Who are we?
“Established in 2013, The Free Company is not just a Farm but a Seasonal Restaurant and a place of learning, based at the foot of the Pentland Hills on the doorstep of Edinburgh. The founding ethos is rooted in the reinvigoration of forgotten rural knowledge, the celebration of vernacular design and driven by a necessity to endorse progressive agricultural methods.”
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE Producing food sustainably, is at the centre of what we do. Farming regeneratively focuses on building soil, improving biodiversity, water quality and food security whilst creating local jobs, sequestering carbon and producing nourishing food for local people. It is a tricky balance to be struck but it's something that we have been able to strike with our mixed farming system and we need to continue supporting regenerative farming systems.
FARM SHOP In 2020 we opened our online farm shop. Customers receive orders on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. The shop provides the foundations and the vital direct route to market for our small scale, sustainable agricultural practices. Customers can amend orders, make add-ons or exclusions and choose from delivery or collection from the farm.
OUR RESTAURANT Our restaurant opens seasonally and showcases the very best of the organic produce that we are growing and rearing on the farm at that time of year. Guests enjoy an evening of six courses - starting with bites in the garden to larger plates in the converted milking byre. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions about their food throughout the evening. The restaurant operates a 'pay-what-you-think-it’s-worth' system for the food and we stock a cash bar where we champion a selection of sustainable vineyards, breweries and foraged cocktails. Our easy-going, communal style dining has meant people of all ages enjoy a memorable evening on the farm. Book your table online
THE HISTORY Located on the outskirts of Edinburgh, there is evidence that this farm has been cultivated for over 600 years. At nearly 1000ft and just below the moors, the fields here have been acclaimed for their ability to grow high quality grass that is ideal for livestock. In the late 1800s, the farm was acquired by The Agricultural Department of Edinburgh University. The University was based here for over 50 years before moving to a larger premise over the hill. Professor Alick Buchanan-Smith who lectured for the University, took the opportunity to run the farm. For 80 years this family farm’s primary focus was a pedigree Ayrshire dairy herd, but in the early 2000s a tricky decision was to be made. Due to falling milk prices and a precarious future, the farm decided to step away from dairying and downscaled. The uncertainty continued until late 2016 when The Free Company secured a 10 year lease with an aim to provide the farm with a little more financial stability and a new future.
Originally started by friends, Stella Stewart, Jack Fletcher and Angus Buchanan-Smith, the natural evolution of The Free Company from a Multidisciplinary Design House into a Rural Seasonal Restaurant has helped to strengthen the symbiotic relationship between The Free Company and the farm. With the restaurant up and running, Jack and Stella have gone on to pursue their own careers in art and design whilst retaining close collaborative ties. Today brothers Angus and Charlie with the support of a brilliant young team run the Restaurant and Farm.