Your Farming Future - Shimpling Park Farm Visit

Shimpling Park Farm Visit

The farm visit will involve a farm tour, lunch, and space for Q&A and discussion to explore key topics and challenges further.

This farm tour is organised as part of the Your Farming Future programme, a package of support offered by the Landworkers’ Alliance, Pasture Fed Livestock Association, and Organic Research centre under DEFRA’s Future Farming Resilience Fund. Check eligibility here and register for the programme here.

Scroll down for more information on Your Farming Future and our introductory video.

Shimpling Park Farm

Shimpling Park Farm is mixed with 650 hectares of arable land and 1,000 New Zealand Romney breeding ewes on Hanslope series chalky boulder clay. They also farm an additional 980 hectares for neighbouring farmers under farm management contracts. All the farms are managed organically with the first farm being converted to organic production in 1999, all certified with Organic Farmers and Growers.

Crops grown on the farm feature an array of legumes and cereals as well as some speciality organic crops. They also have 20 hectares of agroforestry which was planted in December 2020.

Diversifications on the farm include a HLS Scheme, commercial and domestic rentals, specialist machinery sales and various renewable energy projects.

Themes that will be addressed on the farm tour:

• Organic/Regenerative farming
• Agroforestry
• Growing novel crops
• Managing an ancient SSSI woodland
• Reintroducing livestock into an arable rotation

Find out more about Shimpling Farm on their website.

Plan for the day

10:00 - 10:45 Arrivals and Introductions

10:45 - 12:45 Farm Tour

12:45 - 13:30 Lunch [packed lunch]

13:30 - 14:30 Q&A and Farmer to farmer discussions and problem-solving

14:30 - 15:00 Closing and Feedback

Food and drink: You will need to bring your own packed lunch. Refreshments will be provided by the farm.

Covid-19 Policy: You must provide proof of a negative lateral flow test on arrival (logged on the covid passport, the physical test, or a photo). We will send out further advice to registered attendees.

Your Farming Future

This farm tour is organised as part of the Your Farming Future programme, a package of support offered by the Landworkers’ Alliance, Pasture Fed Livestock Association, and Organic Research centre under DEFRA’s Future Farming Resilience Fund.

• Need help understanding the payments replacing BPS?
• Do you want to reduce your input costs?
• Are you looking to sell direct or shorten your supply chains?
• Want to improve your soil quality?
• Interested in moving towards an organic system?

This free support is available to help farmers in England transition to the new Environmental Land Management schemes and build an economically and environmentally sustainable future for your farm. The support programme also involves interactive farmer-led webinars, one-to-one consultancy, peer to peer support networks, and a transition toolkit.

If you haven’t already signed up you can find out more information here and register here. The event is also open to all LWA members and PFLA members though we suggest that you register with the programme first if you meet the eligibility criteria.

If you have signed up to receive Your Farming Future support and would like to be contacted about the peer to peer groups then fill out this form.

We look forward to seeing you on the day!