About Us
History
Townhead Farm is situated within Argyll and Bute on the eastern outskirts of Helensburgh, with uninterrupted views over the Clyde from Kilcreggan through to Ardmore point taking in Dunoon, Gourock and Port Glasgow. It is approximately ½ mile due north of Drumfork Farm and the Colgrain estate, ½ mile west of the Camis Eskan farm estate and ¼ mile east of the Kirkmichael and Churchill estates.
The Farmhouse and Steadings date from C1750, and you can still see evidence of the original architecture and layout for a well-run farm from that era. The original farmland, approximately 85 hectares, principally comprised good quality pasture and arable on south facing slopes rising from 40 – 100m above sea level. Creating this took years and required investment in drainage, understanding of climate and environment, and good land management.
During the 1970’s the Farm was amalgamated with Drumfork Farm, which for economic reasons focussed on a dairy operation until the late 1990’s. Changes within the dairy industry lead to the loss of Drumfork Dairy as a primary provider of local milk and the established infrastructure of Townhead Farm (outbuildings, dykes, fencing, and the general condition of the land) suffered some rapid deterioration as a result. In its former years Townhead Farm had a history for quality and innovation, taking maximum advantage of its location and topography to develop one of the foremost dairy and arable farms in the area.
The Farmhouse and Steadings date from C1750, and you can still see evidence of the original architecture and layout for a well-run farm from that era. The original farmland, approximately 85 hectares, principally comprised good quality pasture and arable on south facing slopes rising from 40 – 100m above sea level. Creating this took years and required investment in drainage, understanding of climate and environment, and good land management.
During the 1970’s the Farm was amalgamated with Drumfork Farm, which for economic reasons focussed on a dairy operation until the late 1990’s. Changes within the dairy industry lead to the loss of Drumfork Dairy as a primary provider of local milk and the established infrastructure of Townhead Farm (outbuildings, dykes, fencing, and the general condition of the land) suffered some rapid deterioration as a result. In its former years Townhead Farm had a history for quality and innovation, taking maximum advantage of its location and topography to develop one of the foremost dairy and arable farms in the area.
Today – A diverse small Farm maximising its potential
In re-establishing itself as a small working farm for today, Townhead Farm now comprises approximately 7.5 hectares of adjoining land, predominantly to the west and northwest, (see attached map) with an additional 4-5 hectares of grazing land that is leased locally. The development plan for the Farm aims to take advantage of the farms agricultural history, natural topography and its location to deliver product excellence, environmental efficiency and community benefit.
Our Principles
- Locally produced – less food miles
- Ethically produced – Farmed to organic principles, the 5 freedoms are fully accounted for, animal welfare takes priority from birth to slaughter
- Good farming promotes conservation and preserves the best use of the natural environment
- Education requires access to and understanding of farming – We support the education of all age groups and aim to deliver structured training to suit
- The price of totally local slow grown meat is fair and real, reflecting the quality, care and time that has been put in by the farmer
Animal Sharing Schemes
Our Animal Sharing Scheme (ASS) enables customers to buy a stake into the process of rearing an animal for their own use. The animal remains the property of Townhead Farm for the duration of its life, but the scheme has been established to allow your say in what you would like to receive after it has been slaughtered. Sharing Scheme participants are provided with a farm passport, that gives an entitlement to partake in the rearing and management of that animal during its life.
Buying a share of an animal allows our customers to save significantly on meat cuts, providing their family or business with a consistent supply of high quality meat.
Animals are available in quarter and half shares and are priced by the time and cost it takes to typically rear, slaughter and butcher.. Butchery requirements are defined by the ASS participant and the product is then the property of that participant. .