NESTLED in 45 acres of rural Payhembury, near Honiton, Yellingham Farm has many strings to its bow.

Run by Janet and Edward East, the farm is inhabited by a flock of red Jacob sheep, which is used for wool, a flock of black Welsh mountain sheep and a small herd of Aberdeen Angus cows.

The couple also offer an award-winning bed and breakfast, a catering business, sheep-dog training and wool.

They operate all aspects of the business single handedly with occasional input from their sons, Miles, 22, and Ewan, 14, in between their studies.

Edward, a former gourmet chef, handles the catering side of the business, while Janet handles the agricultural side.

"I have shepherded ever since I was young. I love sheep," said Janet, 53, who grew up on a farm in Holsworthy, North Devon.

The couple have been married for 25 years and spent time running a small farm in East Sussex, before deciding to come home to Devon."

Janet believes in supporting local businesses, which is why she uses an abattoir in Ottery St Mary.

She said: "I don't want the animals to travel for long and be in any distress.

"Local people want local food. There is something nice about knowing where something is from."

Janet believes in rearing animals as naturally as possible. She said: "We don't use any fertilisers on the food we give to the animals. Our cattle don't eat anything other than the grass in the fields.

"We would rather let our animals grow slowly and more naturally. For example, we still have lambs from a batch that were born last March.

"This way the meat is of much better quality and produces a much better flavour.

All the meat is sold to customers locally and used for guests' breakfasts.

The couple began the bed and breakfast 11 years ago, when they decided they wanted to branch out in business.

"In order to be successful we have had to diversify," explained Janet. "You have got to be versatile these days. You can no longer simply rely on the farming, unless you want to do it intensively, which we don't.

"We are always looking for ways to improve what we are already doing.

"The bed and breakfast business does really well, and children love coming to see the animals and explore the farm."

However, it took the couple a while to manage animals and guests. Jane said: "I remember our first-ever guests were a couple who had been to the Sidmouth Folk Festival. They returned with a lemon cake so I offered to put it in the utility room to keep cool.

"As I was going to bed that night, my border collie appeared with lemon icing smeared all over her face.

"I was horrified, so I dashed downstairs to check on the cake. My worst-fear had been realised and the dog had demolished it. I was so worried I stayed up all night to cook the guests a new one!

"In the morning I confessed what had happened, and, fortunately, they saw the funny side. In fact, they even said they preferred my lemon cake to the original one.

"Since then I have managed to keep the dogs out of trouble."

Janet certainly knows a thing or two about keeping dogs out of trouble since she is a professional sheep-dog trainer.

"I love training sheep-dogs," said Janet. "I first learned about training them when I was a child and used to help out on my parents' farm.

"Some people say that sheep dogs aren't necessary, but I don't think anything compares to a good sheep dog as they keep the stress levels down for the human and the sheep. I know that with my sheep dogs I can get the sheep anywhere I want.

"A number of breeds are used as sheep dogs, but border collies are my favourite. They are the most efficient."

The wool from Janet's Jacob sheep flock provides a tidy income for the couple.

Janet said: "Once shorn the wool is sent to Launceston to be spun and then comes back to us in commercial wool balls.

"We sell some of it to local hand-spinners and the rest is made up into products.

"We work very hard with our local tannery to produce a range of luxurious sheepskin products.

"We also work with a number of weavers to produce beautiful woven throws, hats and ties. We sell the items in the bed and breakfast to our guests and on line. They sell all over the world, I just sent a parcel to the Netherlands and the US.

"My mother hand knits a lot of items, it is something of a hobby for her."

Details: 01404 850272, or visit www.yellinghamfarm.co.uk.