Historic farm is converted into an organic enterprise

Project Carrot, based at Holme Lacy College, near Hereford, has seen Pound Farm converted into an organic enterprise led by organic farming expert Mark Measures.

Mark, who is the farm project manager, has run an organic advice service for the past 15 years and he has also worked for the Organic Advisory Service. He is also joint editor of Organic Farm Management Handbook, hails from a Dorset farming family and has a degree in Farm Management, giving him the perfect credentials to start an organic farm from scratch.

"The farm was converted eight months ago but it is still very much early days," he said. "It has gone well and we should have Hereford cattle and lambs for sale this autumn but it will be another two years before the organic beef, lamb and cereals go on sale and there will also be vegetables next year. However, it is still a relatively quick conversion."

Before taking up this position, Mark went on a sabbatical, visiting organic farms throughout the world and it was on one visit, to a farm in South Africa, that he came up with an innovative idea - guard llamas.

"We have two llamas on the farm to look after the sheep," he explained. "In South Africa they keep wild dogs at bay and have proved invaluable here in keeping the lambs safe."

Another facet to the farm enterprise is an organic cider orchard which is fitting because the Bulmer Foundation providing funding for Project Carrot. Other funds have come from Advantage West Midlands and other charities.

Project director Alistair Cormie explained it was hoped to be able to produce organic cider from the orchard to stand alongside the firm's major brands such as Scrumpy Jack.

But there is more to Project Carrot than just setting up an organic farm and it is hoped the scheme can help all farmers and those involved in sustainable land management to find a future for their enterprises.

Mark explains: "The whole project is about sustainability within a rural region. Farming and the way we produce food underlies all that. It is an opportunity to provide training for farmers to make the industry more economical."

To this end Holme Lacy College is running a series of courses under the Project Carrot banner on themes such as soil management, crop production, composting, diversification, marketing and looking at different ways to use the farm.

Alistair adds: "We are working with farmers who have converted to organic and are thinking about converting and some who do not want to convert but are interested in schemes that can reduce their impact on the environment."

The organic farm aims to be a showcase for new technology in both machinery and farming practices. Some cutting edge machinery has been provided by Advantage West Midlands funding and the farm is also researching new crops such as lupins.

"We want to pick up on new ideas, research them and be one step ahead of farmers so that out work can help them plan for the future," Mark said.

Experts from all over the world are also helping to design the college curriculum and courses. For example, Bob Crowther from New Zealand, is coming to the college in July. He is a world leader in intensive mixed cropping and his course will help farmers interested in encouraging insects onto their land.

Diversification is seen as a way forward for many farmers and, to this end, Project Carrot is planning several schemes to boost tourism. These include farm walks, for which Mark is hoping to gain a Countryside Stewardship grant, and a visitor centre and shop on the farm to sell farm-produced food products.

And the college will also be offering courses on how to cook with the farm-produced produce as part of its aim to create a healthier society.

Alistair explains: "If people ate healthily then the national health bill would go down considerably and stress is also a major cause of illness so we aim to use the assets of the countryside such as encouraging walking to reduce this. We will also be looking at the use of complimentary medicines."

Woodland management will also be taught at the college. The 600-acre estate's own planned woodchip boiler, which can be 50 per cent sourced on site, will need to find another 50 per cent of its wood from local farms so the project is also helping to create sustainable jobs in the countryside. This is also the case with courses aimed at helping people to enter farming.

Julie Westlake, marketing manager at Pershore College, of which Holme Lacy is part, says a lot of adults are changing lifestyle and moving into the countryside and wanting to run smallholdings. "They can be helped by our courses and, in turn, they boost the economy by providing jobs," she said.

The project, which will cost £20m to complete, is nearing the end of its first phase and will take another five to seven years until all the initial work is completed. But even then it will continue to evolve.

"It doesn't happen overnight," said Mark. "We have a lot of projects in the pipeline such as the restoration of the historic fishponds which are needed to provide irrigation and we also want to look at poultry production in the future."

Another scheme Mark feels needs further research is the creation of an organic flour mill in the county.

"We need to be able to show farmers other possible routes for them and fill gaps in the market," Mark added.

So far, the scheme has been welcomed by farmers with 150 attending an open day last October. "There was enormous enthusiasm for what we are doing," Mark said.

For anyone interested in seeing the project grow and seeing some fine Herefordshire countryside into the bargain, there are two farm walks planned, one on May 29 at 7pm and the other on August 7, again at 7pm. Contact Holme Lacy College for further details.