Ty Nodyn, Nantgwynfaen Organic Farm

Ty Nodyn means ‘Note House’ in Welsh – and is a unique and quirky stone cottage with a musical theme. Ideal as a romantic retreat for couples, Ty Nodyn is just as fun for families with older children. This is no ordinary holiday cottage. Centrally located on the farmyard, it commands lovely views of the valley and gardens. It sleeps 3 (+ 1).

The centrepiece is a triumphant king-sized bed made from two pianos. It is super comfy, with soft pillows and duvets encased in crisp white cotton sheets. But this is not all, the walls too are exceptional, being adorned with original artwork, clad in reclaimed timber and a collage of sheet music, they also boast some quirky (and frankly weird) adverts from the 40s with some wonderful cures for terrible ailments. The leather sofa invites you to relax in front of the roaring fire and hunker down under cosy Welsh woollen blankets and fur coats. There are houseplants and flowers from the garden, it is a tasteful and intriguing place to be in.
With its industrial style kitchen, polished concrete floor and woollen rugs, Ty Nodyn is a juxtaposition of modern and traditional. There is a ship’s ladder leading to a crog loft where a sweet iron bedstead and a sofa bed can be found. Children absolutely love this den where they can watch the goings on below. It is an amusing elevated space in which to unwind and gaze out at the wildlife and fields beyond.
Ty Nodyn is a musical cottage where you can play the electric keyboard, strut your stuff on the guitar and wiggle your hips to the tunes on the soundbar. But it is also a place to switch off completely and just listen to the birds.
Cook fresh eggs from the farm for breakfast and pop along to the farm shop (a couple of doors down) for something for dinner. Unwind on the patio overlooking the fields with something sparkling, while watching swallows dive & red kites chase buzzards down the valley. Warm your knees by a campfire & wonder at stars that you have never seen before in such a dark sky.
Stay in Ty Nodyn a remarkable gem in the Welsh countryside.
Dog friendly and child friendly (NB due to the steep ladder, children 8yrs +)

The Cottage includes:
Bespoke 5 foot bed made from 2 pianos with a comfortable 2000 wool covered pocket sprung mattress, situated on the ground floor
Single antique bedframe 2 foot 6 inch wide, situated in the crog loft
Feather and non-feather pillows
Feather duvets (please let us know if you prefer non-feather)
Corner crescent shower
Combi gas hot water boiler
50cm gas cooker
Microwave, kettle and toaster
Iron and ironing board
Clothes airer
Under counter fridge freezer
A good selection of cooking pans & utensils
Dining table and chairs
Vintage crockery, cutlery and glasses
Log burner and logs
Eco washing up liquid and tea towels
Large bath towels (please bring your own beach towels)
Faith in Nature shampoo and conditioner
Large smart TV, Bluetooth sound bar and DVD player
Rowland mini weighted electric piano
Games, maps and plenty to read (mainly the walls)
Leather 3-seater sofa, cushions, Welsh blankets and fur coats
Sofa bed (sleeps 1) in the crog loft
Slippers & hot water bottles
Dog bowl and towel
Stair gate at the top of the ship’s ladder
Fire guard
Free Wi-Fi
Exterior wooden bench, table and chairs
Exterior Private Patio
BBQ & Pizza oven (please reserve)
Fire bowl on request
Complimentary tea and coffee, glass bottle of milk in the fridge, local waffles and eggs from the farm (when the hens have enough to spare)

Additional Information:
Farm shop on site
Games Barn a few metres away
Dogs Welcome, subject to a supplementary charge
NB: this is an open plan cottage with a crog loft. It is well insulated and the only source of heat is the log burner (and plug in radiator). Babies welcome before they become mobile (high chair and travel cot on request). Children over the age of 8 due to the steep ladder.

Our Story

Nantgwynfaen is owned by Ken and Amanda Edwards who live there with their 3 grown up children (when they are home) and 2 dogs Ben the Collie and Dave the Corgi. When staying on the farm there is a choice of accommodation for all tastes and budgets. In the farmhouse there are two en-suite bedrooms – Y Parlwr Bach with a little kitchen and The Room at The Top. There is self-catering in Ty Mamgu Cabin – Grandma’s house and the characterful Ty Nodyn where the bed is made from 2 pianos. There is also glamping in the The Glamavan and 5 very private well positioned camping pitches. The old limewashed barn houses the games room with table tennis and pool table and is available for functions. Food is supplied through the organic farm shop. Set on an organic 62 acre Soil Association certified working farm and having worked the land organically for 16 years, they have now retired from farming, and the land is let to a local organic farmers, The Cowcher family.

