spend their day inquisitively searching for juicy insects to eat, and enjoying luxurious dust baths.
Cats
The current cat cabal consists of Billy and Binks, though there are three more on the way. Not technically rare breeds, they’re feral cats who have been rehomed to the farm, occupying the ecological niche (and useful farm job!) of being rat catchers.