What is a Brit Stops host?

Brit Stops is a scheme for motorhomers to explore the UK. When they purchase Brit Stops, they get one year of unlimited stopovers at 1,100+ Brit Stops locations, including pubs, vineyards, aires, farm shops, and other varied businesses too.

Motorhomers are always looking for great places to stop while on the road, and your farm can be one of them, the company says. Brit Stops is a well-established scheme that has been operating for over eight years and has over 26,000 users.

What are the benefits?

By inviting motorhomers to your farm, Brit Stops says you can reach its large audience, based throughout the UK and Ireland. “Our members are always looking for lovely spots to stay overnight and, as most of them are retired couples, they often have disposable income to spend at the farm shop. We also manage our members with a recognised code of conduct, so you won’t have anyone setting up an awning or hanging their washing out!”

Visitors should not be under any obligation to buy, but the company has found that nine out of 10 Britstoppers end up spending some money with its hosts. They’ve saved their campsite fees and usually need to top up the fridge or have dinner. Depending on the time of year and how many spaces you have available, you might see anywhere from 1–10 motorhomers a week, which can really drive extra custom, Brit Stops suggests.

How do I become a Brit Stops host?

Becoming a host is easy. There are no fees or contracts and the sign-up is simple. A detailed entry on the Brit Stops website/app is free to hosts. No facilities are needed and it costs you nothing. All you have to do is offer Brit Stops members a one-night free stopover in your car park.

Sign up to become a Brit Stops host.

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The Northern Region of the National Sheep Association (NSA) teamed up with AHDB and various speakers to host the event at the J36 Rural Auction Centre in Cumbria. The event considered the direct support to farm businesses declining across the UK. More farmers are considering diversifying their sheep farming activities to supplement their income.

The morning session focused on direct selling of sheep meat products, purposely coinciding with ‘Love Lamb Week’. John Geldard shared the successes of the Plumgarths Farm Shop and associated family businesses in Cumbria, while Karl Pendlebury of AHDB and independent butcher Peter Allonby delivered an excellent butchery demonstration as the backdrop to a wide-ranging discussion about adding value to lamb carcasses.

Consumers want convenience

Karl and Peter understood the many approaches to the marketing of lamb; be it through box schemes, a farm shop, farmers markets, or online retailing. They were clear that whatever the approach was, the priority had to be convenience.

“Consumers want something that is convenient and will be quick to prepare and cook – but that can be good news, as they’ll then eat lamb more often, rather than only cooking a roasting joint on a Sunday or, increasingly, only on a special occasion,” said Karl Pendlebury.

Grace Randall, AHDB retail and consumer insight manager, echoed these consumer trends. She presented how domestic lamb sales would decline if the market failed to diversify beyond roasting joints.

Sheep farming must keep up with inevitable change

The attention turned to diversification ventures other than selling lamb after lunch. The sentiment of ‘time waiting for no man’, stressed throughout the morning session, was echoed in the afternoon. Speakers included Rebecca Wilson, an influencer on social media, and holiday pod entrepreneurs Vicky Slater and Kevin Holiday – both of whom have been able to thrive by adapting to the latest trends and consumer interests.

The positive attitude towards change embodied by John Geldard when he built his farm shop in the early 2000s was still applicable 20 years later and to all diversification types.

“Change will never stop; it’s about keeping up with it,” he said. “But remember, it’s important not to go into diversification to save your business. It will only work if it’s to strengthen your business. That’s been proven many times over the years. You need to build it from the bottom up.”

There were plenty of takeaways from the event for the sheep farming community to consider and action. You can find out more about the NSA and future events on the NSA website.

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He and his family grow wheat, barley and oilseed rape, and graze sheep and cattle, as well as running an agricultural plastic recycling plant at Barff Farm, Lincolnshire. When the Moores bought the farm, it was a highly productive operation growing solely winter crops. Over time, the management of black-grass became increasingly difficult, which affected their profits. Robert began to think about how the business could be run more sustainably and efficiently.

