I’m sure that’s a joke Henry Edmunds has heard before (and is probably a tad tired of). But we really should shout ‘hooray’ for this special farmer from Wiltshire.
Henry is the South West England Winner of the RSPB Telegraph Nature of Farming Award 2012.
Henry’s 1,600ha organic mixed farm provides an abundance of invertebrate life during the breeding season. Thick species-rich hedgerows and strategically placed wide grass margins provide nest sites for many species including yellowhammer and grey partridge, and providing good hunting for the many owls and raptors on the farm. The farm supports 11 red-listed species, including turtle dove, in the outreaches of this threatened bird’s range in England.
The farm hosts as extraordinary number of butterflies and moths, with 34 breeding butterfly species including the Small and Adonis Blue, Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, and the brown hairstreak, which only occurs in a couple of other places in Wiltshire and Hampshire.
The grasslands, nectar flower mixes and floristically enhanced margins provide valuable sources of pollen for many insects, attracting 14 of the 16 species of bumblebee. The large pond teems with wildlife, with nesting little grebe and masses of toads that gather to spawn every year in a seething spectacle. The arable fields shelter Brown Hare and Harvest Mice, and the Common Lizard has recently seen a resurgence after few sightings for many years.
Henry’s farm management style is the essence of sustainability. He carefully plans his crop production to provide fodder and nutritious supplements for his dairy cattle and sheep, and no crops are sold off-farm.
The farm has long been an important local employer, and excellent profitability is essential to support the large number of staff working on the farm. They have also diversified to include rented premises for light industry and a farm shop, all helping to boost the local economy.
Henry is an all round naturalist, and his enthusiasm for nature is contagious. He has always been a keen advocate of the stewardship schemes that he says have helped him to maintain and increase numbers of many farmland birds that are declining elsewhere. He passionately promotes the ethos of sustainable and organic farming, and loves nothing more than to show people around his farm, teaching them how they can make a difference on their own farms. Visitors, from schools and colleges to wildlife trusts and natural history groups now come from far and wide to enjoy the variety of habitats and soak up the wildlife.
To find out more about Henry and his work, check out his website: www.cholderton-estate.co.uk.
The South West judges want to shout about 6 more farms this year, and have awarded Highly Commended to:
With farmers like these, our wildlife and food production have a future. Show your thanks by showing that you care about Great British wildlife-friendly farmers. Vote for the overall UK winner of this year’s Nature of Farming Award – voting opens tomorrow at www.rspb.org.uk/farmvote
The EU LIFE+ Programme funds RSPB work which supports wildlife-friendly farming that furthers sustainable development in the European Union.
I know Henry and have visited his farm many times to talk to him, listen to him and see his chalk grassland flowers and stone curlews. He is mentioned in my book, Fighting for Birds, as one of the good guys. Despite the excellence of the other candidates, Henry gets my vote.
That will take some beating.