In 1995 the Ministry of Transport had abandoned their road improvement plans at Henlys Comer, which meant they had to dispose of the Farm. The Highways Agency issued a press statement explaining the situation and received 1,000 letters in favour of retaining the farm as it was.
In 1998, largely at the instigation of the tenant, Chris Ower, with the strong support of Spike Milligan, (the first Patron), the College Farm Trust (CFT) was formed to save the farm. Its main objects were to acquire, manage, conserve and interpret for the benefit of the public, the farm, and in particular the environmental, historical and architectural heritage.
In March 1999 the CFT was given charitable status by the Charity Commission. Chris Ower, the CFT, English Heritage, Agenda 21, Finchley Society, the Highgate Society and other organisations appealed to the Ministry of Transport not to allow the Farm to go out to tender. Instead it was offered to the CFT at a fixed price and an appeal to “Help buy the Farm” was extended to both the local and general public.The stated intention was for the Farm to become a visitor centre for the benefit of the local community.
In 2006 the CFT had raised the necessary funds to complete the purchase from the Highways Agency. They achieved this with the help of local residents and friends (and probably by selling off, for housing development, part of the land in Allandale Road, behind the main farm.)
Meanwhile, Chris and Jane bought one or two animals for their own enjoyment. It was not long before local schools were asking if they could bring the children to see the animals. The number of animals grew and grew; the general public started to come to see them and the school trips increased until he was giving guided tours. He never made a charge for visits and funded it out of his own business – the animal feed and saddlery shop, which he had developed from his equine activities over the years.
The Owers ran it as a popular local attraction from 1980 until February 2001, when the site had to be closed because of restrictions caused by the foot-and-mouth outbreak.