“We moved to the farm in 1988 and it had almost no hedges or trees – historical maps show there used to be over 90 small fields here which had been reduced to just 13. While the land was good productive, arable soil, black-grass had become a serious issue.”

In partnership with Woodland Trust

Looking to increase biodiversity, enhance the visual impact of the land, and make better use of underperforming areas, he started researching planting schemes. Following a recommendation from a neighbour, he applied to the Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme, which provides advice and funding for landowners looking to plant trees.

Robert worked closely with an adviser from the Trust to design a scheme to meet his specific needs. Together, they identified less productive areas which were suitable for planting, and assessed drainage maps to make sure field drains were not compromised. Native species such as rowan, an excellent food source, were chosen to encourage biodiversity.

They planned a substantial woodland, measuring 100×600 metres and split into three segments, with a track running through it for access. Planting began in January 2021 with a total of five hectares of trees (1,600 trees per hectare) planted next to Paunch Beck, which runs into the River Ancholme at the edge of his land.

“We have a stream that goes right through the centre of the farm with the track alongside it. So, we decided to put the woods south of the track, so any shadows coming from the woods would be on the track and not the crop over the dyke.”

Enhancing wildlife habitats with hedgerows

Aware of the steep decline in biodiversity in the British countryside, Robert was keen to create corridors for wildlife by linking his new woodland with hedgerows. Having received MOREwoods funding, he became aware of the MOREhedges scheme and went on to plant 1km of hedgerow.

“We have a big reservoir on site that’s utilised for the recycling side of the business. So we interlinked the reservoir with hedges to the new plantations of wood for wildlife tracks to go down.”

Planting trees and hedgerows for future generations

Robert’s project took six months from application to planting the final tree. The subsidy allowed him to plant more woodland at a lower cost, although the return on investment isn’t straightforward.

“The benefit is in taking bad land out of production and planting a viable resource that has values you can’t quantify – like the visual impact and effect on the farm as an overall asset,” he explains.

The MOREwoods scheme provided a 60% subsidy, with Robert choosing to use Woodland Trust contractors for planting. The hedging project received a 75% subsidy, using a self-appointed contractor.

“Working with the Woodland Trust was very easy from start to finish,” he adds. “The application was simple and straightforward … and they even managed the Environmental Impact Assessment process which was required due to the size of area being planted.”

He anticipates the benefits will grow as the woodland and hedgerows mature. “We’re enhancing the farm for future generations. Yes, it’s going to take a fair while, but the plan is to leave the farm better than when we received it – not saying it wasn’t right when we got it because it was. It was the right farm for the time, but times have changed.

“The changes we’re making now are not only restoring the productive areas to a more sustainable system. We’ve taken out less productive land, squaring up fields and restoring some of the lost hedgerows and trees. The value of carbon sequestration alongside crop protection, soil fertility and the boost for wildlife are all long-term gains.”

Woodland Trust working with farmers

The Woodland Trust has decades of experience working side by side with farmers to harness the benefits of trees for business, nature and climate. The MOREwoods and MOREhedges schemes make it easy and affordable to plant trees on your land, whether you are looking to shelter crops and livestock from our increasingly wild weather, diversify your business, capture carbon or create habitats for wildlife. The schemes have already helped over 3,000 landowners with their planting projects – that’s 4 million new, native trees in the ground.

What funding and support do the schemes offer?

MOREwoods and MOREhedges subsidise up to 75% of the cost of woodland and hedgerow creation. They provide the advice and guidance needed for projects to be successful; from site suitability and species selection to planting, tree protection and management.

All farmers, landowners and land managers are welcome to apply providing the following eligibility criteria are met – all you need is a grid reference and a map of the area to be planted.

MOREwoods

• Eligible projects must plant at least 0.5ha of new woodland, with an average of 1,000-1,600. trees/hectare.
• The total area can be made up of multiple blocks of land, each 0.1 hectare minimum.

