Diversification is becoming common place on many UK farms when input costs have soared with little if any increase in commodity prices, and it's been a saving grace at Newton Farm.
Newton of Fotheringham Farm aka Newton Holidays and Tours is a traditional family run enterprise comprising 550 acres outside Forfar, in Angus, run by Louise and Graeme Nicoll. A location prime for arable farming with limited livestock, the business started offering farm tours in 2017 as a way to generate extra income.
“We realised we needed to add something to the business as we worked out Graeme was only earning £2 an hour which wasn't sustainable," said Louise,
"We already had a holiday let and B&B onsite and we had been given the opportunity to promote it through the VisitAngus Facebook page. It was during February which was typically the quietest time and it gave me a platform so to launch educational tours of the farm instead which we had been considering for some time," she added.
Check out our Photo Sales section here for more photos like these
The response was surprising with many showing interest in the potential tours despite not really knowing what to expect.
“I made sure to reply to every single comment and engage with anyone who would be interested. Our first tour was for a woman who was celebrating her 80th birthday and she had always wanted to feed a pet lamb. We had actually come out of keeping sheep some years before but because of that request we brought in a few pet lambs for the tours.”
The Nicolls now keep 160 breeding sheep with lamb tours being one of their most popular experiences. During lambing, Louise runs up to four tours a day offering visitors the chance to bottle feed lambs and see the process of lambing firsthand.
Their commercial Texel and Beltex cross flock is bred for replacements with the surplus finished on farm. This year however, with the fluctuating market they are being sold as stores. Lambing starts at the end of March and is all done inside.
Louise and Graeme also keep a herd of 100 goats which feature in their tours as well as being sold on or sent to abattoir with the goat meat being marketed by the farm.
“We used to use Forfar market before it closed so now most of our stock is sold at Stirling or Longtown. With our local mart shut we are still figuring out the best way to sell sustainably that doesn’t involve me going all the way to Stirling with just three goats.”
Newton Farm is also home to 55 suckler cows and two stock bulls. Mostly a mix of Limousin and Aberdeen Angus cross cows, they are also bred for replacements. A couple of years ago the Nicolls also invested in some Highland cows for pets and they now have a small fold which is proving popular for tours. Cows are kept inside over winter and during calving and go out late spring apart from the Highlanders which are outside all year round.
Check out our Photo Sales section here for more photos like these
“Because we have diversified into tourism, we’ve found that we don’t have to be as efficient in what we do. Having smaller stock numbers, we can take more time looking after them and they are used to being handled which helps with the tours.
"We feed the cows by hand and they actively come towards us if we are near them. It justifies not having the most economic set up and we don’t feel like we have to compete with that.”
Alongside the typical livestock on farm, Louise and Graeme also have alpacas, chickens, ducks, peacocks, Kune Kune pigs, and the newest addition, a pair of miniature donkeys which were a gift for Louise’s 50th birthday.
“The donkeys were a gift to myself as I had always wanted them. Everything else has an agricultural link and some of our animals are rehomed and often help our existence livestock. The alpacas for instance are there to protect the sheep.”
Out with the livestock, the farm grows cereals, mostly malting barley, both winter and spring varieties, as well as potatoes and peas. The Nicolls also grow their own silage for the wintered livestock.
Farm tours are the back bone of the tourism business but the opportunity has allowed the Nicolls to expand the experiences further. Last year they renovated an old farm shed, not fit for purpose, into a new hospitality space complete with food van, pizza oven, and small shop.
“Everything in the new extension is repurposed with my son Scott having made all the tables and bench seating from leftover pallets and wood. We've recycled lots of bits and pieces from around the farm. There isn’t a full kitchen of sorts because as we are tenants we still have to make sure the space can be converted back for agricultural use when needed.”
Check out our Photo Sales section here for more photos like these
Much of the kitchen equipment is also reused from a restaurant that closed in nearby Forfar last year. Former owner Abbie now works at Newton Farm part time as part of the tour and taste packages giving visitors a farm to fork taste experience.
“It’s an ideal space to allow visitors to try some of our produce and understand where it has come from. Even if visitors don’t opt for the food package they can use the space to have a picnic or a packed lunch. We are all for providing an experience that is cost effective and accessible.”
Louise is hoping to hold more events using the space and currently runs a muddy munchkins toddler session utilising the old cart shed for educational activities.
“We do work with local schools, youth groups, and RHET for educational days out and since recently starting the toddler sessions I really want to develop an outdoor playground and potentially get an old tractor to sit outside for photos,” Louise added.
Check out our Photo Sales section here for more photos like these
Currently Graeme and Scott have an old David Brown 880 which was restored, but it is too valuable to be left out in the rain and climbed on by children.
“I want our farm to be a an inclusive, sustainable destination where children can get outside get mucky, engage with the animals, and most importantly learn about food and where it comes from.”
Louise and Graeme’s own children are now adults with son Scott working on the farm and daughter Iona studying at university. Alongside Abbie helping part time they have farm hand Rhiannon keeping everything going smoothly.
“I mange run the tourism side, the accounts for both businesses and assist outside where I can, but our core is the farming enterprise
and everything we do has to ensure its operation and survival, with Graeme and Scott keeping that in check. Tourism helps with cashflow.”
Outside of the farm, the Nicoll family are big rugby fans supporting both national games at Murrayfield and beyond as well as being involved in their local club, Strathmore.
“I play for the Strathmore women’s team in Forfar and if I’m not playing I try and get down and support. We are season ticket holders at Murrayfield and it’s our way of treating ourselves going down to Edinburgh to watch the matches.”
The family also get to escape the farm to attend occasional award ceremonies with the business having being been nominated and won several awards such as Agriscot Diversified Farm of the Year in 2021.
Commenting on the future of the business, Louise hopes it will keep growing to benefit the local area and Scottish agritourism.
Check out our Photo Sales section here for more photos like these
“I have all these ideas to make the farm more accessible and educational. I want to normalise what a farm is because so many people don’t realise.
"It is also really important to me that we can attract visitors to Angus and promote everything we have on offer. I make sure to support our neighbouring businesses whether that’s sharing Facebook posts or using their produce. I am constantly brimming with ideas so only time will tell what more we will add to it.”
Farm Facts
Farm size? 550 acres on the Fotheringham estate.
Livestock? 55 suckler cows and followers, 2 bulls - Aberdeen Angus and Limousin, 12 alpacas, 100 boer goats, 160 ewes and followers, 2 Kune Kune pigs, 2 miniature donkeys, 8 Highland cows, hens, and ducks.
Who’s all involved? Graeme, Louise and their two children Scott and Iona, hospitality worker Abbie, and farm hand Rhiannon.
Enterprises? B&B, Holiday cottage, Farm tours, Food experiences, seasonal activities, toddler activity sessions.
Awards? VisitScotland Outdoor Experience Regional winner 2018/19, VisitScotland Best B&B regional winner 2023, VisitScotland Most Hospitable B&B regional winner 2016/17, 2018/19, 2022/23, National Winner 2018/19, Agriscot Diversified Farm of the year 2021.
On the spot
Best Investment? Toilets.
Something you can’t live without? Optimism.
Biggest misconception around agritourism? Managing visitors on a working farm.
What would you be doing if you weren’t farming? Having a work/life balance.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Still playing rugby.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here