PALEY FARM
INTRODUCING THE FARMS …
Paley Farm
Located just north of Cranbrook in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , Paley Farm ( www . paleyfarm . co . uk ) work with a sustainable mentality and regenerative practices to produce sustainable and environmentally friendly grass-fed meat from their rare breeds and native livestock . Mindful of their livestock ’ s wellbeing , Paley Farm take conscientious care of their animals and the 800-acre pasture land on which they graze .
The farm landscape varies from permanent pasture to streams , ponds , woodlands and herbal grasslands ; providing the ideal environment to develop healthy , happy , 100 % grass-fed livestock . The work they carry out is underpinned by their ethos to ‘ combine traditional values with the farming of native breeds to create the highest quality local produce while improving the environment .’
Paley Farm ’ s herd of native Sussex cattle provides all the beef they produce . They are 100 % pasturefed and are certified ‘ Pasture for Life ’, which means they have enjoyed the best natural diets for their entire lives . Paley Farm also grass-feed their flock of ‘ Pasture for Life ’ Romney sheep and are thus also able to produce the finest quality lamb and mutton as well as taking a similar approach with their Paley pork which comes from Saddleback sows crossed with a Tamworth boar . The pigs ’ outdoor lifestyle consists of foraging and grazing across the different landscapes of the farm which also enhances the flavours produced .
Paley Farm venison is provided by the wild herds of fallow and roe deer that travel around the farm . Eating a diet of permanent pasture , herbal grasses , orchards , hedgerows and woodlands , ensures the produce is fantastically nutritious and full of flavour . By focusing on native and rare breeds with the highest welfare standards , Paley Farm is able to fulfil their aim of being a sustainable and environmentally friendly commercial farm .
Elmley Nature Reserve
Elmley Nature Reserve ( www . elmleynaturereserve . co . uk ) is at heart , a family run farm with a ‘ long-term vision to restore nature and a commitment to the sustainability of the landscape and land .’ 40 years ago Philip and Corinne Merricks made it their life mission to restore nature and wildlife to the entire 3,300 acre estate in North Kent just 40 miles from London .
In 2013 , Philip and Corinne ' s daughter and son-inlaw moved to Elmley to continue working towards the vision of enabling nature to flourish and increase
biodiversity . Elmley ’ s vast amount of freshwater habitat alongside the equally vast expanses of salt marsh and mudflats make the area a gigantic feeding table for waders and wildfowl throughout the year . To ensure the grazing marsh is as good as it possibly can be for fledging success , they undertake intensive management throughout the year focusing on livestock grazing , water control , micro-topography ( digging out rills and scrapes to create gentle undulations in which water can collect ), grass management , and predator management .
At Elmley , conservation and farming go hand in hand . The cattle do the heavy lifting of maintaining the grasses at the right height and density over the year with excellent results for both breeding waders and fantastic beef , extensively reared in a sustainable way . To do this on such a large site they need a lot of livestock and thus partner with several local farmers to run a combined herd of up to 900 native and continental breed cows and 1000 Romney sheep . In addition to grazing , they also cut the lignant grasses , sedges and rushes in mid-late summer to promote regrowth which then attracts returning winter migrant birds to the marshes .
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