Wark Farm

Our Belties being the background to our wildflowers for once instead of the other way around :-)

Stories from the farm July 24

Over my time in agriculture, both here at Wark and managing other peoples farms when I was a land agent, there have been a few big changes in the relationship between the nation (actioned through government) and farming. Some of this is regulatory, in the straightforward 'thou shalt not' tradition, and it tends towards accumulation rather than change. The rest is the support, aka money, that has been in place post WW2 to stimulate food production in an era that began with food insecurity and rationing. 2025 brings the start of another big change in the support arrangements, or at least that's the headlines. There is to be a much higher profile for carbon audits and biodiversity assessments, which seems like a good thing, though measuring itself doesn't do much to deliver change, but it's a place to start. There's a focus on greater efficiency in cattle production, which leaves me a little more nervous. Efficiency is one of those double edged mindsets; why wouldn't we want to make best use of the resources available to us? But the drive to efficiency has also been a major player in farmland biodiversity loss in past decades and is still draining wetland areas, removing field boundary habitats and flailing hedges today. Efficiency is a tool, like the market economy, to deliver outcomes in chosen situations. I'd much rather it wasn't seen as a god before which all must prostrate. There will be more delving in the new scheme as it gets closer and perhaps my suspicion that it is more of a re-branding of the old one rather than a fundamental change will be wrong. In the meantime Wark Farm will continue to do it's own thing, doing our best not to be wagged (or irritated or penalised) by the support scheme tail and grow food in a way that matters to us and to those who buy and eat our produce. On which have a nice video to share this month with some recent aerial footage and wildlife camera recordings of the farm, animals, wildlife and habitats; some of which has been supported by government schemes and some of which we have been penalised for. Click on the youtube link and we hope you enjoy the sights and sounds of Wark Farm this spring and summer of 2024.

UPDATED ORDER FORM ONLINE NOW

The July order form is now updated and online. You can find the link below to the order form with all our different meat cuts available, along with practical info about delivery/collection dates.

Our regular customers already know that it's first come, first serve for our delicious meat cuts that are not only full of flavour due to the breeds we use and their grass/herb diets, but also free of nasties such as pesticides and antibiotics. You can find all the info on the order form, including more info about the specials of the month.

Link to order:

July 2024 Order Form

Link to video of Summer at Wark Farm