CASTLE FARM
THE HOP SHOP AT CASTLE FARM
Castle Farm
Established in 1892 , Castle Farm ( www . castlefarmkent . co . uk ) is the familyrun farm rightly proud of its five generations of dedication and its commitment to sustainability . Located in the pretty North Kent village of Shoreham , the Alexander family have been farming in the Darent Valley since James Alexander brought his first herd of 17 milking cows down from Ayrsire on the train ! Fast-forward over one hundred years and alongside grass-fed cattle the farm produces Savoy cabbages , plums , lucerne , parsnips , marrows , potatoes , apples , hops and it ' s now renowned lavender – boasting over 130 acres of the fragrant purple flower in undoubtedly the most breathtaking farming fields in Kent !
Here , William Alexander and his farming team are dedicated to sustainability . Active conservation , where the farm devotes 10 % of its land to proritise wildlife and the environment over food production , is further supported by participation of the government-supported , Stewardship Schemes that enables Castle Farm to maintain grass field edges ( to provide extra habitat for flowers and mammals ), pollen and nectar areas ( that support bees and insects ), summer fallow fields ( to favour ground-nesting birds ), and a programme of old hedge restoration work . Clover is currently being introduced into all their grass pastures to reduce the requirement to apply artificial nitrogen ; all manures are spread back onto the land to raise soil fertility ; and fuel efficiency has been improved by using minimal cultivation techniques – this all means the farm can negate the need for deep ploughing every year , saving energy , resources and time – they even generate their own electricity from solar panels on the farm buildings !
High welfare for their livestock is also a priority . Calves are allowed to enjoy their first months of life with their mother , then ( as far as is possible ), are kept within small family groups . Whilst the summer allows grazing in the water meadows and hill pastures , during the winter they are housed in the new and award-winning Roundhouse ; it ’ s purposebuilt design affording an airy and stress-free living environment where they will be fed on a nutrient-rich mix of home-grown maize and clover-rich grass silage .
Kelsey Farms
Located in Canterbury , Kelsey Farms ( www . kelseyfarms . co . uk ) boasts an impressive 72 hectares of land and supplies produce to some of the UK ’ s best known supermarkets as well as to passing local customers who can purchase fresh-fromthe-farm seasonal berries straight from the newly installed refrigerated vending machine .
Owned by Paul Kelsey , the third-generation Kelsey to be farming on the land , and managed by Jon Rix , the farm is proud to be ‘ part of a new generation of growers whose focus is to produce high quality , high yielding crops taking care and due diligence in respect of our customers , employees and the environment .’
Whilst the farming here is rightly acknowledged as intensive , the farm still takes pride in its steps to promote sustainability . Initiatives such as the planting of trees and hedges , promoting habitat for wildlife , the use of coir ( processed coconut husk ) for raspberry and strawberry growing , the use of recycled pots and tunnel poly , and the recapturing of rainwater to offset water consumption have led to numerous industry accreditations such as the Red Tractor Scheme , Tesco Nurture ( Gold ) and Waitrose ’ s Farm Assessment scheme , whilst their ongoing commitment to sensitive farming is recognised by their membership of LEAF .
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