History
Waglands Farm has been owned and farmed by the Hosier family since 1929. AJ (Arthur Julius) Hosier bought Waglands Farm in 1929 and it was then farmed by his son H.A. (Jim) Hosier until 1973 followed by Neil Hosier until 2020. The current estate manager John Couling has been at Waglands farm since 1980.
AJ was an inventor and agricultural engineer whose pioneering ventures were recognised by the award of an OBE in 1949 and by an honorary LLD from Cambridge University in 1951. He was nicknamed "the wizard of Wexcombe". AJ wrote a seminal book on farming methodology with his son Frank which may be available on ebay if you are interested.
The Family
AJ Hosier
Jim Hosier
Neil Hosier
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The Milking Bail
The Milking Bail was created in 1921 by AJ Hosier in an effort to milk cows without the equipment on the farm. This allowed for the creation of portable milking facilities that could be used in the fields rather than having the cows moved to a yard parlour. It continues to be an essential component of any system designed to maintain a milking herd outdoors in its natural habitat.
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Open Air Dairying
AJ Hosier wrote an important paper in 1927 which he addressed to the Farmers Club in Westminster, London creating a vision for how farming could be done differently.
https://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/medtest/medtest_hosier.html
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Brunton Hill Climb
From 1951 to 1970 Waglands Farm hosted the Brunton Hill Climb. This was a 1/3 mile course for amateur motor-enthusiasts to race their prized automobiles, it started in the farmyard, where the barn conversion is today, with the start banner slung between two barns, one of which housed the timekeepers. The Brunton Hill Climb was a popular local event that attracted participants from far and wide. Jim Hosier even participated himself for a few years.
