Organic Farm & Food

Helen Browning’s family has farmed at Eastbrook Farm for more than 67 years and we have been organic since 1986. Our philosophy is to grow the best quality crops and animals, whilst making space for nature too.

But this doesn’t stop at the farm. Helen Browning’s runs the Royal Oak, a boutique hotel and dining pub here in Bishopstone. We also offer workshops and courses alongside our wildlife photography and workshop business, Prohides.

Our online shop aims to bring you the very best products associated with all our businesses, locally and ethically sourced, including meat boxes delivered across the UK.

Evolved through the Covid crisis, our new ‘village shop’ at the Royal Oak offers organic essentials for sale, and the pick of locally made food treasures.

The story so far

Helen’s story is simple and compelling … an ongoing exploration into ways to farm that are as good as they possibly can be for people, farm animals and nature. Organic, of course, and constantly challenging how we can evolve our farming systems to do even more to stabilise the climate, feed everyone healthily and restore an abundance of wildlife to our countryside. As Chief Executive of the Soil Association, the educational charity that supports policy makers, farmers, foresters and citizens make better decisions about how we eat, farm and care for the natural world, Helen tries to ‘walk the talk’ at Eastbrook. To get a fuller understanding of the philosophy that she aims to put into practice, do read ‘PIG: tales from an organic farm’ which she wrote recently with her partner in life and business, Tim Finney. It delves deep into the issues that concern so many of us, including the ethics of meat eating, through the real life story of a gang of piglets from birth to bacon.

Moving on with cattle

Although we are most known for fabulous, high welfare organic pork, we are now introducing a range of Good Beef. This is because we recognise the importance of pasture fed livestock in improving soils and maintaining the grasslands that harbour so much wildlife… if they are managed correctly… and the need to move away from feeding animals crops that we could be eating ourselves, such as cereals, pulses and soya. Pigs and poultry need these ‘concentrates’ in a world where it is hard to feed the waste that was their traditional fare. Our ‘good beef’ live most of their lives on downland pastures, building carbon in the soil, and encouraging the floral diversity on which pollinators and many other insects depend.

We would love to show you what we do – shop online or come and visit us, hear our stories directly, and take a tour of the farm. Tim runs the wonderful Royal Oak pub/restaurant with stunning rooms so you make the most of your visit, whether you come for the Farm safaris, photography hides, brilliant walking and or, of course, to indulge in fabulous food and drink.