Growing up in London, chef Dan Cox never imagined he might one day be a farmer in Cornwall. But over time, he has combined two things he is passionate about - sustainable farming and food.
The journey started five years ago, when Dan took the chance to lease 48 hectares (188.6 acres) from the Pentille Estate near St Mellion, Cornwall, with the plan to open a farm-to-fork restaurant.
The idea for this restaurant had been brewing for many years prior. After working in a three Michelin star restaurant in the mountains of Spain, he returned to the Lake District to work under Simon Rogan.
Dan says: "I was his right-hand man for over seven years, and part of my role was to forge relationships with the organic farm we were working with.
"The farmers decided to sell up, so we were left without a farm. We went away and found a piece of land and decided we would start growing our own produce - it was an empty 2ha field, and it was my job to pull it all together."
This led him to discover the importance of soil function, and he became interested in how the soil impacted vegetables' taste, flavour and nutrition.
"I researched the best growing methods; I just became obsessed with soil function and how to create healthy soil," he says.
"We were doing chef's tables where guests would visit the field in the afternoon; we could explain what we were doing and the link between where their food comes from and cook the food in front of them.
"That was the pinnacle moment for me, but then Simon got a call to open a restaurant in Claridge's in London."
Dan returned to London for three years to manage the new restaurant.
"I was working with a company based in Cornwall - Good Earth Growers - who supplied me with vegetables. But, being in such a busy environment, I wanted to get back to growing produce and take it further. I became obsessed with the idea that I wanted to get onto a farm.
"Then, Sean from Good Earth Growers presented me with the opportunity to take on Crocadon with him - so that is what I did."
The 48ha (188.6 acres) at Crocodan have been certified organic for 20 years. However, all the buildings were derelict and, as many will know, applying for grants to work on such projects is not always easy.
Dan says: "It was far from perfect when I arrived, but it was a very good start - I tried not to be too overwhelmed, asking: 'Is the soil okay? Will everything be okay?' I had nowhere to live, so I was camping out in the buildings initially. I then had the realisation that I had taken on a farm. I wanted to build a restaurant - but I had actually taken on a farm.
"Although I had built the growing operation up in the Lake District, I did not really know what I was doing. I did not know how to engage with Defra or what the Rural Payments Agency was - all of those larger things that the general public do not really know about when it comes to farming."
For the first six months, someone else had a licence to graze the land. Dan could tell the pasture was stressed, and that there was no soil function underneath. So, he decided to take it all in hand and purchase his own livestock.
He started with 40 sheep of mixed breeds, including Jacobs and Shetlands.
"I started to sell the lamb and hogget to different chef friends in London. I then started crossing Jacobs with Suffolks and Dorsets to give them a bit more size, fat cover and conformation," says Dan.
As luck would have it, he stumbled across a farmer called Tim Williams on Instagram and ended up purchasing 20 sheep from him.
"I went to visit him, and it was seriously inspiring - I had finally found someone who understood what I was trying to do," he says.
"He asked if I wanted any help, so he came down and gave me a lot of advice about better use of electric fencing, and confirmed a lot of what I was already thinking in terms of pasture management.
"I wanted to give [the sheep] access to the best nutrition possible; let them take the top third of grass and move them on quickly."
Dan had already installed a dry ageing fridge prior to getting the sheep; they are aged for six to eight weeks and the results are, says Dan, incredible.
"I learnt that by outwintering animals they put more fat and marbling into the meat, which is important for eating quality."
He started breeding the sheep and increased the flock size to 350-head, but it became a challenge to manage. He has subsequently scaled back a bit, and started experimenting with other breeds such as Zwartbles, Welsh Black, Exlana, Lleyn, Romneys, Suffolk, Blue Texel and Grey Faced Dartmoors.
Throughout the summer, Tim grazes cattle across the farm, and he also has about 200 laying hens.
"We recently butchered a 10-year-old Aberdeen Angus suckler cow - we aged it for 140 days and it was exceptional," says Dan.
At the same time, Dan started a 2ha (5-acre) market garden in polytunnels.
"I was selling vegetables to London. Now Tim's wife, Claire, has taken it on and, since we opened the restaurant, she is selling the produce back to us," he says.
The restaurant opened in February 2023, and has been awarded a Green Michelin Star.
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Dan says: "It is the whole point of what we are doing here; we want to inspire others to work with farms that are producing food in a way that is good for the next generation of farmers.
"We are custodians of this land, and there is a real sense of responsibility to make it the best we can, and for it to be thriving and regenerating - the Green Star was a confirmation that we are doing the right thing."
Working in partnership, Tim has taken the reins on an arable enterprise, growing heritage wheat for a new milling business called Tomorrow's Ground. The courtyard around the restaurant has become a hive of activity.
"We grow the grain, mill it, and the bread is then baked in the restaurant and sold in our new farm shop cafe across the courtyard. There is also a brewery in the courtyard, which I supply heritage wheat to," says Tim.
Dan has retained all the permanent pasture - 10ha (24.7 acres) - to rotationally graze the 60 sheep, with an aim to reach 80-head.
"I will continue doing a bit of breeding, but I actually prefer older sheep. Five to six years is ideal for a ewe - the flavour comes through from the pasture and into the fat," he says.
"I have gone from buying lamb from Cornwall, to now having my own sheep for the restaurant in Cornwall. It is really special."
Seeing the produce the whole way through from soil to plate is an important part of Crocadon.
"It is about the visible connection of the whole thing; food should be grown and reared like this, and everyone should have access to it."
He is realistic about self-sufficiency and buys a few things which cannot be sourced from the farm, such as fish and mushrooms, from local suppliers who share his ethos.
So, what does the future hold for the farm and restaurant?
"Hopefully the restaurant will continue to be a success, and we will be running the brewery, bakery and cafe together in harmony," says Dan.
"I just want lots of people doing successful things, learning from each other, and coming together in the best way possible. I never expected this, with growing up in London. It is weird how these journeys start out, but I have become obsessed with farming."
Farm Facts:
- 48 hectares (118.6 acres) comprising 29ha (71.7 acres) heritage grain, 10ha (24.7 acres) permanent pasture, 4ha (9.9 acres) vegetables and 4ha (9.9 acres) Pentille shoot
- 60 sheep including Zwartbles, Welsh Black, Exlana, Lleyn, Romneys, Suffolk, Blue Texel and Grey Faced Dartmoors - aiming for 40-50kg deadweight, and lambing happens in April
- 200 chickens
- 150 Hereford cross Angus cattle
- Heritage grains including Red Lammas, ORC Wakelyns Population (known as YQ), Millers Choice and Mulika
