Clearer Steps and Steady Hands

This week we brought the full team together for a structured review of how we’re operating. It was calm, direct, and useful. We looked at what’s working, what isn’t, and what must change between now and 2026 so the farm serves members with the reliability and quality you expect.

The outcome: a clearer operating rhythm, firmer accountability, and a short list of actions already in motion.

We began by naming the gap between demand and supply. Interest is rising; boxes are selling; the vision is resonating. Where we’ve fallen short is inventory and consistency, especially on livestock, and the day-to-day discipline that keeps a small farm running like clockwork.

To support better decisions, we walked through the Governance Charter we’ve been developing with the core group. In brief: decisions live where the work lives; roles and responsibilities are explicit; reviews become regular.

From there, the practicals with livestock first. We’re lifting egg production quickly, bringing new layers into the flock and adjusting housing so we can reach steady winter numbers.

With bird-flu restrictions now in place, we can no longer rely on external partners to process our birds. That means setting up slaughter and processing on our own land. We’re scoping this now so we can process some birds before Christmas, then move to a weekly cadence of small, steady batches for consistency.

We also have a two-month gap in pork supply (Jan–Feb). We’ve secured a partnership with a trusted local farm to bridge that window and help us build ongoing stock for our wider membership as we grow. You’ll always see what’s ours and what’s externally sourced.

Beef and lamb are booked with abattoirs over the coming weeks to ensure holiday-season availability. We’re also finalising a dairy partnership to stabilise milk while we prepare for expansion on the next estate.

Land and infrastructure were part of the review too. We’re securing additional tenancy pasture so herds and flocks can rotate properly through winter and into 2026.

On site, the members’ cabin, team office, and packing room are being completed so production and packing stop tripping over each other. A small volunteer programme will help us finish these builds quickly. Reply to this email if you’d like to be involved over the next 4 weeks and we’ll share info.

The truth is, the team has worked very hard to get a complex small farm moving, and in the rush we lost some of the love and pride we started with. We’ve recommitted to caring for each other, and the farm, with more attention and respect. That shows up in tidy spaces, tools looked after, clear handovers, and work finished well.

I’ll walk through these changes and the road ahead on our next Founding Member Progress Call, Thursday at 7pm. I hope to see you there.

Thank you for the patience, the feedback, and the belief. We’re building carefully and openly so the farm you co-own becomes more resilient every month.