The cost to the landowner depends on project size, species choice and tree protection. On average, self-planted projects cost 40-80p per tree plus VAT, or £1-£1.80 per tree plus VAT if planted by a Trust-arranged contractor. A one-hectare site at the recommended 1,000-1,600 trees per hectare would therefore cost around £900-2,000.

MOREhedges

Qualifying schemes comprise 100 metres or more of new hedging with a large tree planted every six metres. The hedging must connect with:

• At least 0.2 hectares of existing or newly planted woodland (0.1ha in Scotland), or
• Woodland via established hedgerows within 500m of the new hedge.

Applications for MOREwoods must be submitted by 1st November if you wish to receive your trees this winter. Apply by 1st December to plant a MOREhedges this winter.

_{The Woodland Trust is a registered charity (294344 and SC038885). The Woodland Trust logo is a registered trademark.}

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The Pumpkin House at Farmer Copleys in West Yorkshire.

Two of this year’s award hopefuls hail from Yorkshire and one from Worcestershire. Last year’s trophy went to Cammas Hall in Bishop’s Stortford, Essex.

The category has been judged earlier than others in the awards to allow judging to take place at the height of the PYO season.

Those shortlisted for the PYO category will now go through to the awards in March 2024.

They include:

Bells Farm Shop, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire:

Bells Farm is a third-generation family run Pick Your Own, Farm Shop, Butchery and Cafe with 40 acres of fruit and vegetables in Worcestershire. Combining traditional growing with new ideas, they aim to bring new customers to enjoy the taste and fun of pick your own and with over 200 varieties of fruit and vegetables there is something for everyone all year round.

The growing team at Bells Farm Shop.

Farmer Copleys, Pontefract, West Yorkshire:

Farmer Copleys has a family-run farm shop, Moo Café, function space and events centre. The Copley family has been farming for over 140 years with the aim of showcasing British agriculture to the community whilst also getting people engaged with the countryside and helping people learn where their food comes from and how it is produced. Visitors are encouraged to get involved in learning about food by educating through fun and offering a unique experience of interacting with homegrown local produce.

Horsforth Pick Your Own, Leeds, West Yorkshire:

Rory Kemp established Horsforth Pick Your Own almost 40 years ago in traditional small oak tree lined pasture fields, overlooking Leeds and Bradford. Now joined by his son Joe, the PYO has evolved and they grow both table top (7.75km) and in the ground strawberries (3 acres) along with raspberries (2.5 acres). For Halloween pumpkins were added in 2018 with pumpkin numbers increasing year on year to currently 70,000. For the festive season, Yorkshire grown Christmas trees are sold along with free-range bronze turkeys reared on the farm from poults, and then hand plucked, hung and dressed.

Horsforth pick your own in West Yorkshire.

Chairman of the Farm Retail Association, Emma Mosey said: “The standard of entries has been incredible. We look forward to seeing entrants from all remaining categories now, and celebrating the very best in the business at our awards ceremony next March. Good luck to all of our finalists!”

The remaining categories are now open and other finalists will be announced at the end of the year. These include:

• Large Farm Shop of the Year
• Small Farm Shop of the Year
• Farm Cafe/Restaurant of the Year
• Farm Shop Butchery of the Year
• Rising Star Award
• Farmers Market of the Year
• Associate Member of the Year
• Lifetime Achievement Award

Finalists will be showcased at an Awards Gala Dinner held in March on a date and venue to be announced.

All members of the Farm Retail Association are eligible to enter the awards free of charge.

The post Britain’s top PYO farms shortlisted for national awards appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Applicants have until Monday 14^th August to enter the competition, which is open to any Scottish farm and looks to celebrate businesses which have invested in time and resource into developing an additional income stream.

Judges are keen to see a wide range of applicants who can demonstrate excellent customer service, collaboration, support for their community and a willingness to adapt to the changing landscape.

The award is sponsored by SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), and is being offered for the third consecutive year. Last year’s winner was Ardross Farm of Fife, a 380-acre tenanted business run by the Pollock family, who farm a further 1,000 acres and grass lets on a contract basis.

