Sunday 27 May 2012
Headlines
Did you find this story interesting? (0) (0)
23/10/2007
Two Northern farms represent region in Natural England's farming awards
Two farmers from the North East are celebrating their success in theregional final of a national farming awards scheme. Graham Dixon ofAlwinton, Northumberland, and Chris Hodgson of Piercebridge, Darlington willnow go forward to represent the region at Natural England's 'Future ofFarming Awards' scheme at the national award ceremony next month (Thursday15 November).
The new scheme has been established to celebrate environmental excellenceand innovation in wildlife friendly farming. It singles out for recognitionfarmers like Graham Dixon and Chris Hodgson who have made the greatestcontribution to both conserving England's special wildlife and landscapeswhilst helping people have greater access to our natural environment.
Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England, said: "I'm delighted topreside over Natural England's first 'Future of Farming' Awards, celebratingexcellence and innovation in English farming.
"The Awards will give all sixteen regional finalists the recognition theydeserve for the important achievements of farmers who have set a newstandard for environmentally friendly farming, and provided inspiration toothers. The Awards are proof of the 'new' contract between society andfarmers, in which farmers supply public goods and services to the public."
Regional winner Graham Dixon's family run upland farm at Alwinton in theNorthumberland National Park supply their organic lamb to a major highstreet retailer specializing in high quality food. The animals are cared forby a full-time shepherd and grazed on high quality multi-species herd-richpasture using sustainable, low impact farming systems.
Once managed using a conventional high input farming system of fertilizersand slurry, Alwinton Farm is now into its second 10-year CountrysideStewardship Scheme (CSS) agreement and managed under a certified organicsystem. Meadows are now managed to encourage diversity of grasses andflowers which attract a wide variety of insects, mammals and birds. The farmsupplies prime lamb to a national food retailer and other high qualityorganic outlets Graham Dixon said balancing stock levels had been the key toAlwinton's successful management system: "To get the very best out of ouranimals, they have to be in a low stress system suited to their environment,and should have a high standard of welfare and stockmanship."
The low stress environment also has benefits for the hundreds of visitors tothe area; Alwinton Farm has more than 200 hectares of open access land whichallows people to experience the spectacular Cheviot Hills landscape.
Runner-up Chris Hodgson has worked wonders on his 100 per cent organicgrassland farm at Piercebridge, where much of the land has been reclaimedfrom gravel extraction and had limited worth in terms of biodiversity. Chrishas restored old neglected hedgerows and planted new ones. Riverside fieldsare swathed in bluebells in spring and the locations of ground nesting birdsare recorded so that farming operations such as grass cutting have little orno impact on them.
The Hodgsons sell local produce - including their own organic pork andchicken - through their popular farm shop and cafe. They encourage publicaccess onto the farm with several groups using the facilities for themedwalks, and they support community initiatives such as the Camphill Trust (afarming community for mentally disabledpeople) by supplying eggs and selling their produce in the farm shop.
Natural England launched The Future of Farming Awards scheme at this year'sRoyal Show in July. Since then judging panels made up of Natural Englandexperts together with representatives of the National Farmers Union and theCountryside Landowners Association have been busy scrutinizing applicationsfrom up an down the country.
Panel member for the NFU, Louise White said: "Mr Dixon is a well deservedregional winner. We were particularly impressed with the way he hasproactively marketed his business coupled with a strong environmental focus.It was a close finish between Mr Dixon and regional runner up Mr Hodgsonwho particularly impressed the judging panel by developing a thrivingorganic business with strong environmental credentials and establishing goodlinks with the local community."
The winner and runner up go forward into the final round where a nationalpanel will chaired by Peter Allen, Natural England board member and NorthWest region NFU Chairman, will select the overall winner, and runner up, tobe announced at the award luncheon at Burghley House in Stamford in threeweeks' time (17 November)
The new scheme has been established to celebrate environmental excellenceand innovation in wildlife friendly farming. It singles out for recognitionfarmers like Graham Dixon and Chris Hodgson who have made the greatestcontribution to both conserving England's special wildlife and landscapeswhilst helping people have greater access to our natural environment.
Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England, said: "I'm delighted topreside over Natural England's first 'Future of Farming' Awards, celebratingexcellence and innovation in English farming.
"The Awards will give all sixteen regional finalists the recognition theydeserve for the important achievements of farmers who have set a newstandard for environmentally friendly farming, and provided inspiration toothers. The Awards are proof of the 'new' contract between society andfarmers, in which farmers supply public goods and services to the public."
Regional winner Graham Dixon's family run upland farm at Alwinton in theNorthumberland National Park supply their organic lamb to a major highstreet retailer specializing in high quality food. The animals are cared forby a full-time shepherd and grazed on high quality multi-species herd-richpasture using sustainable, low impact farming systems.
