As a city farmer, you straddle the divide between urban and rural. You know and appreciate the best of both worlds: the satisfaction of cultivating your own food and the excitement that modern society has to offer. And guess what? You’re not alone. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood are enticed by the rewards offered by growing crops and keeping animals. Here are some famous names you might not know pursue agricultural endeavors.
1. Jason Mraz
Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz (pictured above) loves to chill out by farming his 5½ acres of land just outside San Diego. He found the land by chance when looking for somewhere to live, but when he saw the 30-year-old avocado trees growing. he thought he would keep the farm alive and now produces 30,000 pounds of fruit per year and supplies Chipotle restaurants in the San Diego area.
2. Liz Hurley
An article in the Huffington Post explains how Liz Hurley decided to leave the bright lights of London behind her and move to an organic farm in Gloucestershire, England, with her son. She raises sheep, cows and alpacas on the 400-acre farm and says that it’s a passion she’s had since being a child.
3. Russell Crowe
Award-winning actor Russell Crowe doesn’t only spend his time on movie sets. He also has a herd of more than 700 Black Angus cattle on his 500-acre farm in Nana Glen, Australia, and can be seen sporting his workman’s hat while rounding up the cows.
4. Brad Pitt
France is famous for its beautiful food and wines, and recently Brad Pitt released a new rose wine onto the market, which sold out in just five hours. The actor takes the growing and production of the wine very seriously and carries out the soil acidity tests himself.
5. Roger Saul
The renowned designer Roger Saul is best known for the luxury name-brand Mulberry and has built a thriving business with shops around the world. He not only concentrated on the fashion trade but also the hotel industry and farming. He started his career in 1971 as a young designer, but later in life, his sister Rosemary became ill and needed a more nutritious diet, which included spelt, a form of wheat. He set up a farm on his land in Somerset, England, started to grow the first crop and has never looked back.
6. Paul O’Grady
British comedian Paul O’Grady has managed to get the farming bug and cultivates 200 acres. He obviously has a soft spot for animals, as his success in adopting and rearing a dumped lamb found in a trashcan. The Guardian says that it is unlikely that he will allow any of his animals to end up on a plate due to being so soft-hearted.
7. Janet Street-Porter
The journalist and presenter well-known for her outspoken ways has a small farm where she raises Dexter cattle and rare breed pigs. She is also renowned for her prize-winning chilies, purple beans and various other vegetables.
About the Author: Written by Bethany Taylor on behalf of One Rural. Bethany is a freelance writer from England, who loves writing and traveling.
