Roundoak is set in the heart of the Kentish countryside, south of the county town of Maidstone, on the southerly slopes of the Greensand Ridge overlooking the beautiful weald of Kent.

The mainly grassland farm now consists of approximately 180 acres including 5 acres of natural oak woodland at Sutton Valence, and a further 70 acres just a mile or so away at Kings Oak Farm in Ulcombe. The farm also conservation graze approximately 1200 acres throughout central Kent.

​

Hebridean Sheep are unusual in this part of the South East but, it was the idea of Norman and Ruth Coles to purchase a flock of 16 ewes and Winkwell Falco the ram and breed them in Kent. The sheep were purchased on the Borders of Scotland and England from a hill farm near the Kielder Forest in Cumbria. Our first lambing season in spring 2005 produced 32 lambs from the 16 ewes, we had two sets of triplets, some twins and a few singles. All mothers lambed themselves outdoors without intervention.

​

2015 was an exciting year at Roundoak.  The farm obtained planning permission for a permanent dwelling, which is now completed, and Ruth and Norman moved in in November the same year.

​

The flock of Hebridean Ewes and Rams continues to grow and at its peek during the year numbers stand at over 700.  The Highland cattle fold has also continued to grow since the farm acquired the stock from the well-known Frith Manor Farm fold at Lingfield.  In 2021 our cattle numbers stand at in excess of 130 cows, calves and bulls.  Both Samuel of Pollock and Victor of Earn our two Highland bulls have moved on, and we were proud to purchase a bull from Her Majesty the Queen at Balmoral Castle.  Her Stockman Dochy Ormiston found us 'The Duke of Balmoral and further cattle, including heifers and another bull, 'The Prince of Balmoral', came to the farm in 2018 and has since moved on to a new home, but the Duke remains the farms Highland stock bull.   The farm continues to have a more commercial herd of Sussex cattle, with a pedigree bull that was acquired from the Mayfield herd of pedigree Sussex Cattle.  ‘The Captain’ arrived, in 2017 at Round Oak after winning 1st prize at the Edenbridge and Oxted Show.  In May 2018, the first Sussex calves were born and 'The Captain' continues to serve the heifers.

​

Round Oak and Kings Oak farm's continues to broaden our rare breed population.  We have a thriving herd of  White Park cattle that came from Chirk castle in North Wales; these heifers were joined by a pedigree bull call "Wentworth",  through the farms connection with the Rare Breed Survival Trust. We also run an endangered Vaynol cattle from the borders of Scotland.  The Vaynol breed is closely linked to the White Park breed.

The farm also introduced some very rare breed Boreray Sheep and North Ronaldsays, probably the rarest breeds in the UK.  

​

It is hoped the introduction of these extremely endangered breeds will gather public awareness especially if they are seen around the South East conservation grazing