Hosted by the Nature Friendly Farming Network.

Speakers/hosts:

David Butler is a fourth generation farmer based in the Pewsey Vale farming in partnership with his wife and parents. As well as combinable cropping on around 900 ha there is a 260 cow dairy and a beef enterprise utilising the chalk downland habitat found on the farm.

Denise Walton and her family took over Peelham Farm in 1993. They farm to encourage birds and pollinating insects to live on the land. They converted to organic following the CAP reform of 2002, which facilitated funding. They restored hedges and fence lines, making sure they connected so birds and wildlife can use them as a food source or for protection from predators. Denise says there needs to be a balance between productivity for livelihood and productivity for wildlife, which is why grant aid is so important.

Michael Clarke and his wife, Shirley moved to Williamwood Farm, a 120ha lowland all-grass farm near Lockerbie in SW Scotland in 2008. They breed beef cattle and sheep and operate a busy on-farm holiday cottage business. Shirley breeds and shows Highland ponies. Past Scotland winners of the RSPB’s Nature of Farming Award, they enjoy community engagement and demonstrating how nature-friendly farming and food production can go hand-in-hand. Their particular emphasis is on habitat creation and enhancement, with an ambitious annual program.