With 120 cattle, 130 sheep, mixed cereals, beans and vegetables, they saw an opportunity to open their own farm shop, supplying produce direct to customers.

Claire Pollock will be on the judging panel for this year’s award and is urging farmers who are interested to enter the competition as soon as they can.

“We were thrilled to have won the AgriScot ‘Diversified Farm of the Year’ Award last time out, and it gave us a lot of confidence that we were on the right track in the development of the Ardross Farm project,” she said.

“We enjoy what we do, and we plan to do it better by expanding the farm shop and the offerings from our kitchen, growing more of our own vegetables, and trialling new varieties, whilst continuing to work with local businesses and raising the profile of the Scottish local food network.”

Sascha Grierson, principal consultant at SAC Consulting, said this year’s judges will be casting the net wide to attract and discover a range of different diversified businesses across the country.

“Whether your business is operating a meat box scheme, farm shop, vending machines, holiday cottage, wellness retreat, cookery school or clothing and textile business, to name but a few, they all contribute to Scotland’s economy.

“Winners and finalists will receive widespread recognition, offering the opportunity of new customers, increased sales and a chance to celebrate all they have achieved,” she added.

Shortlisted applicants will receive a visit from the judges, with the winners announced at an awards dinner at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow. The evening includes a drinks reception, three course meal, entertainment, official event programme, evening networking and the awards presentation.

With only a few days left until applications close on 14^th August, farmers are urged to get their entries in as soon as possible via the following link: https://agriawards.evessiocloud.com/AgriAwards2023/en/page/home

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The project: In a nutshell

The recent pig crisis prompted the Morgan family to consider how they were running their 1,700-head pig business. Bearing the brunt of the post-Brexit and Covid-19 market disruption, the family business needed an additional income stream. The whole process began just under three years ago when the farming trio earmarked a nearby piece of land for their diversification project and, shortly after, the Morgans received approval from local planners.

The family business applied for EU grant funding to help offset the total project cost and the sisters chose to work closely with advisers from holiday let expert Hoseasons throughout the development process.

New to diversifying 

Although the farming family have no previous experience in hospitality, they ploughed ahead with their plans. Rachel said, “We were feeling very apprehensive about diversifying. This was all new for us. We’re used to animals, not dealing with the general public and at first we thought, can we really do this? However, it soon became clear that we could.”

Rachel continued, “Hoseasons’ support has been invaluable in supporting our diversification process. They’ve helped us considerably with industry tips, hospitality advice, and above all, the team gave us the confidence to move forward with the different aspects and stages of our journey. Specifically, we were planning to complete all the lodges before launching but Hoseasons gave us the reassurance to launch with two completed lodges. We’re glad we went ahead.”

In 2022, over 50% of new owners who joined Hoseasons were still in the development stage of their farm diversification project. Rachel agrees, the sooner the better: “For anyone else out there embarking on a farm diversification project, my main piece of advice would be to involve Hoseasons during the early stages. We wish we’d got in touch sooner, before we actually started the process. We know now that the team would have been able to advise on other decisions during the infancy of the project such as recommending the size and scale of the lodges. Specifically, the team gave us the confidence we were doing the right things, they supported us every step of the way. We’ve had members of the team meet with us in person, contact us over the phone when we need support – their help has given us the reassurance we needed to make this work.”

The farm’s units were resourced from a nearby manufacturing company, and the team carried out alterations to ensure the six lodges were in line with the family’s vision. At the start of spring this year, the family business opened Kesters Country Lodges, a hidden gem nestled in the rolling Yorkshire Wolds featuring four two bedroom, two bathroom units and two with two bedrooms and one bathroom.

Family run

Rachel said, “Six lodges was the right number for a family-run business, we’re really happy with that amount. Guests have enough space and it’s manageable for us while we also run our pig farm.” On a day-to-day basis, the Morgan sisters manage the pig farming side of the business, and it’s Rachel and her mum, Sue, who run the holiday-lets. The pair clean the lodges, liaise with the guests and Sue even makes homemade welcome biscuits for the guests.

