Ballardsfield Farm

Relocating to Cornwall with his wife Clare and their four children was a life changing move; "City life was never going to change and I have always been an outdoors type of person" Adrian explained, "It was a massive decision, we researched and talked about it for five years, looking for land in Cornwall for a further two years".

When Adrian came across 12 acres of marshland near Ladock in Cornwall and began rearing Gloucester Old Spot pigs for pork he followed in the footsteps of his ancestors. "Bristol was built predominantly on marsh. My ancestors used to rear pigs in that marsh, they cleared it and built on it". Adrian continued "there wasn't a lot of interest in this site because it was marshland. Pigs thrive in these conditions - turning it to decent, workable land".

During the early stages of developments, Adrian was introduced to Insurance Inspector Paul Hawkins by recommendation; "My feed supplier told me he recently had difficulty with flood damage, his insurer [Cornish Mutual] came in and sorted it quickly without any problems."

"We wanted to do things in an ethical, friendly, steady way and produce a good product" Adrian added. An objective that has been accomplished; in the family's first year of trading their pork sausages scooped 3rd place at the Devon County Show and are now couriered to customers across mainland UK.

Cornish Mutual provides Ballardsfield with farm and home insurance cover. A full review of all their insurances is carried out regularly to assess their ongoing insurance needs. Insurance Inspector Paul said "I remember driving past a few years ago and the site was just used as a dumping ground. The way Adrian and Clare have created such a good infrastructure for their pigs is impressive - the site has become a really successful enterprise. This has of course led to their insurance needs changing, which we can keep pace with at renewal or during the year by offering a local, face-to-face service."

Ballardsfield Farm now rear up to 200 pigs at any given time and their produce continues to increase in popularity as their reputation for quality pork grows. The farm has looked locally for all aspects of the business, using a local abattoir, courier and even timber provider when establishing the buildings on site. This is something Adrian has come to appreciate with his insurance provider "It's nice to see a friendly face and speak to Paul in person, rather than on the phone. It's a far more personal service that way."

To find out more about Ballardsfield Farm visit www.ballardsfieldfarm.co.uk or call 01726 882 861.