“Abunda gave us clarity and confidence in difficult choices.”
Claudia & Eden, St. Giles farm
Intro
Eden and Claudia of St Giles Farm approached Abunda as they began planning the farm’s next chapter.
The original brief focused on finding someone to take on the market garden. Through the process, Abunda helped them realise that they wanted to step back from the whole farm sooner rather than later, and adjusted the opportunity accordingly.
About the farm
St Giles is a c.30 acre biodynamic holding in Godshill, surrounded by the New Forest. Since the 1980s, it has combined vegetable and seed production, fruit, livestock, biodiversity and community activity.
The farm includes a market garden, productive fruit trees, a large livestock building, and native Shetland cattle and sheep. It also has a long history of vegetable seed production and heritage grain trials.
Eden and Claudia’s vision rests on three pillars: high-quality organic or biodynamic food, enhancement of biodiversity and the natural environment, and involving people with the land.
The Landholders’ situation
Eden and Claudia wanted St Giles to continue in a way that respected its history, biodynamic principles and community purpose.
They were not looking for a purely commercial tenant, and they did not want the farm’s livestock, genetics or values to be lost. At the same time, they needed a structure that would allow them to step back with confidence.
The situation was complex. St Giles was not one simple enterprise, but a combination of market garden, livestock, fruit, seed work, housing, community relationships, education, therapeutic potential and long-term stewardship.
Eden and Claudia had strong intuition around people dynamics. What they needed was a process that could test that intuition, clarify the legal and practical options, and help them make sense of a major transition.
Abunda’s role
Abunda helped Eden and Claudia move from uncertainty towards confidence.
When it became clear that the brief needed to widen from the market garden to the whole farm, Abunda reshaped the opportunity so that it reflected what the Landholders actually needed. Flexibility and the ability to respond quickly when circumstances changed was a key success factor.
Abunda ran a Fully Facilitated Land Matching process and supported them to assess potential Landseekers on practical skills, alignment, communication, financial realism and long-term fit.
For Eden and Claudia, identifying misalignment was just as important as identifying alignment. As they put it, Abunda helped them “see clearly”.
The Process
The process helped turn a complex emotional, legal and practical decision into something clearer and more structured.
Abunda brought together knowledge of legal systems, farm structures and people dynamics, helping Eden and Claudia understand the implications of different routes.
Negotiations are now progressing with a couple who want to take on the farm while continuing their existing jobs. This is seen as sensible and supported: it reduces immediate financial pressure and allows the enterprise to develop steadily.
The proposed arrangement is a long-term Farm Business Tenancy, supported by associated agreements allowing the incoming couple to keep and manage the Landholders’ livestock. This preserves the genetics of the existing herd and flock, avoids heavy upfront livestock investment, and gives both sides a practical route towards their shared vision.
The outcome
The process has not yet formally completed, but it has already created a clearer and more confident path forward alongside committed partners.
Eden and Claudia are now in progressed negotiations with a couple well aligned with the farm’s needs and values. The proposed structure allows the Landholders to step back while keeping the farm’s livestock, biodynamic ethos and community purpose intact.
The outcome so far is a carefully shaped transition: long-term land access, continuity of livestock, financial realism for the incoming couple, and a shared commitment to St Giles remaining productive, biodynamic and socially rooted.
Testimonial Summary
Eden and Claudia described the process as giving them confidence, clarity and reassurance through a major change.
“It has been incredibly reassuring working with Abunda. Even joyful. They have made us feel safe through this big change.”
They also said the process had:
“Instilled such confidence.”
Looking back, they felt that without Abunda they would have been completely stuck. They said they would recommend Abunda to “anyone”, especially small Landholders making big changes on their farm.
St Giles shows the value of a process that is not just about finding a Landseeker. It is about helping Landholders understand what they need, recognise alignment and misalignment, and move towards the right structure with confidence.