The Archers-linked farm putting community back at its heart

A Worcestershire farm associated with the origins of The Archers is rebuilding its future around community ownership, direct food sales and a lower-input approach to agriculture.

Brendan and Alice Parsons are reshaping Rush Farm with the aim of reconnecting local people with the land and the food produced on it. Owned by Stockwood Community Benefit Society since 2013, the farm gives them greater security and the freedom to plan for the long term.

Its community-owned status protects the land from being sold for housing or other large-scale developments that can push agricultural land beyond the reach of working farmers.

Brendan returned to Rush Farm in 2023 after advising farmers on sustainable agriculture for the Soil Association. Influenced by his grandfather David Clement, a pioneering biodynamic farmer, he said he wanted “a job that felt real” and one rooted in soil, food and people.

He had also become increasingly concerned about the distance between farms and the communities they feed.

“There’s a real disconnect,” Brendan said, with food often passing through lengthy supermarket supply chains that give customers little sense of who produced it or where it came from.

Alice arrived at Rush Farm in 2022 after working on a large-scale organic farm in the United States. Together, the couple are seeking to make the farm part of everyday life for people living in the surrounding villages.

An on-site shop and café sell Rush Farm’s organic beef and lamb alongside produce from other nearby farms. A vegetable box scheme is also planned as the business expands its direct connection with local customers.

Following a recent refurbishment, the shop now carries enough produce for customers to complete much of their weekly food shop at the farm. Word of mouth is bringing a growing mix of retired residents and younger families from surrounding villages through the doors.

“You keep the faith that people will come to you with time,” Alice said.

She believes moving away from “faceless farming” is as important for producers as it is for customers.

“When you’re growing food for your neighbours, you become part of their lives – and they become part of yours. That’s how farming is meant to be,” she said.

The changes extend beyond the shop and café to how the land itself is managed. Livestock are being moved more regularly between fields, allowing grazed pasture longer to rest and recover.

Over the past 18 months, previously overgrazed fields have started to improve under the new system. The farm now carries a small Hereford herd and flocks of Lleyn and Shetland sheep.

Reducing livestock numbers has allowed “the farm to catch its breath”, according to Brendan.

The approach draws on the biodynamic principles used by his grandfather, but Brendan and Alice say their focus is practical rather than ideological. They are seeking to reduce reliance on pesticides, expensive machinery and other external inputs while “bringing stability to the farm”.

Changing a farming system can, however, be financially difficult while the business must continue covering its costs. Direct selling also requires investment in staffing, marketing, retail space and a reliable local customer base.

Community ownership has given Rush Farm more time to test new ideas than many conventional farming businesses may have available.

“Being community owned has allowed us to take more risks – and take our time exploring them,” Brendan said.

Selling food through the farm shop and café means the business can retain more of its value than it would through conventional supply chains. It also gives neighbouring farmers and food producers another route to market.

The model prioritises stability and local relationships rather than growth through volume alone. Within five years, Brendan and Alice hope the farm will be closely tied to its community and able to cover its commercial costs without relying on agricultural subsidies.

Their aim is not to create what they describe as a perfect system, but to develop a resilient business capable of standing on its own feet.

“It requires a big leap of faith to change your methodology - the farm still needs to cover its costs during the transition,” Brendan said.

He said farms should be viewed as connected ecosystems, beginning with the land and extending through to the shop and café.

“It gives both farmers and the people buying their food a greater sense of agency,” he added.