With rising input costs, tightening margins, and changing support schemes, many farming families are turning to diversification to build resilience and secure their future. For some, this means turning a barn into a B&B or adding a campsite. But others are finding more unconventional and surprisingly successful ways to diversify.
Here are two examples from Herefordshire that show just how diverse diversification can be, and how unexpected ideas can flourish on a farm.
Personal styling as a rural enterprise
Elise Hughes and her husband both had busy careers in London, working for Defra, with her husband holding a senior role. But after the birth of their first child, they made the bold decision to leave city life behind and move to his family’s mixed farm in Herefordshire, where they farm beef cattle, sheep, and arable land.
While her husband stepped into the farm business, Elise faced a major transition. It was a steep learning curve, and she admits she lost a bit of herself in the early days of juggling motherhood and rural life.
Then, in 2019, she attended a House of Colour session with a friend as a treat, and it sparked something bigger. She retrained as a stylist and soon launched her own franchise from a purpose-built studio on the farm, creating a successful and rewarding rural enterprise.
Today, Elise helps clients discover the colours and styles that suit them best by enhancing their natural features and making every day dressing easier. The business is a brilliant example of farm diversification, offering a unique experience in peaceful surroundings. Clients leave feeling confident and inspired.
For Elise, the business brings flexibility, fulfilment, and the chance to show her two boys that women can build something of their own, right from the heart of the countryside.
To find out more or to book a session with Elise, contact her on 07713 886649 or Elise.Hughes@houseofcolour.co.uk, or visit houseofcolour.co.uk/stylist-profile/elise-hughes.
Farm Options – practical waste solutions
In a very different, but equally innovative corner of diversification, Farm Options was born nearly a decade ago through a casual chat at a (now-disbanded) Saltmarshe Young Farmers Club meeting. Someone asked, “You deal with sharps – can you take ours from the farm?” That one simple question revealed a much bigger issue: on-farm waste disposal, particularly for sharps, pharmaceutical bottles, and chemical containers, was often expensive, impractical, and lacking clear guidance.
Out of that conversation came Farm Options, a waste disposal service tailored specifically for agricultural businesses. Run as part of Greener Options, the service now supports over 200 farms across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and further afield, offering flexible collections that fit around the farming calendar.
By integrating waste collection with existing washroom and clinical waste routes, Farm Options is able to offer cost-effective, compliant disposal that’s designed with farmers in mind.
Crucially, they also ensure all the required paperwork is handled correctly. Under most farm assurance schemes, waste disposal must be carried out by a licensed provider, with the proper documentation such as a waste transfer note or hazardous waste consignment note issued and retained. Without this paperwork, collections aren’t legally recognised, which can lead to problems during audits.
Farm Options takes the stress out of that process, making sure farms are audit-ready while saving time and hassle.
To find out how Farm Options can support your farm, speak to Holly or one of the team on 01299 250221 or visit greeneroptions.co.uk/sectors/farming-and-livestock.
No set formula
Farm diversification doesn’t have to follow a set formula. It’s about finding something that fits your situation – your skills, your family, your available time and resources. For some, that might mean starting a new service or using part of the farm in a different way. For others, it could involve stepping outside agriculture altogether – while still making the most of the rural setting.