Cornish farmers diversify into white grass
The creation of Winterpark Cornwall dry ski slope and activity centre on Trevarthian Farm, near Newquay, Cornwall, will be a key example of imaginative rural enterprise and innovative farm diversification. At present, Trevarthian is a 350 acre holding with 50 acres of crops, 100 suckler cows and 90 finishing beef cattle from the herd and 125 ewes. The farm was originally bought and run by Steve and Hilarie Bucknell who have now partially retired from the day-to-day business which has been taken over by his son Mark. In the last 10 years, they have introduced Pedigree Aberdeen Angus selling quality replacements and further developed the Trevarthian business by taking on additional outside farm contracting work and developing 20 acres of woodland as part of the woodland creation scheme.
Following the foot and mouth crisis and the declining prices that farmers can achieve for produce given the domineering role of supermarket chains, the Government created the Rural Enterprise Scheme to help encourage farmers to diversify on their land and create a sustainable and profitable future for the rural economy.
Thousands of UK farmers have followed this route with one of the most common diversification being into the conversion of some, or all of their land, into organic production and many have also opened farm shops and cafes to sell their produce directly to the customer and bypass the supermarket. An estimated 70 per cent of farming households supplement their income by diversifying into other activities or through outside work. More than half of all farms have diversified activities and one in four farmers or their spouses have outside jobs, according to research.
The scheme has been hailed as a success by the Government and the average farms income has increased year-on-year since the introduction of the scheme and the continual enterprise of the farming community.
Winterpark Cornwall is thought to be the first UK ski slope diversification on a farm. Steve Bucknell, the farmer with the inspiration behind the scheme, has been a key figure in the Cornish farming sector since he moved to the county in 1987. As a spokesperson and past NFU county Chairman for Cornwall, Steve was a key campaigner during the Foot & Mouth crisis and was the Regional Livestock Delegate for Mid Cornwall.
Winterpark Cornwall is the result of a chance meeting between Newquay farmer and businessman Steve Bucknell and Truro born, Chris O'Connell who is a former Vice President of the English Ski Council. Chris has been working on plans to create a Cornish dry ski slope for over ten years and Steve had the idea of diversifying part of his land into a ski facility some five years ago as a number of his family members are keen skiers. The Bucknell family will invest in the project and the company will also be seeking European and local development funding to help meet the costs of the ski centre build.
Steve says, "For many years now I have been considering the diversification of Trevarthian. The development of a dry ski slope did appear to be a highly radical route when I suggested it over five years ago yet with the tourism centre of Newquay right on our doorstep plus the boardsports enthusiasm of the Cornish community, the opportunity is significant. Cornwall is the only English county that doesn't have a dry ski slope and as we have the ideal field on Trevarthian, right next to an arterial road, the diversification plan began to take shape. Now that we're at planning stage and the indications from the County Council are that we are likely to get the green light, we are looking forward to witnessing the build and opening the centre to the public. Winterpark Cornwall will be the ongoing legacy for Trevarthian and for the farming generations to come."
Mark comments, "The day-to-day running of the farm, plus new development within the main farm framework, will continue to be my key concern throughout the development of Winterpark. Once the centre is open and running the cafeteria/bar will offer us an ongoing opportunity to sell Trevarthian produce directly to the consumer. Through beef and lamb sales we will achieve significant margins that would be impossible to realise if we were selling to a wholesaler or retailer so the farm income will immediately rise and profits will be reinvested in the development of the land and the mainstay business."
