Hall Farm, Rusland

A new generation of farmers is looking to adapt farming practices

This project is about increasing farm profits and enhancing the landscape, biodiversity and soil health. Adam Crowe, one of the farmers at Hall Farm, said:

“Hall Farm is a rented farm on an AHA (3-generation) tenancy. We farm cattle and sheep, having come out of dairy 3 years ago. My dad and I farm in partnership, and I am looking to take on the tenancy."

They want to switch to a rotational grazing, pasture-fed system. Using FiPL funding, they are re-instating field boundaries, planting new or managing existing hedges and fencing off water-courses. The aim is to increase farm profits and enhance landscape, biodiversity and soil health.

Farming with Nature

We hear the news about declining bird populations, impoverished soils, polluted rivers, and farmers are sometimes seen to be the problem. Adam acknowledges that modern farming methods developed in the second half of the 20^th century have contributed, but he believes farmers can help.

"We want our farming practice to be part of the solution to those problems. We’re blessed in Rusland to have more abundance and diversity of wildlife than in some other parts of the country, but we’d still like to see more, and to connect up fragmented habitats as best we can."

The principle focus of these FiPL projects has been the restoration of boundaries, which in itself doesn’t sound all that exciting - but Adam hopes the benefits will be multi-fold:

• Derelict hedges have been restored by laying, coppicing and in some cases leaving old trees, and also through new planting of native hedgerow species. The restored hedges will be a dynamic mix of shelter and food with species such as guelder rose, hazel, alder buckthorn, crab apple, hawthorn and spindle, hedgerow trees and small amounts of deadwood.
• Around 2km of watercourses have been fenced in the hope of some natural regeneration, and this year they are conducting tree surgery on an iconic fallen lime tree with hopes that it will regenerate once fenced around.
• In the fields, the newly intact boundaries are helping to begin rotational grazing, which has already allowed the elimination of fertiliser and has also allowed herb species to express themselves by flowering and setting seed in unexpected places. Adam is looking forward to the summer to see what else reveals itself!

Securing the longer term viability of the farm

“Our aim through FiPL and beyond is to see a greater diversity of grassland species and more trees on the farm, to provide habitat and food- through nectar, seeds - and also to farm efficiently with what we have on-farm.”

This is a big time of change in farming. Adam notes that talking openly as a family about how that it would affect them wasn’t always easy - so applying to FiPL for funding facilitated a conversation on succession, which helped provide an action plan for the family to be work on.

With BPS declining, then disappearing, they’re looking at ways to make the farm more profitable, and the way they’re choosing to do that is to shift the farming system. FiPL funding was used for grazing management advice, to look at the optimum ways of splitting up the farm for rotational grazing and suggestions as to how to get water to each of the blocks.

The farm has a small number of native breed cattle, predominantly Red Polls, and will be increasing that herd, as they thrive on pasture and rough grazing on the low fells and do well wintering outside. They are also moving to a closed sheep flock, breeding their own replacements and using performance recorded tups to try to get the right genetics which fit their system. They already sell a small number of meat boxes locally, and would like to explore diversifying the market for their produce

"FiPL is really straight-forward to apply for. Jasmine was always there to discuss any questions and ideas, or help with advice on what was eligible and what level of funding we might be looking at. Putting claims in is an easy process too."