Cymraeg In our ‘Meet Our Members’ series, this month we chat to George Browning from Feldon Forest Farm, a 32 hectare mixed organic farm in Warwickshire. George and his wife Gill moved to Warwickshire as part of a journey to build an earth sheltered house. Farming was initially a means to gain planning permission to build a dwelling on their 80 acres of agricultural land, but after learning more about organic farming, their passion for the subject has led them to shift the land away from arable fields into species rich pasture, plant a large number of trees (including being early adopters of agroforestry) and introduce native breed sheep and cattle to the farm. They have now been farming for 25 years! Read on to learn more.
What do you love most about farming?
Being out in the open air. The challenges and variations that occur daily. Dealing with the unexpected. Being organic and as much in tune with nature as possible, therefore seeing the natural wonders that crop up on the farm. Producing good, nutritious, safe food that is valued by our customers.
Why are you a member of the LWA?
I joined right at the beginning, from attending the first meeting at Stroud, because I firmly believe that small scale agriculture and horticulture done organically is the way to provide wholesome food to people and that industrial farming has blighted the planet, to the detriment of us all.
What’s your top piece of advice for a landworker just starting out on their journey?
If it’s really what you want to do then don’t give up. Be as clued up as possible on what you face but be prepared to take a risk. Never be afraid to ask for advice as it will mostly be freely given. You don’t have to accept it all of course. Take any opportunity to see what others do. Visit them and talk to them about their experiences. Be prepared to work and to keep working long and hard but leave room for fun along the way. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing you won’t succeed.
What does a normal working day look like for you?
The beauty of farming is that there is no such thing as a normal day. Certain things are in the routine, such as checking on livestock and letting out the chickens but therein can come unexpected challenges that will need to be dealt with such as a sick or injured animal, a fox attacking the hens, a broken fence or a fallen tree. Sowing, planting, weeding, pruning, picking, mowing, baling, carting, stacking and many more tasks are in the equation at different seasons. That’s part of the fun, the variety.
What’s your favourite season and why?
Probably Autumn because hopefully harvests are largely done but there is still orchard fruit to pick, with apple juice and cider to make from some of it. The pace seems to slow a little. The Autumn colours are lovely and the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is very apt here.
Having said that I love the vibrancy of Spring, with new life appearing.
As citizens/consumers how can we best support a transition to more sustainable food and land use systems?
By becoming educated about the damage that industrial farming and ultra-processed ‘food’ is doing to the planet and to our health. By supporting those who are farming and growing responsibly, in harmony with nature and without using agrochemicals. By learning about the essential role that grazing livestock play in the fertility of the soil upon which the whole of life depends and supporting those facilitating that process.
Find out more about the farm at www.feldon-forest-farm.co.uk
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