Rachel said, “It’s busier than we expected, and we’ve been shocked at the number of bookings we’ve received. It is hard work because we’re both doing our full time jobs. However, it’s to be expected during our first year of trading. Our next step is to recruit some staff to help with cleaning and maintaining the holiday lodges.”

The financials

The new business has been receiving 5-star reviews from guests since its launch and the Morgans predict they will turn-over £80k during their first year in business having benefitted from the marketing and bookings support from Hoseasons. Commenting on this Rachel said, “The sales support Hoseasons offer has really worked out for us. The team have helped us with the bookings process and advised on how to define our pricing strategy. We’ve attended a series of Hoseasons’ quarterly seminars and industry talks which have been an invaluable way to discover staycation trends and what customers need.”

Luke Hansford, senior vice president business development, at Awaze – the parent company of Hoseasons and cottages.com – said, “We’re seeing increasingly more farmers and landowners diversifying; there’s certainly been an influx in the last five years. As a result, we’ve seen new developments crop up across land and farming hubs across the country. The Morgans have created such a welcoming and peaceful location in a short space of time. We’re incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved, and it’s been a pleasure to watch their ideas come into fruition.”

He added, “We will continue to nurture their new holiday rental business and will provide ongoing support should they need it. We have no doubt that the location will continue to thrive – they have a successful recipe comprising of unspoilt land and luxury lodges, making the perfect combination for a thriving diversification.”

Rachel concluded, “Yes, we felt nervous at the beginning but with the right support our confidence increased, and it became clear that we’d made a good choice. One thing that has been really great is how helpful other local hospitality businesses have been. You think they will see you as competition, but they have all been very happy to share ideas and tips and show me round their sites. It’s also been really lovely reading the customer reviews – we must be doing something right! Now as we look to the future, it feels reassuring to have a different stream of income to support what we do. It’s a worthwhile investment for our future as a farming family.”

If you are a farmer or landowner and have been thinking about introducing a holiday let diversification to your land then get in touch with Hoseasons to discuss how they can support you with your project.

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With many farmers being impacted by strong headwinds, everyone from small-scale operators to large estates is grappling with the question: “Should I diversify operations to unlock value and provide multiple revenue streams?”

Perhaps a shift towards energy production with a number of hectares dedicated to solar panels? Or a change in flora and fauna to restore part of your land and create new diverse habitats as part of providing BNG units for developers, whilst retaining food production over the most fertile land?

However, in today’s fast-changing business, it can be difficult to find the time to explore the suitability of your land for alternative uses.

That’s where a service to simplify land and property data can be invaluable, Addland explains.

Understanding the potential of your business 

Addland is a digital platform with tools you can use immediately to quickly understand the potential of your business.

A single digital destination where you can undertake due diligence, the service aggregates all the information you need instantly in one place for initial viability assessments, giving you the time to analyse and digest the results to determine suitability, the company says.

The platform can help with everyday research where you can look at all neighbouring titles and determine what projects, such as a switch to solar production, have a positive planning precedent, or identify change of agricultural use to residential conversion for redundant buildings.

The platform allows you to:

• Identify site designations and boundaries
• Assess environmental considerations – flood zones, ancient woodland etc
• Determine local planning precedents
• Checking ownership details
• See agricultural data from soil grades to nitrate vulnerable zones
• Understand local topography visually
• Check local energy sources and infrastructure
• Find BNG units nearby.

Confident decision making 

All data is the same as if you’d visited multiple sources including HM Land Registry, Defra, Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency, and Ordnance Survey, Addland says, including:

• Environmental considerations
• Valuation comparables
• Planning applications
• Agricultural data
• Terrain maps
• Infrastructure details
• Energy/power locations.

See everything visually

With a simple-to-use map-based interface, combined with the production of instant reports for any registered title, you can find the answers to your questions in no time, according to Addland.

