The farm was originally operated as a classical mixed farm: it had a dairy (the milking parlour became Lavender and Fuchsia Cottages), cereals were grown for sale and animal feed (the granary became Rose Cottage), as were potatoes and vegetables. This is how the farm was operated when the photograph top-right was taken in 1964. 

Subsequent to this, milk and potato quotas were introduced by the government, and the farming changed accordingly. The dairy was closed, and Atherfield Green began producing high-quality beef cattle, potatoes and cereals.

Fast-forward a few more years, and Jenny and Alistair decided it was time to slow down (a little). As a result of this, and the continued trend of falling agricultural prices, they realised the future might lay in the Island's other main industry: tourism. Around 90% of the land was sold (now about 90-acres), and the cattle yard transformed into Atherfield Green Holiday Cottages. The work started in 1999, and all four cottages were complete by Easter 2001. The second photo above-right shows what they now look like.

Having been in existence for around 15-years, the shop in Bembridge was sold, and this coincided with another notch towards retirement. The vegetables are still grown now, although much less intensively, and mainly for wholesale and a couple of local outlets. The good news is that the people staying at the cottages still get to eat great-tasting vegetables and fruit within minutes of picking!

Alistair tends to spend more time with his contracting now, mainly with hedge-cutting and ground-works. Oh, and restoring vintage tractors (more of this coming soon).