The objective of this project was to meet the People theme by converting an existing neglected orchard and food processing site into a mini centre for farm and nature engagement including refurbishing existing toilet facilities, while developing a community space for learning, workshops and delivering events. Also to meet the Nature and Climate themes via improving the landscape through hedgerow gapping up, planting trees for biodiversity,  livestock shading and drought management purposes. And it met the Place objective of supporting nature-friendly farming businesses, thorough diversification into production of ice cream to utilise surplus milk.

• 60m of hedgerow was restored by infilling gaps using historic species of elm and hazel and 12 hedgerow and infield trees planted. This was completed with the help of local volunteers.
• Facilities were upgraded (toilets and student classroom) in orchard area to provide education focused space so that applicant can offer community events.
• The applicant completed CEVAS training Courses | Access To Farms.
• Two initial Educational Visits were delivered focussing on heritage orchards management including historical importance, grafting and pruning.
• Wassail event was held as first of community events, hosting 27 people on the farm.
• Equipment to support new icecream making venture was purchased.

The tree planting and hedgeworks have allowed for better connectivity and enhanced biodiversity on the farm. Using historic species has helped to recover a lost habitat and reinstate an iconic feature of the landscape – the abundance of elm.

The upgraded educational facilities have increased opportunities for more diverse audiences to explore, enjoy and understand the landscape, and the applicant feels more confident after the CEVAS training.

The wassailing event was enjoyed by local community members and was very successful for raising awareness of the launch of the community education space. The event rekindled partnerships in the community and allowed the hosts to gauge interest levels for future programmes.

Utilising excess milk to produce icecream has helped the farm diversify and therefore become more sustainable to operate. The icecream is sold directly to customers and contributes to reducing waste. Every litre of each day’s fluctuating output can be processed or stored for processing safely, increasing efficiency of a nature friendly farming business.

Inviting people to workshops and the wassailing event, alongside a call for volunteers to help with the tree / hedge planting seemed to work particularly well, galvanising a local interest in the new venture at the farm. Working alongside the community has provided a space for networking, which has seen a host of people offering skills and experiences that compliments the work at Liberty Farm.

Participant engagement could have been better if the advertising had been published further in advance and included more detail of what each event entailed. Providing reminders and follow up messages to all participants worked well as it showed a level of commitment from the organisers.

“We were on the point of cancelling (the icecream processing idea) at several points last year. However, the grant to convert the old dairy and reclaim this area of the farm has now given us an optimal place for processing icecream.”

“People coming to all events have got very enthusiastic about how to help support the survival of the ethical dairy (calf at foot and pasture fed cows), but also how to build this into ways of bringing people together at the farm… and help us develop some kind of social enterprise around the icecream”

Quotes from applicant