Describe a typical morning at Broadward Hall Farm – what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

There’s no such thing as a typical day on the farm. I usually get up at 4:45 am and go to the gym to get it out of the way so I can focus on work for the rest of the day. My first job is to meet up with the team to work out what needs picking or planting and then we crack on. It’s a really busy time at the moment as we are still harvesting crops and beginning to plant winter veg. Things will calm down in October.

Do you remember your earliest memory from the farm?

Going out with my mum to see my dad on the tractor or combine.

You’ve grown up surrounded by farming; how has your relationship to the land evolved since childhood?

It has changed a lot – when you grow up with it around you, you take it for granted but you don’t really understand it. I grew up without understanding the link between farming and the environment – as part of the natural world. There has been a big shift in my mindset over the last 10 years. What we do on the farm is impacted by the natural world and in return has a big impact on the natural world as well. I have a better understanding of how the ecosystem functions and how we can limit our negative impact on it.

Broadward Hall Farm has been in your family for four generations. What does that kind of legacy mean to you, and how do you hope to build on it?

I think it’s dangerous to get too hung up on tradition. I feel it’s important not to get stuck in the mindset that the people on the land longest are the best people to look after it. Lots of people who have never set foot on land before can have a huge positive impact. I am in a very privileged position to do what I do but my parents were very adamant that it was my choice. I was never under any obligation to do it—I do it because I want to do it. I am proud to be a farmer but I know I could farm anywhere. We don’t own the farm – we are tenants, and we could lose it at any point. It feels foolish to get too overly attached.

Is there a crop that’s especially close to your heart, maybe one that feels like the Andrews family signature, or that you love seeing head off in the Abel & Cole boxes?

For me, that would have to be kale. It has always done really well for us – it grows throughout the season. It can also financially support some of the other things we grow. It’s not a romantic reason but at the end of the day being able to pay the bills is the most important thing. It does however look fantastic when it’s growing!

Sunflowers and pollinators play a big part on your farm – what inspired that choice, and what other small actions do you take to work with, not against, nature?

We always try to support pollinators and have restored some wildflower meadows. Certain insects only feed on certain flowering plants and it’s been fantastic to see the impact of the variety of plant species and how one aspect of the farm can have such a beneficial impact. We grow sunflowers for Abel & Cole and any that don’t get picked get left in the fields for the birds. We see a huge variety of bees on the farm as well. Under the Countryside Stewardship scheme we also plant a mix of different seeds that feed birds over the winter but also have wider benefits for pollinators.

You helped to found Agrespect to celebrate LGBTQ+ people in rural communities. What sparked that decision, and what’s changed since then?

We felt that although there were more discussions around the barriers the LGBTQ+ community faced in rural environments, there was not enough positivity around the messaging and it could impact people negatively. We thought we would do something to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in rural areas, and it was amazing how that brought people together. Farmers can be quite isolated and sometimes it can be difficult locally to connect with people. Many LGBTQ+ people head to cities to meet others but we gave people in the countryside an opportunity to connect to others across the country who may not have that support in their area. We created WhatsApp and Facebook groups to bring people together. When people go to agricultural shows such as Groundswell, it’s a great opportunity to connect with others, meet in person and not feel isolated.

You’ve spoken about growing up under Section 28, what has it meant to reclaim your place?

I don’t see myself as a role model but having the freedom to be myself – it’s not something that I would ever have imagined being possible. I have built a fairly large following on Instagram and if you have a big platform, it’s nice to be able to use it for good things.

Farming is physically and emotionally demanding. What do you do to recharge or stay grounded?

It can be really hard to do that, especially at this time of year when it’s so busy. Even when you have been working flat out for 12-hour days and then you see another farmer still working on your drive home and feel guilty for not doing more! I go to the gym, make a conscious effort to talk to people and to socialise. Being with friends, walking, running—just being outside, watching the birds all helps.

What does the kitchen table represent for you, growing up and now?

It’s definitely changed. I live on my own but recently asked a friend of mine to make me a dining table out of some oak that fell down on the farm and that has really made me appreciate it more. I make the effort to sit there and use it and I love cooking.

QUICK FIRE

Favourite vegetable to eat: Any sort of brassica—roasted sprouts, cabbage, kale. I don’t honestly know why anyone would ever boil a sprout!

Favourite crop to grow for Abel & Cole: Kale

Hardest crop to grow: Cauliflower. It doesn’t like it too wet or too dry and slugs and caterpillars love it.

Wellies or walking boots? Walking boots. Wellies are way too hot!

Three words to describe life on the farm: Unpredictable. Frenetic. Wild.

Most nostalgic meal: Shepherd’s pie

Your go-to comfort food: Shepherd’s pie

Favourite season on the farm: Spring

A queer icon you admire: Ian McKellen

Best advice you’ve ever received? Don’t live your life for somebody else.

Menu

Roasted corn bruschetta with tahini yogurt, honey, and chilli flakes

Warm courgette salad with toasted pine nuts

Caramelised pattipan squash with crispy sage

Puff pastry tart with whipped feta and roasted rainbow carrots

Poached pears with vanilla cream and brown sugar crumble

Recipe Quantities

Corn: 4

Courgettes: 4

Pattipan Squash: 4–6 (depending on size)

Carrots: 1 large bunch

Pears: 6