Complex layers of detail from all the different sources are combined in one easy-to-understand layout. Plot and map out any restrictions you may have by turning on the visual data layers for SSSI, SPA, SAC, public rights of way and many more.

Plus, you can even view it in 3D to give a true representation of the land.

Find or promote land for sale

The platform also showcases land sales. Having built a strong relationship with farmers, agents and landowners Addland is trusted to connect buyers and vendors. So, whether you’re looking to relocate, expand, or unlock capital from your farmland, Addland has you covered.

Access anywhere

You can access Addland on a laptop or your mobile device so whether you are at your desk or out in the field, you’re always connected to the latest information.

Bringing land to life

As the largest dedicated land platform, Addland says it lets farmers and landowners unlock the potential of their land. Quickly, easily, and confidently. Visit Addland.com for more information.

The post Is diversification the key to unlocking the value of your land? appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The decision follows extensive government consultation on the issue and campaigning by industry to have PDR extended, which has been proven to inject millions in the rural economy, Pitchup.com founder Dan Yates said.

The move provides farmers with the opportunity to generate much-needed additional income during the summer staycation season by allowing landowners to operate sites for tents, campervans and motorhomes for up to 60 days.

This is conditional to the site having no more than 50 pitches, the provision of toilet and waste disposal facilities, and landowners notifying their local authority of their plans before the start of the season.

Mr Yates described the move as a ‘gigantic shot in the arm’ for rural communities in England. He said previous figures from Pitchup.com have shown extending PDR from 28 from 56 days per year between COVID lockdowns had generated an additional £25m for the rural economy in 2021 alone.

Therefore, he was disappointed to see the government revert to the previous 28 days in December that year, nonetheless he was eager to welcome the new, permanent extension to PDR.

“It goes to show they’ve listened – to farmers, to rural communities, to bodies such as the CLA, and to ourselves,” he remarked.

“As we saw, the previous temporary extension generated millions of pounds within a single year. A permanent extension will have a far greater impact, leading to genuine, long-term prosperity for farms and rural communities.”

The current rules state a camping licence is still required for sites to accept tents for more than 42 consecutive days, and a caravan site license is likely to be required for motorhomes or campervans.

To qualify, sites must also not be in the curtilage of a listed building, on an SSSI or scheduled monument, in a safety hazard area or in an area where military explosives are stored.

Mr Yates added the timing of the rule change couldn’t have been better for the farming sector. “Farmers are facing huge uncertainties about how their industry will be financed in the future and what they’ll have to do to make farming businesses sustainable.

“The extension to PDR will have a real-world impact on issues like this, leading to happier, healthier, and more prosperous rural communities. We are delighted the government has finally decided to do it.”

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Mark Lea is a third generation farmer, farming organically on his farm in Shropshire

Mark and Liz have been farming organically at Green Acres, in Shropshire, since 2000. Mark is the third generation of his family to run the farm, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him. The farm has been within the family for over 100 years.

It’s a certified organic mixed arable and sheep farm, with a predominantly medium sandy loam soil, which is mostly in a five-year arable rotation including clover-based leys for seed, silage or grazing, as well as combinable wheat, oats and peas which are all grown for human consumption.

Green Acres Farm is a certified organic mixed arable and sheep farm

Diversity critical to success

The total farmed area, including both owned and tenanted land, is 175ha, with around 130ha of that dedicated to combinable crops.

The specialist milling wheat, including some unusual heritage varieties, are sold direct to millers and bakers all over the UK, and Mark recently branched out into milling his own wheat.

It’s a “deliberately over-complicated” wheat enterprise, which relies on diversity. Diversity is everything within an organic farm, and absolutely critical to the success of an organic system. Without intending to slip into clichés, Mark says the aim is to farm with nature, rather than against it; as a result, diversity and biodiversity feature throughout the farm.

Mark’s farm has had to adapt to the changing needs of the business over the years. Peas are grown for Hodmedods – a company which markets British peas and beans, and Green Acres grows the more unusual varieties for them.

