Building a farming business from the ground up: Lessons for the next generation

For many aspiring livestock farmers, the barriers to entry can seem overwhelming, with high land prices, limited tenancy opportunities and the cost of building a herd making it difficult to see where a future in farming begins. Find out how one young couple now farming more than 1,400 acres got started.

For Jen (28), and Rich (33) Oglesby, the answer was to start with what they had and build from there, since neither of them inherited a commercial farming business.

Rich's grandfather farmed livestock, but there was no family farm to take over, while Jen's parents had a smallholding.

Jen gained experience working for other farmers and showing cattle before a spell in New Zealand convinced her that agriculture was the career she wanted to pursue.

Today, the couple farm more than 1,400 acres at Colt Park in Northumberland under a 15-year tenancy, alongside raising their one-year-old child. But their journey began very differently.

Jen said:

"The business started in 2015 with 40 ewes. Sheep were an easy way to build up capital and build up stock."

Without a permanent base, they developed what many would describe as a ‘flying flock’.

Summer grazing covered around 220 acres and a similar amount available through agreements with arable farmers during the winter. At one stage they were farming land owned by 22 different landlords.

The system required flexibility, organisation and constant relationship-building, but it worked.

By 2023, the couple had grown the flock to around 900 breeding ewes plus followers. During the winter, they also took in sheep for other farmers, managing up to 2,000 ewes at times.

The business expanded through reputation and word of mouth.

Alongside sheep, the couple began experimenting with cattle, purchasing 60 British Blue dairy-beef weaned calves in 2021.

"We bought 60 weaned calves and, with us buying them younger, they were a lot more affordable."

The calves grazed grass in the summer before being wintered on red clover silage in simple outdoor yards that doubled as lambing facilities.

In that first year, the yards were very basic, with straw bales used as the boundaries because the budget did not allow for concrete panels.

One of the biggest factors behind the couple's success is their willingness to learn from others.

"If we'd listened to a podcast or read an article about someone we found really interesting, we'd never be shy about getting in touch and asking if we could come and have a look around their system."

That approach ultimately led them to the Nelless family in Northumberland.

Interested in their outwintering cattle system, Jen and Rich visited repeatedly, learning how the business worked and building a relationship that would later prove invaluable.

"The reason we got this farm was through the Nelless family, they recommended us for it."

Looking back, Jen believes actively seeking knowledge was just as important as the recommendation itself.

In 2023, the couple moved to Colt Park under a contract farming agreement, which gave them access to the scale they had been working towards without having a huge budget.

They secured the tenancy in April 2026, having previously been unsuccessful with four other tenancy applications.

The move also enabled them to establish a suckler herd. Alongside purchasing 22 Hereford cows, they agreed to buy the cattle they had already been managing under the contract farming agreement.

The herd is now run alongside Aberdeen Angus cattle within a low-cost, forage-based outwintering system.

For Jen, profitability comes from keeping the system simple.

"If we couldn't outwinter the cows, then we wouldn't have cows because it simply wouldn't be cost effective."

While access to land is often highlighted as the biggest challenge for new entrants, Jen believes finance is the real barrier. However, she stresses the importance of understanding the numbers.

"You've got to be really good at budgeting and be really transparent with a bank. Finance is hard, but it's not as hard as you think if you're on top of what you're doing."

For many years, both Jen and Rich worked full-time jobs alongside the farm. They combined off-farm income, overdraft facilities, livestock purchase agreements and contract farming opportunities to grow the business gradually.

Today, Jen maintains a rolling three-year budget and cash flow forecast that she updates monthly.

Environmental schemes have also become part of the business, but only where they fit the farming system. Herbal leys are a key example.

"We would have herbal leys whether we got paid for it or not because the stock do well on it and it improves our grazing platform."

Jen's advice to new entrants is to search for successful businesses and understand the reasons behind their success.

"Don't just ask about a breed of sheep. Ask what their net margin is. What are they actually making from doing that and why are they doing it?"

She also encourages young farmers to learn from mistakes as well as successes.

"People really do want to tell you what they've done wrong in their time. You just have to ask the question."

Setting achievable goals has been central to their journey and their ambitions are no longer focused solely on growth.

"We'll hopefully look at buying a farm or land and having a solid asset to pass on to the next generation."

With a young family and growing concerns around labour availability, their focus is increasingly on building a resilient business that remains manageable.

Their journey from farming sheep across land owned by 22 landlords to securing a 15-year tenancy on a 1,400-acre farm is proof that there is still a route into farming for determined new entrants.

It may not be easy, but through perseverance, planning, continuous learning and strong relationships, they have shown that it is still possible to build a livestock business from the ground up.

If you’d like to discover more practical ideas for managing a successful suckler herd, check out our ‘Suckler beef: Stronger herds for stronger returns’ campaign.

We’re exploring how to:

• Improve herd productivity
• Increase efficiency
• Build profitable, sustainable suckler systems
• Strengthen the future of UK suckler beef