Life is better on the farm
Entrepreneur and animal lover Jessica Cross explains how love, respect and hard work make happy bedfellows at her Devonshire business
THE ELECTORAL ROLL will reflect that I live alone on a farm in Devon but nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that I share my land with 46 Southdown sheep, 25 chickens, two turkeys, two dogs, two cats and, until very recently, a pig named Cassandra, may she rest in peace. I am known as ‘the intrepid wool grower’ or ‘the duvet lady’.
With all these creatures living free-range, how could I ever be lonely and what could possibly go wrong? I am not quite sure how I do it, but I manage to convince my animals of three rules by which we live together harmoniously every day:
● Love is unconditional ● Respect is mutual ● We don’t eat family members
Spend an afternoon with us and you will soon appreciate why I say Primrose Farm is the happy house of random chaos. I am so used to the spontaneous mischief of my animals that I no longer notice what visitors find amusing – like Roger the turkey taking control of the Women’s Institute meeting we held recently in the barn, while Max, the working collie, herded chickens between the picnic tables… All this as Cal, the hefty mountain dog, stood frozen at the barn gate, his courage deserting him, because a tiny, feisty cat had parked herself strategically in the gateway and, in a moment of feline malice, was giving him the evil eye. This sort of comical interaction goes on all day, every day, providing me with an endless supply of writing material. Truth be told, my animals keep me sane. Primrose Farm is also home to the famous Southdown range of luxury wool bedding, as well as four letting cottages, so I am always busy with customers and guests. The animal antics provide a welcome diversion. Every month, I will endeavour to capture your attention, entertain you, perhaps elicit a wry smile or make you nod knowingly, and hopefully give you a heartwarming or thought-provoking takeaway – all in a three-minute read.
Until next time, sheepy greetings and bleatings from me and my menagerie in Devon.