A RARE breed chicken farmer and organic dairy farmer — both from the Okehampton area — are among farmers who have stripped off for a good cause for two farmers’ calendars.

Sam Bullingham from Taw River Dairy, between North Tawton and Sampford Courtenay, stars as Mr September in the 2020 Farmers’ Calendar, posing with his cows and just a milk churn to preserve his modesty.

Meanwhile smallholder Samantha Hill, who lives in Okehampton and keeps her chickens in Sitcklepath, features as Miss April in the 2020 Lady Farmers’ Calendar. Samantha has one of her chickens in a basket and clasps another – apparently for warmth – under her arm.

The photoshoot was conducted back in August on Sam’s land at Taw River Dairy by photographer Nicola de Pulford, who lives near Totnes, and travels the country taking photos for her annual nude farmers calenders. Over 20 years she has raised more than £100,000 for charity and the proceeds of this year’s two calendars are going to Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline.

Sam, from Taw River Dairy, agreed to take part in the calandar after meeting Nicola at a poultry sale.

‘I went to buy a cockerel from somebody and it turned out there was a woman there who organised the calendars,’ he explained. ‘She asked me if I’d done any modelling and whether I fancied being part of it. She goes all over the country taking the photos and has been doing it for a long time. She raises a lot of money for charity and does most of the work herself. So I said I would.’

The photoshoot took place on Sam’s farm and Samantha, who is a friend of Sam’s, brought her chickens along to be photographed on the same day, as her own land is by a busy road.

‘It was surprisingly short,’ said Sam. ‘Nicola, the photographer, was only on the farm for 15 minutes and was off down the lane.

She said it would make sense to do something with the cows and obviously you have got to find some sort of prop to cover yourself up which is why we went for the churn.’

Samantha was photographed with one of her rare breed chickens in a basket and another — her favourite Buff Orpington — under her arm.

‘It was a real giggle actually and she is so good at taking photos that she had all she wanted in ten minutes,’ said Samantha.

‘If you work with animals all you do is get constantly covered in muck from dawn to dusk so it was nice to do something a bit more glamorous for once.’

She said she’d done a bit of modelling before, although not a nude calendar.

‘I’d be quite happy to give this one to my grandparents,’ she said. ‘There’s nothing sleazy about it, you are not revealing anymore than you would in a bikini. I’ve got two boys of eight and nine and they both thought it was hilarious.

I am quite well-known as the mad chicken lady round here and so nobody was surprised to see it!’