Our regenerative story
We are National Trust tenants working towards a regenerative agricultural system here at Saddlescombe Farm. This encourages our animals to graze the precious chalk grassland on the South Downs in a particular way. This grazing creates more efficient grass availability throughout the year so we are better prepared to cope with weather extremes, it allows the grass to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere more effectively and the roots to release the carbon into the soil where it stays.
It is incredibly exciting to be beginning this change. Practically this involves dividing up the fields into smaller areas and the animals only being in one area a couple of days before moving into the next one. Where they have previously grazed does not get grazed again for enough time to allow the grass to fully recover, begin to regrow, photosynthesise and capture carbon.
Saddlescombe Farm
Saddlescombe is full of history. There is archaeological evidence of the farm being farmed since the Bronze Age with burial mounds and trackways being found nearby. Today there are a number of farm buildings ranging in date from the early 17th century, find out more on the National Trust website.
Wildlife & wildflowers
Saddlescombe is home to lots of wonderful wildlife and working with their habitat in mind is a big driver for us when we are considering our grazing management. We have been busy laying hedges in a traditional way which work like wildlife corridors and perfect for nesting birds like chaffinches, yellowhammers, wrens, robins and blackbirds. Hares enjoy the different sward heights of our herbal leys. Our permanent pasture chalk downland banks are a precious habitat for orchids, cowslips, pride of Sussex to name a few.
Our team
We work closely with our vets Nanja and Nick to achieve the high welfare we have for our cows and sheep. We are very fortunate to have amazing friends to help us when we need it with moving the animals around the farm, during lambing and when we need to pen them up to do welfare checks. We couldn’t do anything without our fantastic, loyal sheepdogs, Fly and Ted, they work very hard but get a very good supper!