meet the half penny Team

Unlike most farmers, Julian didn’t come from a land-working family. Quite the opposite, in fact — with roots near London and a very successful background in building.

 

After years of growing much of his family’s food on a city allotment (and reading absolutely everything he could get his hands on about off-grid farming), the lifelong dream of moving to the country finally became possible.

 

That dream answers to the name Half Penny Farm.

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Julian manages most aspects of the farm, with a focus on the animals - spending lots of his time stopping pigs from escaping these days!

With over 15 years of experience in the worlds of farm-to-table cookery, whole-carcass butchery and no-dig market-gardening, Connor has covered roles spanning from Head Butcher of the Billot Club in Paris to Head Grower and Land Manager at River Cottage HQ.

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He now manages all aspects of veg, fruit & flower growing at Half Penny, with four polytunnels, a market garden and a young orchard to look after.

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Connor is a whole-carcass butchery specialist and expert charcutier and he is very happy to help with bespoke butchery and consultancy enquiries.

Former Head Chef of renowned River Cottage HQ and finalist on MasterChef The Professionals 2024, Chiara is a chef with a focus on S.L.O.W. food (seasonal, local, organic, wild).

 

Chiara has Italian roots and a strong passion for fermentation and preservation techniques, fire-cookery and foraging.

 

Her cuisine uses Half Penny produce and takes it to the next level by curating bespoke feasts and dining events that tell stories of people, places and seasons.