Joe Baker is an SRUC Agricultural Degree graduate and partner in Windshiel, an organic livestock farm just outside of Duns in the Lammermuir hills. Always keen for opportunities to learn, Joe has completed the YF Cultivating Leaders course, and also spent time working on an extensive arable farm in Lincolnshire and for an arable contractor around the Berwick area before settling into becoming a partner within his own family farm in 2013. Joe works alongside his parents, and an apprentice sourced through the BMR program.

Windshiel  is approximately 500 acres and sits at around 1000ft above sea level at it’s peak. The hilly layout and free draining soil perfectly compliments Joe’s completely outdoor based rearing system for the 800 sheep and 60 cows. The majority of lambs are sold fat, and young cattle at around 17months, both through Farmstock, with a small amount retained on farm to fulfil direct sales orders throughout the year. Joe has a strong belief in looking after stock from the ground up, and drawing on knowledge through a local grazing group he focuses on soil health, variety of grasses and grazing rotation to fully utilise and promote the health of his ground.

Joe has recently entered into a shared farming agreement with a local farm currently in organic conversion, consisting of 400 acres of grassland this has given the opportunity to increase stock numbers and expand the business. The aim of both enterprises is to utilise forage production through species diversity, rotational grazing and soil health. Converting kilos of dry matter into kilos of meat.

Continuing to build relationships and believing there is always something to learn from other people and their journeys, when he’s not spending time with his young family, Joe is also involved in the Merse Discussion Society as well as helping run his local Ellemford Show.