David Wilson is farm manager of the Duchy Home Farm at Highgrove and had initially been trained in conventional methods of agriculture. In 1985 Prince Charles chose him to run the DUCHY HOME FARM and so, David Wilson accompanied and shaped the process of converting to sustainable, organic agriculture.

In the wake of this collaboration he became a close confidant to Prince Charles in terms of his ecological endeavours.

„I was very lucky to come to this job, and then having the opportunity to try a system of farming that was very different. The Prince of Wales had a vision, and he also had a real unease about intensive farming systems, and it just gave us all an opportunity to learn together. Which we‘ve done and we certainly continue learning, that‘s for sure.“

„We have a very spoilt Western society, where cosmetic perfection is everything, which means that we have a real problem.“

David Wilson – background

David Wilson has been an integral part of the Duchy Home Farm for 30 years. He studied agricultural sciences and initially worked on a conventional farm, but the birth of his two children made him rethink his views on food and health.
“Back in the 1980s, organic farming was seen as pretty cranky and The Prince was conscious of the fact that many people were against what he was doing. But he said: If the Duchy can’t afford to try this, who can?”
“Working for The Prince could not be anything other than an opportunity,” he adds, citing the success of red-clover pasture as the achievement he’s most proud of. “Representing his views, which I happen to share, is a huge privilege. He says ‘seeing is believing’ and it’s true. Farmers judge crops and livestock at a glance, so it’s best to come and have a look at what we do.”
Admitting to still “getting a buzz from looking at a field of good-looking cows or sheep, or a nice, clean wheat or barley blowing in the breeze”, Mr Wilson believes the Duchy’s longevity is its greatest strength. “It’s like a wise old uncle – it might take time to make decisions, but they’re usually the right ones.” (Source: “Country Life” 14.11.12)