Forest Garden Farm

Hello and Welcome!

Jul 01, 2026

The seed has been sown…

Inspired by the layers of Forest Gardening, we are cultivating Forest Garden Farm which brings together our passion for trees, edible plants, conservation and land-skills. This substack will be a way of us sharing our farming journey with you, in a world of constant social media notifications, we hope this newsletter will be a slower and more meaningful update. We aim to send out a farm update once a season.

This first post is quite long but I promise the next one will be shorter!

Welcome to Forest Garden Farm

Rooting our future - An introduction to our story, our agroecological plans, and how a recent milestone is helping us plant the seeds for what comes next.

Hello, and welcome to the very first Substack post for Forest Garden Farm!

We are Esther and Xander, and if you’ve found your way to our corner of the internet, you likely already know our story! You may also be someone who cares deeply about the future of food, community and soil.

For years we’ve dreamed of cultivating a space where we can explore our passion for trees and nature, supported by our combined experience in horticulture and arboriculture. We hope to build our skills in land management, agroecology, and community education as we grow. We are creating a space where nature and agriculture don’t just coexist, but actively work together; building a diverse, agroecological farm business from the ground up. It will be exciting to share this journey with you.

In October 2025 we joined cooperative farming venture Wern Farm, in Sarn, Wales. A 38 acre agroecological enterprise rented from Powys County Council and part of a Future Farms Pilot Project. The land, historically managed for livestock, features the Caebitra brook, wetland swales, and diverse habitats including wet woodland and veteran oaks. We steward 8.6 acres and our primary goal is establishing an edible plant and tree nursery focusing on climate-resilient, Welsh-adapted stock. We employ regenerative forest gardening and agroecological principles to prioritise soil health and food flavour. By gathering local tree seed sustainably we are growing strong versatile trees and sharing seed saving and propagation techniques with the local community. Our integrated system design includes: perennial polycultures combining agroforestry and orchards for habitat restoration; resource efficiency through solar energy, rainwater harvesting, and Keyline methodologies to restore wetlands; and integrated livestock management via Community Supported Chickens, using rotational grazing to enhance soil fertility and produce nutrient-dense eggs.

What We Are Building:

Our vision for the land isn’t just about growing food; it’s about growing a resilient ecosystem. Here is what we are busy putting into motion:

Agroforestry: We are integrating trees, shrubs, and crops into a dynamic, multi-layered system. By mimicking the structure of a natural woodland, we can maximize biodiversity, protect our soil, and build climate resilience.
The Plant Nursery: A dedicated hub for propagating unusual, resilient, and perennial edible plants and trees. We want to supply our local area with the exact varieties needed to kickstart their own edible landscape.
Pasture-Raised Chickens: Our feathered partners in soil regeneration. These birds will move regularly across fresh pasture, scratching, fertilizing, and living exactly as chickens are meant to, while producing exceptionally nutritious eggs.
Land-Based Skills: We believe the knowledge of how to care for the earth belongs to everyone. We will be hosting workshops to share practical land skills—from grafting and pruning to holistic land management.

Why This, Why Now?

“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”

We face an era defined by ecological uncertainty and shifting climates. The intensive, industrial food systems of the past are depleting our soils and driving biodiversity loss. We want to challenge this through our actions on the land and contribute to a stronger more sustainable food chain; rooted in local, and growing outwards.

A small orchard has been planted, 10 chickens joined the farm in June, we conducted a meadow survey and have been busy constructing two polytunnels

The Community We Want to Build Here

We aren’t interested in farming behind closed gates. We are looking to build a community that is visible, connected, and deeply participatory.

We want to foster an inclusive space where neighbors, food lovers, and aspiring producers can gather to share a harvest, learn a new skill, and reconnect with the the seasons. Whether you are looking to understand exactly where your food comes from, get your hands dirty in a weekend workshop, or simply support a landscape that helps nature thrive, there is a place for you here. Collaboration will be essential in the effort to transition toward a truly local, community-centered food system.

We need your support- Join Our Kickstarter!

We have just launched our Community Supported Chickens Kickstarter campaign!

To get our pasture-raised flock on the ground, we need to fund mobile, predator-proof coops, electric fencing, and high-quality organic feed. By backing our Kickstarter, you aren’t just buying into ethical food—you are directly investing in the biological tools that will restore our pastures and feed our community.

We currently have a small flock of 10 chickens and a very ‘farm-made’ atv trailer and garden shed mobile coop.

Our current, very 'farm made' mobile chicken set up

We are aiming to increase our flock to 50 hens and implement a fully functional mobile pasture poultry set up including:

2 x Mobile coops that house 25 chickens comfortably
Electrified poultry netting
Solar and battery generator to power netting
Farm vehicle to move housing
Fresh water system
Organic Feed
Rodent proof feed storage
50 pasture raised hens at point of lay
Egg boxes, stamps, stickers and marketing

This project is about happy hens on grass, richer-tasting eggs, healthier soil, and rebuilding a sense of connection between people and the land.

Through our Community Supported Chicken model, you can:

Sponsor a chicken and receive seasonal updates about her life
Sponsor the planting of a tree in our Forest Garden
Support regenerative farming and animal welfare from the ground up

To help get this project off the ground, we’re crowdfunding £8,500 (£6000 to fund our project and £2500 to cover Kickstarter fees and tax) to fund housing, fencing, solar power, organic feed, and all the infrastructure needed to put welfare first.

Kickstarter link