A Bio of Us and Vale Farm Eggs

It is February the 12th 2016 and alomost a year that our Family left our family home on the borders of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk and my home town of Cambridge, to make the jump to move to the rural setting of Vale Farm in Broadland Norfolk. Although the worry of moving was and still is somewhat daunting the jump itself was inevitable and very exciting. We needed room to grow... and finding Vale Farm by sheer luck was just the icing on our cake (baked with our own eggs of course!)

Vale Farm Eggs has grown from Belle Bantams UK, this itself only began as an ongoing hobby from 2007 when first hand I bought four lovely girls just to give us fresh eggs and this came about by meeting my good friend Louise, who kept Orpingtons herself at the time in her back garden. We met by chance after a wet Summer Holiday camping at our regular site on the Norfolk Broads. The hens we purchased soon after our return home, Pepper, Sugar, Honey and Ginger were a huge hit with all of us and baking regualarly with my children became a pleasure as the taste was so very different from usual shop bought eggs.

Belle Bantams grew from those four wonderful ladies to our first breeding group of pretty Bantam White Silkies, with a very handsome Cockerel called Dudley. One of that original group lives with us today on the farm as part of the 'Old Gal's Club' which all still lay regualry and enjoy the view across the farm feilds and paddocks from their enclosure.

It was when people began asking for our eggs from these Silkies to hatch that I began to realise my own OCD (Obsessive Chicken Disorder) levels. My eldest daughter Kayleigh who at the time was only young herself asked if we too could hatch. We purchased our first little Incubator and watched and waited on our first batch of eggs. The thrill and enjoyment of hatching our own chicks was just enthralling and the local children would often visit when we were due to hatch. We progressed to more groups, many True, Rare and Ornamental Bantams which the children seemed to be bessotted with.

This continued to grow prior to and since my diagnosis almost ten years ago, for so many years I was unable to continue my preferred carrer as a Carer or enjoy riding my beloved Horse Granite due to constant pain and discomfort. Belle Bantams UK kept me busy, occupied and less frustrated and my family were all involved. Thankfully at the ripe young age of 30 Granite is here with us on the farm where the company of other

Our move to Vale Farm has allowed not only Belle Bantams UK to expand and be more of a way of life for me and my family, but also with the support of Broadland District Council and an Enterprise Grant we were able to set up and launch our sister company Vale Farm Eggs in September 2015.

Since November 2015 we have been present at local Farmer's Markets with a range of our beautiful coloured eggs from our Poultry, Quails and Ducks and of course our wonderful Bantams. We now keep and breed a variety of Traditional Large Breed Poultry, Quail and Ducks which provide us and our customers such a wonderful range of Coloured Eggs to brighten any kitchen. The rich taste and colour is amazing.