- Location
- North Somerset.
An interesting insight into how DEFRA policy decisions might be being informed. https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2021/11/04/farm-visit-challacombe-farm-on-dartmoor/
In case there is a problem with the link this is the description of the farm enterprise.
Farm Facts
Farm: Challacombe Farm, Postbridge, Dartmoor (tenant of the Duchy of Cornwall estate).
Size and type of farm: Organic. 180 hectares upland farm with 30 cattle plus 100 rare breed sheep.
Farmed by: Naomi Oakley and Mark Owen
Main enterprises: Grass fed beef and lamb. They diversify by hosting educational visits, selling rare breed sheep skins, honey and organic produce including wildflower seeds. They also offer piglet boarding (They take in piglets bred locally and rear them on behalf of the owners for a small fee. Once the pigs are ready for slaughter the owner collects them knowing their pigs have had a free-range life on farm.)
Written by senior policy adviser in the Future Farming Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Transition team who also says ‘We are responsible for managing Environmental and Countryside Stewardship agreements under the European Union. We are also helping to develop and deliver the new environmental land management schemes. ‘
I haven’t yet found any reports on visits to farms without the opportunity to diversify but I do hope policy decisions are not being made on the basis of this type of farm enterprise, I don’t know how much of the economic viability of this farm business is due to diversification or if there are external income sources which support the farm business because the stock numbers don’t sound capable of supporting a family after overheads.
Do you know this farm, what do you think?
I look forward to reading similar reports.
In case there is a problem with the link this is the description of the farm enterprise.
Farm Facts
Farm: Challacombe Farm, Postbridge, Dartmoor (tenant of the Duchy of Cornwall estate).
Size and type of farm: Organic. 180 hectares upland farm with 30 cattle plus 100 rare breed sheep.
Farmed by: Naomi Oakley and Mark Owen
Main enterprises: Grass fed beef and lamb. They diversify by hosting educational visits, selling rare breed sheep skins, honey and organic produce including wildflower seeds. They also offer piglet boarding (They take in piglets bred locally and rear them on behalf of the owners for a small fee. Once the pigs are ready for slaughter the owner collects them knowing their pigs have had a free-range life on farm.)
Written by senior policy adviser in the Future Farming Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Transition team who also says ‘We are responsible for managing Environmental and Countryside Stewardship agreements under the European Union. We are also helping to develop and deliver the new environmental land management schemes. ‘
I haven’t yet found any reports on visits to farms without the opportunity to diversify but I do hope policy decisions are not being made on the basis of this type of farm enterprise, I don’t know how much of the economic viability of this farm business is due to diversification or if there are external income sources which support the farm business because the stock numbers don’t sound capable of supporting a family after overheads.
Do you know this farm, what do you think?
I look forward to reading similar reports.
