Pode Hole Farm was built in 1860 as part of the Duke of Bedford Estate. We purchased the farm in 1989 adjoining land we already farmed and moved there in November 1990.

The farming enterprise is mainly arable with about 1200 acres being managed by Charles and Harry, with Chris Hart part-time, a stalwart employee for over 30 years. The main crops are wheat, sugar beet, oilseed rape and beans.

The sheep and cattle enterprise fit in well with the arable workload with the sheep lambing in December and the herd Spring and Autumn calving. Roy McDonald joined the team as stockman in January 2006 and Sally and Roy look after all the livestock enterprises.

The grassland in front of the house is a protected ancient monument consisting of Roman earthworks and in a predominantly arable area this prompted the establishment of the flock of Hampshire Down sheep in 1991.

In 1997 Harry and our daughter Lucy purchased three Beef Shorthorn heifers from John Doughty at Tugby and these were the foundation of the Pode Hole herd. Following the return of land from gravel extraction as low level grassland, the company took on responsibility for the cattle enterprise and the numbers were expanded with cows from the Tofts and Derryage herds and further cows from Tugby.

In 2006 as further land has been returned from quarrying it was decided to introduce a second breed to Pode Hole and a Simmental herd is in its infancy; to complement the Shorthorns.