Heron Farm is a producing vineyard, with a café and other visitor facilities at this delightful spot just outside the market town of Honiton in glorious East Devon.

Family Lifestyle Change

The owners, Peter and Christine Helliwell and their young children, took over an established farm and vineyard in 2018, renaming it after the heron that is frequently seen on the river Otter which forms part of the boundary.

Seeking a lifestyle change from more conventional office jobs in Scotland, the Helliwell family have relished the challenge of managing the farm, planning future developments and building a brand that is synonymous with their ethos of sustainability and quality.

A Colourful History

While the Helliwells are new to viticulture, the farm itself has had a few moments of fame; it was initially established in 2010 by River Cottage’s then Head Gardener, Mark Diacono, and was called ‘Otter Farm’.

Mark’s vision was to create a so-called ‘Climate Change Farm’, populated with food-producing trees and plants more traditionally associated with warmer climates, but which have the potential to grow sustainably in Devon as the impact of climate change is increasingly felt.

The farm has also featured in an episode of Grand Designs during which Mark and his family designed and built a striking plough-shaped house, and a matching building which was intended for use as a cookery school.

The latter building was built out of cob, a traditional building material in the South West that is predominantly made out of mud and straw. A cob-walled garden was also constructed as part of the project.

Farm Shop & Kitchen at Heron Farm

Christine and Peter have developed the Heron Farm site by opening a café and farmshop, running vineyard tours and tasting sessions.