Jon and Liz Hobden moved to Nunningham Farm in April 2010 along with their 3 children and a small menagerie of animals including 4 chickens, 3 peacocks, 2 cats and 1 dog. With a family background in farming Jon had always wanted his own farm and following a year-long search for the “right” one and a chance encounter with the farm’s then owner, a deal was done and the dream became a reality.
Originally buying just 40 acres with the farmhouse, the Hobdens have added to their acreage over the years and the farm now extends to about 110 acres which consists of meadows and woodland.
Nunningham Farm is a working beef farm comprising a single-suckle herd of Sussex cattle. The beautiful red-coloured Sussex cattle are an ancient breed native to this South East area of England. They are well known for their placid nature, making them easy to handle. They are well muscled, easy and economical to produce and give the best quality beef. 2024 has also seen the addition of 11 Simmental cows and calves.
In 2024 they took 3 of their pedigree Sussex heifers from the Nunningham Herd to the Heathfield Agricultural Show and the South of England Show where they had great success: Breed Champion, Reserve Breed Champion, Best Group of 3, Junior Heifer Champion, Intermediate Heifer Champion to name but a few.
From April until early November each year you will see the cattle grazing the farm in their groups: young steers/heifers; cows and calves and the two current working bulls – Brockhurst Universe (known as “Jimmy”) a pedigree Limousin bull and Titsey Poll Admiral 1st (known as Admiral) a pedigree Sussex bull.
Over the winter months the cattle come into the farm buildings (at the bottom of the lane) and the fields become the domain of a flock of local sheep.