This farm is a peaceful place to stay and offers its guests - of all ages - the highest possible standards in comfort, aesthetics and holiday experience. Nantgwynfaen is blessed with beautiful views and tasteful award-winning accommodation where Ken’s handmade furniture made from local wood compliments his original artwork which is found throughout the accommodation. The décor is elegant and rustic, the pallet is Farrow and Ball and there are no lingering artificial fragrances. Comfortable beds with pure cotton sheets and Welsh blankets come as standard as do bunches of homegrown flowers. It is striking how many visitors have a similar green ethos, so conversation is very easy. Guests make a bee line for the farm shop and often comment how impressed they are with the extensive range of Welsh ingredients.

The organic story begins before arriving in Wales. Their daughter Annie was born with many allergies and so began the investigations into what might be in our food and homes which might sensitise people who have allergies. It soon became clear that the “cocktail effect” of cleaning chemicals, air pollution, and food additives could be attributable, and so, Ken and Amanda began to eliminate various commercial products and foods and started to make natural ointments, cleaning products and soap themselves, grew some organic vegetables, and sourced organic meat (from Scotland – as it was not so readily available then). It was soon apparent that their small suburban garden in Surrey was not fulfilling the needs of a growing family and when the opportunity arose, they moved to ‘the good life’ in Wales. In 1998, without any prior knowledge of farming or indeed commercial growing, Ken, Amanda, their 2 little girls Annie, Sophie Jo and grandma Carol, followed their dreams and bought Nantgwynfaen, their farm in Wales. They were soon followed by Ken’s parents and in 2001 Cai was born on the farm.

Through trial and error, they learnt how to farm and successfully grew and sold organic chicken, eggs, beef, pork and vegetables under the Soil Association symbol. They made their own sausages, bacon, butter, bread, beer, jam from their own produce. No chemicals were used on the farm, or in the home. The ethos has always been to be as natural as possible, to recycle and upcycle, to compost, to mulch. Now little has changed, except that they are not physically farming the land themselves. From their knowledge of producing the finest produce (being nominated for a True Taste Award for their Jersey sirloin steak), they know how and where to source the best organic local produce and make no compromises. Running a small farm shop, their organic meat is sourced from organic farmers who they have worked with and know personally. The organic sausages in the farm shop are made from the same recipe developed when they were breeding their own Tamworth pigs, the bread is still made daily by Ken, and every January they all sit down to make the year’s supply of Seville orange marmalade. All produce sold in the farm shop is procured mindfully and suppliers include Graig Farm; Nantclyd Farm, Hazelwell Organic; Watson and Pratts, Blas ar Fwyd and Suma. Many guests keep returning in the knowledge that they will enjoy a peaceful and relaxing holiday in a wholesome place.

Guests are encouraged to walk around the farm, to see the wildlife in the hedgerows and woodlands, to sit on the bench in the farmyard and marvel at the swallows which duck and dive; and to come into the barns and see the swallow chicks in their nests. They often comment about how they have just stopped to watch the rabbits on the lawn, and how funny the dogs are. There is always curiosity about the barn owls and the red kites, the buzzards and the chatter of sparrows. There is a plethora of wildlife, an abundance of insects – it is an utter haven.

There is a truly green ethos at Nantgwynfaen. There are PV solar panels on the barn and Solar thermal panels on the farmhouse. All wood burnt is sourced from the farm. Water is from the spring (UV filtered) when rainfall allows. Glass is recycled and the council collect paper, plastic, metal and food waste. Vegetables are composted, and only natural cleaning products are used. The farmhouse is fully insulated, with the exception of the original slate floors. Amanda and Ken aim to offer a cosy working example of how to live in a sustainable way and hope to inspire their visitors to make small changes to the way they live (and holiday) in the future.

There is wonderful feedback from Nantgwynfaen’s visitors who return time and again. The guestbooks, as well as verbal comments, are the truest guide that things are done properly. Everything is how ‘we would like it to be for ourselves’, and Ken and Amanda believe that attention to detail is key. Nantgwynfaen is a family farm and guests who visit are welcomed into the home as if they were family. It is a home from home. Croeso!

Amanda & Ken
Nantgwynfaen Organic Farm