Automobiles to birds in the field

Paul Sykes has around 200 chickens on his farm

Paul Sykes runs an organic chicken farm in Watchfield, South Oxfordshire.

His organic poultry unit is home to 2000 free-range chickens which have been nominated for numerous awards.

It was in the running for UKTV's Local Food Heroes, and Highly Commended in the Soil Association/The Times Organic Food Awards.

More recently, it has been shortlisted for the Made in Britain Awards 2009 for the quality of the whole organic chickens.

Quite an achievement when you consider that he started off with no previous farming experience and just a passion to change his career.

Standing in a wet autumnal field he told BBC Oxford: "One day I just decided I'd had enough, decided to jack it all in and get into agriculture.

"It's fantastic, it's really really hard work, we're out here in the rain now, I work seven days a week but I wouldn't swap it for anything."

Paul's big break in the industry came when, after 18 months on the waiting list, he was given a stand at the Notting Hill market in London. The clientele there are prepared to pay the premium for his organic, free-range birds.

It's been three years of hard work to get the farm established and he has had to change his lifestyle accordingly.

To get his produce to market he has had to become an early bird but that has not worried him: "If you don't like early mornings it's not the job for you I guess."

In fact his commitment remains as strong as ever. When we asked whether he missed the warm office of the car sales room he said: "No, definitely not, I can 100% assure you that. Even when it is freezing cold out here and the water pipes are frozen, it's fine."