About Us

The farm has been in the Dixon family for 3 generations and our home, a traditional Devon longhouse, is believed to have been built in the 1600s; around the farm yard are several old cob barns that were once used for milking cows and storing grain. In the 1950’s and 60’s the farm was run as a dairy unit with brown & white Ayrshire cows producing milk collected in churns from the roadside. In the 1970’s dairying on our scale became unsustainable and the farm switched to raising sheep and beef. When Ian’s father gave up the animals in 1995 the land was let to a local dairy farmer until Ian returned in 2000 and we started to reclaim fields to keep rare breeds of sheep, pigs and chicken and to harvest hay. Our rare breed business is young but growing quickly. The farm is in Defra’s Environmental Stewardship scheme.

South Yeo Farm East

What do we produce and sell?

Pedigree Balwen sheep are kept to produce registered breeding stock for onward sale, unregisterable animals for fattening, fresh or frozen lamb boxes, sheep skin rugs, wool for spinning and knitted goods

Registered pedigree Large Black pigs are raised for breeding stock or fattening animals for fresh pork and mouth watering crackling, bacon, gammon and delicious real home-made meaty sausages using herbs and garlic from our garden

Rare breeds of poultry are reared to sell, for breeding, hatching eggs, and colourful free range eating eggs or simply hens for the garden. We will soon be offering quality poultry houses made by a friend for sale too.

Fast growing willow for garden supports, living willow fences, arbours, wind breaks, children’s tunnels and wigwams; and brightly coloured willows for basketry

Our village: Northlew

Northlew is a small village located near Okehampton in West Devon, and most places in the village have excellent views over Dartmoor. It is relatively isolated and has an attractive main square surrounded by traditional buildings, many of them thatched; just off the square is a pub, the local primary school and two churches.

Historically, Northlew gets its name from the ancient manor of Lew, mentioned in the Doomsday Book, and the River Lew flows by at the bottom of the village. They say ‘the Devil died of a cold in Northlew’ although there are several different stories relating to who the devil may have been, the most common seems to have been an old deer stag that is said to have died in the square. None-the-less, it is often colder here owing to the village’s exposed location on top of a hill.

Click here to visit the Northlew village website.