Amelia and Jason Greenway of Columbjohn Farm in Rewe, Devon have won the John Whetman Devon Bronze Otter award.
As new entrants to farming with no family farm to take on, Amelia and Jason began their farming careers by renting 70 acres of organic grassland alongside busy day jobs. They began their farming business, Springwater Farm (named after the cottage they lived in) and haven’t looked back. In 2023 they took on the tenancy of Columnbjohn Farm, a National Trust farm on the Killerton Estate just north of Exeter.
Their farm business now consist of 170 Highland cattle, bred, reared and finished on the farm to supply their meat boxes and newly opened farm shop. The cattle graze extensively over 1100 acres, providing conservation grazing benefits to important habitats including floodplains, species-rich hay meadows and woodpasture. In addition they rear Mangalitza pigs which forage both pasture and woodland. This slow growing bread is prized for it’s charcuterie and depth of flavour.
The self serve farm shop – created out of a second hand shipping container – opened in June 2026, the same week we were welcomed to the farm to celebrate their success in the Devon Bronze Otter Award. It was just one example of the vision and energy that this young couple have and why the judges were so blown away on their visit.
The creation of 150 acres of woodpasture in partnership with their landlords has raised some eyebrows locally. The grade 2 former potato growing land was depleted of organic matter and so a long term plan has been created to provide grazing for cattle amongst the trees. The trees have been planted so that hay or silage can still be made in these fields and once the trees are established, fences will come down and livestock will have access to browse and find shade and shelter.
Our regional wetland specialist, ‘AJ’ Bellamy has been working to help manage the River Culm floodplain, providing valuable habitat for wildlife as well as slowing the flow of water as it passes through the farm. In early 2026 the River Culm had it’s worst flooding for nearly 15 years, damaging many properties and the main railway line to Exeter. Using natural Flood Management techniques, the National Trust hopes to be able to retain more water in the landscape and reduce the risk of flooding downstream.
Jason continues his busy contracting business, carrying out conservation work across a wide area whilst Amelia’s passion is education. They have been able to access funding to welcome several groups onto the farm from schools and scouts to adults with learning difficulties. Amelia also runs a holiday club with the emphasis very much on the outdoors, using their orchard as a classroom.
They have already added venison from the estate to the farm shop alongside tallow products from their beef animals and eggs from their small flock of hens. Future plans include making their own fruit juices from the orchard, harvesting chestnut for fencing stakes and they have a bid into the council to be able to offer on farm support sessions for children who have lost siblings.
We came away from the farm walk in awe of this couples enthusiasm, passion and shear determination to make it work for them. When asked how they manage with so many enterprises and projects on the go, alongside raising a young family, Amelia was very clear that they don’t take on anything that drains them. Whatever they pursue must take them forward and give them joy.
To find out more about Natural Flood Management head to the resource library on our website Resource Library
