NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: SPRINGHAM FARM
HOLISTIC APPROACH Nigel Akehurst visits Springham Farm in Hellingly, East Sussex, to meet the team behind an innovative land-based project that combines philanthropy, regenerative farming, food growing, nature restoration, education and community building.
18
Springham Farm is just north of the pretty village of Hellingly, which is bordered by rolling Wealden countryside to the north and South Downs National Park to the south. Arriving off the main Grove Hill road that leads to Horam, I follow the farm track around and park up in the farm yard. There I met Christine Meadows, who has managed the project since its inception in December 2020, when the land was purchased by The Biodynamic Land Trust through the efforts of Roger Ross and Susie Scott, who are now the partners running the farm tenancy through Springham Grove LLP.
REGENERATING AND REWILDING THE LAND
A land use plan was drawn up in June 2021 to regenerate and rewild the land, said Christine. To improve the soil health and biodiversity of the permanent pasture, the team decided that employing cattle and holistic planned grazing would be the best course of action. As the existing fencing and water infrastructure was not fit for purpose, Christine secured funding from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund Plantlife Meadow Makers project to help pay for the installation of semi-permanent electric fencing and mobile water infrastructure. Plans were also put in
Hereford cows and calves JANUARY 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET
place to allow the existing hedgerows to widen out, expand some of the stream woodlands and create a wet woodland area providing more habitat for nature. A site near the farm entrance was also identified as a suitable location for a market garden. Once all the fencing and water infrastructure was put in place by local contractor Stag Fencing, an agreement was struck with two local cattle farmers, David Cornforth and Fergus Henderson, who pooled their two herds and moved them to Springham, creating a super mob of around 180 zero input cattle, moved daily. This agreement worked well during 2021 and allowed the team at Springham to gain a
