A Bucklebury farm has become the 50th partner of eco-charity A Rocha UK for its environmental and bio-diversity work.
St Crispin’s Farm comprises 32 acres of grassland and orchards, planted in the 1950s and has been an organic producer for the past 10 years. Since farmer James Bywater took on the site in 2007, they have been working towards renovating the land and in turn encouraging wildlife.
Becoming a A Rocha UK Partner in Action has given a new direction to the farm’s environmental work as they look to encourage more birds like the lesser spotted woodpecker, bull finches, willow warblers and spotted flycatchers. They are also planning to increase the diversity of their grassland by increasing the wildflowers with the aim of it becoming a lowland flower meadow.
James said: “We are pleased to have a new focus on something that we were particularly doing before with our wildlife. We have been working to rejuvenate and restore the farm by putting in hedges, planting new apple trees and diversifying the grassland.
“It’s great to partner with an organisation which shares our care for creation; thinking and praying in the same direction that they are. The support we receive from them is prayer-focused as well as practical.”
One unexpected benefit of encouraging more birds to their farm may be the control of moths which had been eating apple blossom and leaves.
James added: “By increasing the birds, hopefully we’ll be reducing the moth damage – it’s all a cycle of life.”
As well as the land management, James keeps sheep at the farm and produces cider, apple juice and cider apple vinegar. In addition to his busy job as a farmer, James heads up the eco work for his parish church, helping them receive a Bronze Eco Church Award.
Listen to James talk about his farm on our SoundCloud.
Find out more about how to become an Eco Church.