Until 2020, the farm bred pedigree Hereford cattle; but partly as a reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic, during which Mark had to tend to the cattle by himself, the decision was made to concentrate on sheep instead. Now, approximately 200 New Zealand Romney ewes complement the arable element and improve the resilience of the business.

Green Acres hasn’t always been organic – it converted from conventional farming production in 2000, which Mark says was partly a business decision, in that he felt they needed to get out of conventional commodity grain production because they were too small to be competitive in that world; but largely it was due to concern about the impact of intensive arable farming on the environment.

Mark came across the Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme while researching tree planting advice

Working with the Woodland Trust

Green Acres has undertaken a small degree of agroforestry over the last few years, planting avenues of trees with some support from the Woodland Trust at times.

Mark commented: “Liz and I created a small woodland 8–9 years ago, and this project made us realise how much difference a planting such as this could make in under 10 years; it proved that change can happen sooner than you might think.” It was the success of this small-scale woodland that made them decide to add another.

This time around, while researching planting advice, Mark came across the Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme, funded by Lloyds Bank, which he thought seemed to be the perfect fit for a woodland of this scale.

“I completed the application form online in autumn 2022, then was contacted directly by our local Woodland Trust representative Jack Starbuck to discuss the eligibility of the idea I had already mapped out,” Mark explains. Jack then visited the site during the winter, at which time he began evolving the plan Mark had put together, as well as advising on the species list.

The Trust organised the ordering and delivery of the trees and guards in February 2023, and has supported the scheme at every step – and, crucially, provided a generous subsidy which allowed the farm to undertake the planting from a financial point of view. “The whole process was very smooth, very easy, and the support was generous – overall, both Liz and I are delighted with the result,” enthuses Mark.

Mark involved the local community in the planting of the trees

Planting the woodland

The farm works hard at being a part of the local community, so Mark advertised on the local noticeboard asking for volunteers to help with the planting. There was a tremendous turnout, and over 30 people joined forces to get over 800 trees in the ground in a single day.

“This goes to prove how helping the environment in such a way makes people feel good. It’s a powerful thing to be able to harness that positivity and pass it along to others,” Mark shares.

The farm has a biomass boiler so Mark wanted the woodland to have a productive element, and intends to coppice it in the future, so he opted for species which are suitable for coppicing – including hazel, alder and maple.

The trees have been planted in a curved formation, in 1.8m avenues which will allow Mark to mow between the rows for the first 2–3 years.

“As an organic farm, Green Acres cannot spot spray, so I find mowing to be the most effective option,” Mark explains. “Once the trees have matured and are less susceptible to the effects of competition, the grass will be left to its own devices to promote biodiversity.”

In case of drought, Mark left a wider meandering path around the woodland, down which he could drive a tractor with a long hose to irrigate the young saplings if absolutely necessary.

“As the trees were planted in the middle of February, when it was dry and clear, then experienced six weeks of very wet weather, I feel they have had an excellent start and are looking strong,” he comments.

“We absolutely wouldn’t hesitate to apply for further MOREwoods and MOREhedges, given the positive experiences we have had with the Woodland Trust,” he says.

Get involved in woodland creation

If you’re considering planting trees on your land, MOREwoods provides tailored advice and guidance from local woodland advisers along with the trees and tree protection you need for your project – and covers up to 75% of costs. Get in touch to find out more.

The post Diversifying your farm with trees appeared first on Farmers Guide.

What is Natural Capital?

Natural Capital is a term that encompasses the value to humans of all natural assets, living organisms and the land on which these exist. The Government’s Green Book defines this as: “Natural capital includes certain stocks of the elements of nature that have value to society, such as forests, fisheries, rivers, biodiversity, land and minerals. Natural capital includes both the living and non-living aspects of ecosystems.”

As part of their legal work, Birketts will typically talk about Natural Capital as being split down into biodiversity net gain (BNG), nutrient neutrality and carbon capture.

