Our Story
The Beginning of Farmer & Weaver
Ten years ago, neither of us imagined we would become farmers, let alone creators of artisanal wool textiles. With no farming background between us, we took a leap of faith and started small: just six sheep in a rented field. What began as a modest agricultural experiment has grown into two interconnected businesses that celebrate the entire journey from farm to table and from fleece to fabric.
An Unexpected Challenge
As our flock grew and we established Salcombe Meat Co, our butcher shop business, we faced an unexpected dilemma: what to do with all the wool? While we raised the sheep primarily for meat, each shearing season left us with beautiful fleeces that seemed too valuable to waste.
There was no money in sending it to the British Wool Marketing Board. It would have cost more to take it to the collection point than we would have had back. We tried everything: giving the wool away, using it as garden mulch, even attempting (and failing spectacularly) to burn it.
From Problem to Passion
Rather than accepting wool as a troublesome by-product, we had an idea: what if we could transform this "waste" into something beautiful? The early days weren't easy. Processing small quantities of wool was prohibitively expensive, and we had to learn everything from scratch: finding processors to turn our fleeces into yarn, connecting with weavers, and understanding the textile market.
Looking back, we really had no idea what we were doing, but we've got better as we've gone along!
What began as a practical solution to avoid waste has evolved into a genuine passion. Today, we create high-quality, beautiful, and long-lasting textiles that honour both the animals and the traditional crafts of spinning and weaving.
Growing Together
Over the past decade, our operation has expanded significantly. From those initial six sheep, we now care for over 80 breeding ewes on our own 9-acre property, complete with a barn and the home we built, plus another 50 acres we rent nearby.
This growth has been transformative for our textile business. With greater volumes of wool, sourced both from our own flock and from other Devon Closewool breeders throughout Devon, we've secured better processing rates and can maintain a substantial yarn inventory, opening doors to more diverse designs and colour options for our blankets and other products. This approach not only enhances our offerings but also supports other farmers who are passionate about rare breeds and sustainable farming.
It always surprises us what we've accomplished in 10 years. We've built it up a little at a time, learning from mistakes and finding approaches that work for us. One of our biggest milestones was Lauren's decision to leave full-time employment to dedicate herself completely to the farm and our growing businesses.
Just the Two of Us
Farmer & Weaver is entirely run by just the two of us: no outside investors, no large team, just us learning as we go. Between us, one is always full of amazing ideas, while the other puts on a numbers head and often says no! (Though sometimes those seemingly wild ideas often prove viable!)
Our farming life keeps us busy with daily checks and feeding routines, but we find time to develop new blanket designs and product ideas for Farmer & Weaver. Our creative process flows organically, with inspirations often emerging from our daily connection to the land and animals.
Commitment to Community & Conservation
While Farmer & Weaver is still young, we bring the same community values that guide our meat business. We support local events through donations, prioritise local suppliers, and participate in preserving rare breeds.
Our Devon Closewool sheep are registered with the breed society to support the conservation of this rare breed. If these rare breeds aren't supported, they will disappear, which is why we're committed to agricultural heritage and biodiversity.
In everything we do, we strive to minimise waste. Even our goat shed is constructed from leftover materials from our house build! This philosophy of resourcefulness is at the heart of Farmer & Weaver: transforming what might be wasted into something beautiful and enduring.
From our farm to your home, we create heirloom-quality textiles that connect you to the land, the animals, and the age-old craft of turning fleece into treasures that warm both body and soul.