About Us - The Targett Family, Somerset

Farm Background

A family partnership of parents Raymond & Evelyn, their sons Robert & Colin and Robert's wife Jane - all work actively within the businesses.

The Targett family: Jane, Robert, Evelyn, Colin and Raymond (left to right)

740 acres are farmed, with an extra 250 acres 'contract farmed'. Approximately 300 acres are used for the cows, with the remainder used to grow wheat and oilseed rape.

The Targetts currently have 180 pedigree Holstein cows, producing high quality milk with an average of 4.3% butterfat and 3.1% protein. They show cows regularly at local events as well as occasionally at the Holstein Show, Royal Show & European Dairy Event.

Additional enterprises for the farm business include an agricultural contracting business and a small agricultural /equestrian supply business.

WildCare Involvement

Jane Targett - who is also an elected representative for other local essential Waitrose farmers supplying their milk to Waitrose - comments on the WildCare Scheme.

"We are very supportive of WildCare as it allows us to demonstrate our existing knowledge and care for the fabulous countryside in which we farm. Through the WildCare advisers, and their link to the Wildlife Trusts, expert advice is available to help us plan future changes that will positively impact on the wildlife found on our farm.

"Our initial farm wildlife assessment was carried out in appalling weather conditions last autumn. Consequently the adviser saw very little of the usual wildlife present on the farm! However detailed measurements were taken across 33 fields, with the result that the space dedicated for wildlife habitat is 12.9% of our dairy farm area - a statistic that we're very proud of. The common species present on the farm include deer, badgers, bats and buzzards: while the more rare species found include brown hares, skylarks, barn owls and kingfishers. There is also a colony of great crested newts on adjacent land, so we are planning to encourage some here in the future!"