Once managed using a conventional high input farming system of fertilizersand slurry, Alwinton Farm is now into its second 10-year CountrysideStewardship Scheme (CSS) agreement and managed under a certified organicsystem. Meadows are now managed to encourage diversity of grasses andflowers which attract a wide variety of insects, mammals and birds. The farmsupplies prime lamb to a national food retailer and other high qualityorganic outlets Graham Dixon said balancing stock levels had been the key toAlwinton's successful management system: "To get the very best out of ouranimals, they have to be in a low stress system suited to their environment,and should have a high standard of welfare and stockmanship."
The low stress environment also has benefits for the hundreds of visitors tothe area; Alwinton Farm has more than 200 hectares of open access land whichallows people to experience the spectacular Cheviot Hills landscape.
Runner-up Chris Hodgson has worked wonders on his 100 per cent organicgrassland farm at Piercebridge, where much of the land has been reclaimedfrom gravel extraction and had limited worth in terms of biodiversity. Chrishas restored old neglected hedgerows and planted new ones. Riverside fieldsare swathed in bluebells in spring and the locations of ground nesting birdsare recorded so that farming operations such as grass cutting have little orno impact on them.
The Hodgsons sell local produce - including their own organic pork andchicken - through their popular farm shop and cafe. They encourage publicaccess onto the farm with several groups using the facilities for themedwalks, and they support community initiatives such as the Camphill Trust (afarming community for mentally disabledpeople) by supplying eggs and selling their produce in the farm shop.
Natural England launched The Future of Farming Awards scheme at this year'sRoyal Show in July. Since then judging panels made up of Natural Englandexperts together with representatives of the National Farmers Union and theCountryside Landowners Association have been busy scrutinizing applicationsfrom up an down the country.
Panel member for the NFU, Louise White said: "Mr Dixon is a well deservedregional winner. We were particularly impressed with the way he hasproactively marketed his business coupled with a strong environmental focus.It was a close finish between Mr Dixon and regional runner up Mr Hodgsonwho particularly impressed the judging panel by developing a thrivingorganic business with strong environmental credentials and establishing goodlinks with the local community."
The winner and runner up go forward into the final round where a nationalpanel will chaired by Peter Allen, Natural England board member and NorthWest region NFU Chairman, will select the overall winner, and runner up, tobe announced at the award luncheon at Burghley House in Stamford in threeweeks' time (17 November)
No Comments
Nobody has posted any comments on this story.
|
Farming items for Sale
|
Massey Ferguson 6170 Dynashift - Tiverton(GBP 11500)
John Deere 4250 - Narberth(GBP 11400)
Zetor 6341 - Penrith(GBP 12300)
MCCORMICK CX90 - Dungannon
(Price on Application)
(Price on Application)
Used Massey Ferguson 6499 - Littleport(GBP 51000)
Related News
Natural England launches its Future of Farming Awards 2008 - 08 Apr 2008Farmers and farm managers across England are invited to enter Natural England's 2008 Future of Farming Awards. The award scheme, which opens o...
Farming Together for a Natural England - 26 Nov 2008Natural England announces new approach to green farming schemes, which targets money at our most treasured landscapes and important habitats. More ...
Natural England Green Farming Bonus for Farmers - 17 Dec 2008Farmers and land managers across the country received an early Christmas present this month as Natural England announced it paid £98 million into the ...
CLA puts record straight on Campaign for the Farmed Environment after Natural England comments - 08 Jun 2009The CLA today spoke out in response to comments made by Natural England’s Chief Executive Dr Helen Phillips on the proposals for the Campaign fo...
Natural England launches free farm visits and support for participants in ELS - 23 Sep 2011Natural England has launched a new service of one-to-one farm visits to help farmers in Entry Level Stewardship get the most out of their ELS agreemen...
The organic farming plan for England - Two years on - 02 Aug 2004Today sees the launch of the report Organic Action plan to develop organic food and farming in England - Two Years On. The plan picks up on the wor...
For sale - two first rate farms in the heart of rural England - 09 Aug 2007Fisher German are bringing to the market one Grade II listed sixteenth century farmhouse and one seventeenth century farmhouse. Both farms offer an ad...
Natural England's policy is destroying the Uplands - 19 Oct 2009The Tenant Farmers Association has condemned Natural England’s policy of drastically reducing stocking densities in the uplands through Environm...
NFU Challenges natural England's upland vision - 12 Nov 2009The NFU is challenging Natural England’s Upland Vision to ensure that agri-environment schemes and the market place are given equal recognition ...
Dynamic hybrid single farm payments represent missed opportunity - 17 Feb 2004English dairy farming will be unfairly hampered by the "dynamic hybrid" method of administering the new Single Farm Payment and will be less competiti...