• BNG is an increase in biodiversity as measured against a baseline. From November of this year most large development sites will be required by law to provide an increase of 10% in biodiversity post development compared to the pre-development baseline. This is a biodiversity net gain of 10%. This requirement will bite for smaller sites from April of next year. Landowners can offer their land up for the provision of BNG units for developers who need to buy units to mitigate the loss of biodiversity caused by their developments.
• Nutrient neutrality is also a planning requirement, providing that after development has taken place no more nutrients will enter a particular water source than were entering it before the development took place. The resulting pressing need for developers to offset nutrients from their developments by enhancements elsewhere once again offers real opportunity to farmers and landowners to leverage the potential of their land to capture or to be a reduced source of nutrients. This can be achieved through a range of solutions such as converting farmland into woodland or the creation of reed beds to process effluent.
• Carbon capture is the use of vegetation, peatland restoration and soil management to capture carbon dioxide and hold the associated carbon so as to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Businesses are increasingly looking for ways to off-set any unavoidable carbon dioxide emissions. One way to do this is to purchase carbon credits, generated as a result of NC solutions, e.g. woodland creation. Assurance schemes such as the Woodland Carbon Code have been established to ensure that purchasers of credits can link these to quantified and verified emissions mitigation.

How can I fund Natural Capital projects?

Natural Capital mitigation solutions give rise to new opportunities for both landowners and farmers in the guise of new income streams arising out of monetising activities that they may already be engaging in, or by providing an incentive to modify their existing practices in order to be eligible for public or private funding.

Public funding

There are three new government-funded schemes – the Sustainable Farming Incentive (‘SFI’), Countryside Stewardship (‘CS’) and Landscape Recovery.

Under the Sustainable Farming Incentive, farmers and land managers will be eligible to apply if they were eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme. They will be paid to engage in those activities which improve water quality and biodiversity, and which mitigate climate change.

Countryside Stewardship is intended to provide financial incentives for farmers, land managers and foresters to look after and improve the environment. DEFRA tell us that CS grants will include ‘an extra incentive… for land managers to join up across local areas to deliver bigger and better results.’ These ‘clusters’ of land managers will facilitate a greater financial return for those ecologically beneficial activities delivered at scale. Birketts is already helping several clusters achieve these funding aims through various means, including through collaboration agreements and special purpose vehicles.

Landscape Recovery can be used on combination with some CS grants and the second round is now open for applications. These grant funded projects are intended to be used by those who want to take a more radical and large-scale approach to producing environmental goods on their land.

Private funding options

There are several broad options available to you as a landowner through which you can access private funding to help exploit the natural capital assets your land offers.

First, if you can provide land on which habitats can either be enhanced or created to generate biodiversity net gain units then a number of options are available to you. A developer may prefer to buy your land on which to generate its own units when it cannot do so on its development site. Equally, a developer may prefer to let land from you, and you could provide the units by managing the land in the required manner. Finally, you may be approached by habitat banks who will let you land and contract with you to manage the land so as to generate units which it, in turn, sells to developers.

Secondly, your land could be used for nutrient neutrality schemes. Whether your land will be suitable will be far more dependent on its location then for either BNG or carbon projects. Birketts is seeing land being purchased or let by developers who wish to construct created wetlands which filter water runoff from developments. Birketts is also advising clients who are contracting with developers to either put their land to a particular use (eg. plant cover crops) or to cease carrying out particular activities on their land (eg. reducing the volume of nitrates and phosphates used in normal farming processes).

Finally, you might consider the benefit of carbon sequestration or, where relevant, peatland improvement. Your land may be of use to third parties who will pay to use your land to capture carbon in this way or you may prefer to create carbon credits which can be sold onwards to those who need them.

Get in touch

Birketts have one of the largest dedicated Natural Capital teams in England, with specialists who have many years of agricultural, planning and environmental, commercial, and land development expertise to draw on in advising clients on their Natural Capital ventures. Find out how you can make the most of Natural Capital or visit the Birketts stand at Groundswell on the 28th and 29th June 2023.

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