I was raised in the green fields and mud of the Lancashire countryside, my childhood was a tapestry of nature and adventure, a time when animals weren't just part of the farm, they were part of the family.

Adult life has a way of testing your resilience, to provide for my children, as a single mum, I have held down a career as a health and safety professional, the job kept us moving but, I've always longed for a slower pace.

The spark of business came from my mum, a traditionalist, affectionately know as 'Duchess, we spent our summers at local fairs, country shows, jumble sales, she was always up for a bargain, it was decided that we could support and add to the traditional heritage of these events by bringing traditional heritage crafts and products , my mum is a great 'real wool' knitter and I loved traditional sheepskin, with these two products, we had the goods for a trade stall, we travelled into the Lake District fells and across the Yorkshire Dales with our products, meeting lots of great characters, taking in wonderful countryside views and always having a Grand day out.

The search for 'real' products came to the fore in my transition into soap making this wasn't just a business decision, it was a necessity, plagued by dry, sore skin, frustrated with mainstream cleaners, filled with harsh chemicals and smothered in plastic packaging. I went back to basics to find a soap gentle enough for my families skin, but something that is also gentle on the earth it comes from, a product slow-cured, 'free from' manufactured chemicals, colours and fragrances, an artisan soap bar, infused with nature. 

I decided that the 'Royal' Golden Guernsey goat would be able to help me reach that goal, to protect something the world is quietly losing while the dairy industry moved towards high volume, commercial goat breeds.

I’m now the steward of a small herd of royal golden Guernsey goats, the Ammil herd. There are fewer than 1500 of these, honey-coloured goats left on earth, they aren’t just livestock they are a living heritage.

Thanks for being part of our journey to protect this heritage breed, one bar at a time. 

Legal: Barley Farm Ltd. Registered in England and Wales number:17006632 - registered office address: 1 The Moorings, Chorley, Lancashire, PR60UA