A Holistic Vision
Country Smallholding|December 2017

Christine Page talks to Debbie Kingsley about her small beef herd and micro dairy in Shropshire

Debbie Kingsley
A Holistic Vision

Christine Page moved to Smiling Tree Farm in Shropshire in 2006 having had two previous careers, one in thoroughbred racehorses the other in an office.

“I grew out of horses and didn’t like the office job. When I got pregnant 22 years ago, I started really looking into food, health and farming. The more I dug into where our food comes from, the more depressed I got. I realised that even buying organic did not guarantee chemical-free. I’d always loved animals and the outdoors, so when I got the chance I moved here to grow and raise my own food.

“The past 11 years have been a fascinating, exhilarating journey of discovery. There have been many people and connections made along the way, but the most pivotal has been Pasture for Life; it is an amazing organisation and its inspirational and altruistic members have been truly life changing.

“Through Pasture for Life I have had access to knowledge and resources to learn how to raise healthy, content animals in a truly sustainable way, and turn production of beyond-organic super-nutritious food from happy animals into a viable, sustainable business.

Holistic

Today I run my farm and life using holistic management practices, which is simply looking at the ‘whole’ and considering consequences. I live, work and make decisions based on environmental sustainability, social wellbeing and financial sustainability. Life and work has a triple bottom line: planet, people and profit (but profit doesn’t equal greed, just a living).

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