The overall winner of the Beautiful Farm Awards, sponsored by New Holland Agriculture and organised by Farm Business magazine, was Beal Farm in Berwick on Tweed. Beal Farm also won the category for Scotland & the Borders.

Beal Farm consists of 1150 acres on the north east coast within the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, an area of outstanding natural beauty.  Predominantly arable, the land includes grass margins, an arable reversion field and woodlands for sustainable habitats and encouraging wildlife.    The Smith family have worked together with Natural England through the Countryside Stewardship Agreement to ensure that the agricultural business of the farm works in harmony with this very special landscape.

Rodney Smith began conservation nine years ago putting in grass margins, creating an arable reversion field and replacing miles of hedging which had been taken out many years ago. He also planted woodlands to help with the foundations of creating sustainable habitats.

But with farming undergoing changes in recent years, the Smiths looked at other means of income whilst continuing to highlight their farming objectives.  The Barn at Beal was opened in March 2008 and encompasses a coffee shop and restaurant, a classroom, conference facilities and a Birds of Prey centre.  The Awards Judges felt Beal Farm to be of a very high standard, in a beautiful area with extensive facilities.

Rodney and Vicki Smith received their award from celebrity TV chef James Martin at a ceremony hosted by Lord Palmer (a member of the EU Sub-committee for Environment and Agriculture) this week at the House of Lords in London The Smiths’ MP, Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith, was also at the event to congratulate them.

James Martin has worked long and hard to promote pride in British fayre and produce and to promote the ’artisans’ that supply the chef industry with good British food.

Other winning farms included . . .

Northern Ireland Winner and Highly Commended  awarded to

64 Molenan Road in Londonderry.
Roger and Wendy Mackey’s farm near Londonderry has been in the family for many years. It is on the edge of the city and they have cleverly managed the land to to keep the farm traditional, with stone walls, grass lanes and traditional gates but as an efficient modern farm.  Their wildlife policies are impressive, including creating good conditions for hedgehogs. They have planted native trees and everything they do on the farm is about improving its environmental credentials. At the same time they are practical and commercial.

The Winner for Northern Ireland, The Parks in Ballycastle.
Farmed by the McHenry family on the north Antrim coast, this probably one of the most spectacular farms in terms of views - you can see much of the north Antrim coast and across the sea to Scotland. If beautiful is defined by the views, then no-one in the UK could beat this farm, the owners claim.  A profitable farm with 300 plus acres, the land is well managed by Maurice McHenry and encourages wildlife. He trims the gorse bushes to ensure they bloom spectacularly through the year, creating a yellow backdrop for visitors to Northern Ireland’s number one tourism area.

Winner for the North East,

Pollybell Organic Farm in Doncaster
Pollybell Organic Farm is the organic farming business of the Brown family who have been involved with farming in Lincolnshire for over 120 years.  On their 3,000 acres Pollybell grow a wide variety of organic fresh vegetables and are one of the largest suppliers of organic vegetables in the UK.  Committed to farming organically, the Brown family manage every aspect of the farm’s daily working life, looking after the fields and the environment within and around their fields.  The full time conservation manager and everyone involved with the farm work hard to ensure that the best possible environment is maintained to encourage a number of species including barn owls, lapwings, brown hares and English grey partridge.  To ensure that the existing natural habitat is not overstretched, 48 acres of woodland, 2,934 trees and 21,660 metres of hedgerows have been planted.

North West, where Highly Commended,

Clough Bottom Farm, Clitheroe
In an area of outstanding natural beauty, Clough Bottom Farm dates back to the 17th century and is an organic beef farm which has diversified into holiday cottages, a tree and shrub nursery and organic beef boxes.  The farm is family run and conservation minded to minimise the impact on the environment.  Part of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and English Woodland Grant Scheme, wildlife corridors and ditches have been created, existing ponds restored, ancient woodlands maintained, new woodlands created and hedges reinstated. 

The Winner in the North West,

Depmore Farm, Kingsley in Cheshire
Depmore Farm is run by the third generation of the Warburton family.  The farm is about 320 hectares consisting of mainly arable but also 100 head of beef cattle.  The farm has two Sites of Biological Importance and a range of wildlife, ponds and bird habitat.  Their objectives include biodiversity, especially with the requirement for farmland birds; sympathetic and positive management of the two Sites of Biological Interest; soil and watercourse management; and educational access for schools and the general public.

Graham and Liz Warburton feel it is of great importance for farmers to demonstrate and communicate what they do best: produce high quality food but at the same time care and look after the British countryside.

Highly Commended in the South & South East,

Applesham Farm in Lancing, West Sussex
Applesham Farm has been farmed by the Passmore family for over a hundred years and is located on the South Downs.  A mixed farm with suckler cows, ewes and an arable enterprise, the farm is run on a rotation of grass, wheat and barley.  The farm extends from the top of the downs into the river Adur valley and has chalk spring fed streams as well as chalk grassland.  The farm has beautiful views to the south out across the English Channel, as well as to the North Downs.

The Winner for the South & South East,

Coopers Farm, Stonegate in East Sussex
A traditional livestock farm in the heart of the Sussex High Weald, Coopers Farm is 90 acres of permanent pasture and woodland which supports a herd of Sussex beef cattle, a flock of South Down sheep and Berkshire pigs can be found in the woods, as well as chickens in the farm yard and bees in the orchards.

The farm is maintained in a traditional manner by owners Jane Howard and Adrian Brewer under the Countryside Stewardship scheme.  Hedgerows have been replanted, and the field layout that was in place over 100 years ago has been re-established, pond have been cleared and a rotational pattern of hay means wildflowers in the meadows seed one year in every four.

West & South West, and highly commended,

Langley Chase Organic Farm in Chippenham
Langley Chase is an organic farm, run specifically for wildlife to develop alongside rare breed sheep.  Jane Kallaway started the flock to help save a rare breed and produce food organically, focussing on rearing sheep in a slow and natural manner on the farm’s wildflower pastures and herb rich meadows which are bordered by majestic oak trees and ancient hedgerows.  The species rich grassland supports a myriad of life and helps give the lamb and mutton its award winning taste. 

Winner for the West & South West,

Fowlescombe Farm, Ivybridge
Fowlescombe is a 191 hectares mixed organic farm in the South Hams in Devon, some 2 miles south of Dartmoor. The ancient field pattern and network of hedges is still substantially present, but is now farmed in an environmentally sensitive way - wildlife habitat being the priority. The organic farm has arable land, and extensive old and modern grassland on which they keep black pedigree Aberdeen Angus, Devon Ruby Red cattle and also several types of rare breed as well as some even rarer Golden Guernsey goats and some brown and red Derbyshire Redcap chickens.

The farm has over 30 miles of hedgerows and Devon banks, a number of ponds and woods, and is managed with wildlife in mind.

Other commended farms:

Commended for Scotland and Borders
Press Mains at Eyemouth

Commended in the North East
Humble Bee Farm, Scarborough

Commended in the North West
Waterscale Farm, Bentham and  Yoxall Farm, Burton-on-Trent

Commended in the West & South West
Goran Farm, Honiton

Glyn-Coch Farm, Carmarthen

Hindon Organic Farm,  Minehead

Plowden Farm, Lydbury