Ferny Hill Farm was established in 1803 when the land was deemed suitable for agricultural purposes.  Prior to that, the area had consisted of forest and scrubland and had formed part of the Royal Chase frequently hunted by King Henry VIII.

Ferny Hill Farm has been managed by the Wright family since 1966 when Dennis Wright took over the tenancy. At that time, the farm consisted of 130 acres and was predominantly dairy and poultry with the farm shop already firmly established.  In the early 1970’s, the current tenant farmer, Dennis' son Stuart added the arable enterprise.  In 1981, due to the dropping prices of milk, the dairy herd was sold and replaced with a beef herd.

Today, Ferny Hill Farm consists of 700 acres spreading from Trent Park to the Enfield Ridgeway and maintains its mixed roots of cattle and crops.  Ferny Hill Farm has a beef suckler herd of around 80 animals predominantly made up of Simmental cross cattle who calve indoors in spring and spend the summer months grazing in the fields in and around Trent Country Park.  In addition, Ferny Hill Farm grows a variety of arable crops including wheat, oil seed rape, field beans and oats.

Farming has experienced some dramatic changes over the past ten years.  With the prices of commodities such as wheat, milk and meat dropping to uneconomical levels, many small farmers have been forced out of business while others have been absorbed by larger enterprises.  Fortunately, Ferny Hill Farm has had the opportunity to diversify.  While the Ferny Hill Farm Shop continues to supply locally produced potatoes and eggs as well as an extensive range of luxury foods, the Ferny Hill Tea Room was set up in 1999 and due to its huge success was extended in 2002.