About Us & High Welfare Farming

Farm Walks & Animal Experiences

Looking for the perfect countryside experience for your family?

Our Farm Walks are individually bespoke walks just for your family lasting approximately 2 hours. They truly are a wonderful way to meet our animals, explore the farm, and enjoy the peace of the outdoors as a family.

Alternatively you may choose one of our Animal Experiences

You can take one of our ponies, goats or donkeys for a gentle walk along our country lane. You will also be able to groom and fuss your chosen animal to cement your bond. It’s a unique chance to get up close with the animals, ask questions, and make lasting memories.

All walks and experiences are Available during school holidays.
Farm Walks: £50 per family (up to 5 people)
Animal Experiences: £15 each person (age restrictions and conditions apply) Please enquire for details

The Robertsons

Poppies Farm has been in the family since 1972. It was part of a much larger farm owned by Jo’s father. When the original farm sold in 1988 Poppies Farm land was retained by the family and Poppies Farm was born!

Steve

Farmer Steve is a builder by trade, has built our farm infrastructure and as you will see it is still growing! In his tractor he is his happiest keeping the balance between nature and farming ensuring that the grass is grown to feed next years animals and sustain the delicate balance of making hay and
grazing animals.

Jo

Jo runs the day-to-day care of the animals and leads our SEND and wellness sessions. With decades of experience teaching and working with children and animals, she brings heart, patience, and purpose to everything we do.

Lilli

Farmer Lilli is the farms right hand! Still attending Berkshire College of Agriculture, Lilli helps out with all aspects of farm life when she can. She has her own flock of North Ronaldsay Sheep and is very involved in the Lambing season. In the haymaking season Lilli is invaluable, driving the tractors, trailers and telehandler, a real farmer’s daughter.

Gemma

Our most recent recruit, joining the team in 2025. Gemma brings calm and focus to our every day. She is in charge of the day to day animal care along with Farmer Jo. She is also involved in the sessions along with Farmer Lilli. Having recently taken her Tractor tests, she will become Steve's right hand woman in the fields next summer!

Anna

Following on in Lilli's footsteps, Anna joined the family in January 2023. She very quickly became key in the Herdwick breeding programme and on the showing scene. In the Summer months, Lilli and Anna are out and about with the show sheep most weekends earning trophies and rosettes for their endeavours.

George

George brings a business mind to the family operation, balancing his university studies with helping on the farm.

High Herd Health

Poppies Farm is dedicated to producing top quality produce. We rear native British breeds, British Lop and Berkshire Pigs and Soay, North Ronaldsay Boraray and Herdwick sheep. Award winning pedigree suckling herd of Dexter, British White and Wagyu cross Dexter cattle.

High herd health - all our animals are bred and kept to a high standard.

All of our animals are pedigree, free range, roaming naturally around the farms grounds. The difference between pedigree beef and general shop bought Beef: Beef generally purchased from a shop will say 'Angus' 'Highland' 'Wagyu' 'Herford' etc as the breed of beef that the produce has come from. If you look carefully at the small print, it will also say something like ' produce of cows sired by pedigree bulls'. This generally means that the female was a non-beef breed and that the male was a pedigree beef breed. This allows you to purchase less expensive beef as they will have been barn reared on feed and grain rather than on pasture. Our beef is from a pedigree suckling herd of Dexter, British White and Wagyu cattle. This means that the female is a beef breed, the male is a beef breed and that the calves stay with their mother in the fields for a minimum of a year.

This makes for a happy farmer and a happier herd.

What Customers Say About Us

Thank you for running the farm and letting us all be part of it! It has helped me to be happier, trust people more, and helped me look after my pets as well! Wednesdays are the day I look forward to the most! And I love being part of something where I can make friends and really help out.

George

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and the whole team! I honestly cannot get over how far George has come since starting at poppies farm! Before George joined, they barely left their room and had no contact outside of the house! Now they have made a friend (well predicted) and formed connections with peers and adults! George looks forward to their Wednesday all week and jabbers away all the way home! I cannot tell you how happy and emotional it makes me to watch that! I have my George back! What you do is amazing, I know it can't be easy but what a phenomenal thing to do and what a huge difference you make for so many families. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! See you in September! Love fay+ family,

Fay

Being at Poppies Farm has given me so much experience and has opened me up to a new world of farming. It has showed me that it was is definitely not for the weak, but you and Steve have shown me that it's possible and what a beautiful farm you have made. You've given me new friendships with Ed, Emily, Lily, Luke and Emmy, which i'm very very grateful for! I'll never forget my time on the farm or the organised chaos of the children. I'll definitely be back! Lots of Love,

Daisy

I will Miss you So much! The farm has been such a safe space for me and I have grown so much because of it. I have enjoyed spending time with you and everyone else at the farm so much and l would like to thank you for that.

George

Thank you all so much for everything you have done for Chester. Although his time with you has sadly come to an end, his time with you when he needed you the most was so important, and we're very grateful. You've got on amazing facility a Pappies farm that really helps children struggling at school. Long May it continue, and good luck for the future

Andy + Cherry