A Vision Beyond His Years

Doug Dawson might be 26, but he is already envisioning how his animals and the land at Feorh can provide for future generations.

Doug grew up in the highlands of Scotland working on conventional dairy and arable farms. Even as a child, he felt there was a dissonance between nature and the agricultural and animal husbandry practices that he was being taught to follow. Without knowing any alternative ways of farming, he lost not only his passion for it, but also his faith in the agricultural food system.

It wasn’t until he discovered “Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers,” the book by Mark Shepard, one of the leading voices in agroforestry and permaculture in the U.S., that he realized there was another way. He read the book twice, back to back, and said it was “like finding water in the desert.” He fell in love with the idea that one could grow food and raise livestock in a way that was restorative to the Earth and respected the animals.

He left his native Scotland and moved to Sussex, England after a health scare gave him the introspective clarity he needed to listen to his heart and follow his journey.

Stewarding Land, Shepherding Legacy

At Feorh, Doug and his partner Maeve’s goal is to practice a way of farming and create a space that thrives with natural vitality and serves as an educational hub for small-scale mixed farming in the UK. The 56 hectare farm celebrates the diversity of British pastures by fostering a prairie-style grassland interwoven with ancient forestry. He grows a diverse range of vegetables, fruit and herbs which will be intercropped with nut trees, shrubs and other forest fauna. He’s also developing a micro tree nursery propagated by the native seed bank of natural oak and hazel that grow on the land. He has a deep understanding of soil health and believes that human, crop, soil, and environmental health are deeply interrelated. He regularly monitors and tests the soil microbiome throughout the farm.

Doug is also the caretaker of 20 Sussex cattle and 30 Romney sheep. When his friend and mentor passed away, he left behind a herd of cattle that would have been sold off into the industrial food system. In a leap of faith, driven by an inherent sense of duty and responsibility, Doug purchased the cows and committed himself to continuing the legacy of respectful animal husbandry and nose-to-tail butchery that the late owner had started. Doug describes himself as a “land steward, prioritising the vitality of the ecosystem, with nutrient-dense beef as a byproduct of well-managed, diverse pastures.”

The Meaning of Feorh

Feorh is an ancient English word that means life, existence, soul. It is often used to describe the essence or vital force that animates all living beings. For Doug, the ancient forest land and the livestock that ruminate on it are that Feorh. He seeks to respect the land as its steward and the animals as their shepherd.

Neurologically diverse, Doug is passionate about not only sharing his journey as a new entrant into farming, but also his mental health journey. He sees this as a key part of connecting with others and highlighting the realities of young entrant farming. Doug aims to be part of a greater movement to reinstate a farming culture where neighbors pool resources, share knowledge, and wisdom. He also believes in creative days for farmers to explore self expression.