The Farley Hall Estate extends to some 1,750 acres, consisting of 7 farmsteads, 320 acres of woodland, 23 residential properties, currently 43,000 sq ft of industrial let buildings, a modest private and let sporting shoot and 600 acres of grassland. It is edged by the rivers Blackwater and Loddon (a tributary of the Thames). View a Field Map of the Estate here.

Currently the farming partnership has three main enterprises: dairy, arable and environmental.

When parameters on yield, condition and stocking rates are met they move to a low-yielders group. The fresh and high groups are milked three times a day, and the low group twice daily through a 24/24-herringbone parlour. The aim of this is to allow the cows to achieve their optimum productivity and milk quality whilst not compromising on animal welfare.

All cows are loose-housed on home-grown straw in winter and are on rotational graze throughout the grazing season. The cows calve all year round in order to achieve a level production profile demanded by our milk buyer.

Feeding is based on a mix of home-grown forages (grass and maize silage) mixed with minerals and higher energy GM-free ‘concentrates’ such as crimped cereals, pulse-grain blends and molasses. These are fed through mixer wagon which creates a homogenized diet mixed to provide the nutritional requirements of the specific group the animals are in.

All replacement young stock (125 heifers) are contract-reared on a dedicated unit at Skyers Farm, Ramsdell. A separate rearing site provides quarantine away from the disease pressure mature cattle would otherwise exert on the young stock. Calves are removed from Tanners Dairy at 12 days of age returning 6 weeks pre-calving to calve down between 24 and 26 months. Bill Liddiard (an ex-M&S Dairy Farmer) grows the animals according to a plan set out between the farms and their Veterinary Practitioners. Beef and bull calves are also sold at 12 days old. As policy, Farley Farms will not allow the sale of calves for export.

The Dairy Unit is accredited under the National Dairy Farm Assurance Scheme and actively supports the LEAF Marque scheme.

The Farm Manager and Dairy management services are provided by Velcourt Ltd.

ARABLE The in-hand farming operation is managed and operated by JL Bryce Farms Ltd. A two year agreement between Farley Farms and its contractor ensures and efficient, timely and cost-effective solution to the challenges of cereal crop production on marginal arable land found in Berkshire. Current cropping is shown in the table below. The arable enterprise consists of a traditional rotation mix of milling wheat, barley with a break crop of oilseed rape, a grass ley or maize.
	Location: Bridge Farm, Arborfield  RG2 9HT
Rotations are based upon the use of break crops to maximize the area of quality first wheat grown. The land is split into cropping blocks for ease of operations. Grain is stored at Bridge Farm in a new (2008) purpose built 2,000t grain store, pictured below, complete with under floor cooling and drying capacity.

All grain, if not used for home consumption on the Dairy Unit, is marketed via Openfield (formally Centaur Grain). All cereal straw is big baled for use as bedding by the dairy herd. Forage crops (maize and grass) are grown on in hand and neighbouring farmland. These crops are managed by Velcourt Ltd. The Arable enterprise is accredited under the Assured Scheme for Combinable Crops Scheme (ACCS) and actively supports the LEAF Marque scheme. Agronomy is provided by our dedicated agronomist Nick Wall or Crop Management Partners LLP with all inputs sourced via Crop Advisers (Hampshire Arable Systems).

FARLEY FARMS CROPPING 2011  acres ha Winter wheat 272 85 Oilseed rape 187 75 Spring linseed 107 43 Maize 180 72 Grass 672 269  ELS/ CFE 7 3 Game strips 50 20 Horse paddocks 57 23 Stewardship Margins 42 17 Woodland 350 140 Totals 1867 747

• To enhance the local pastoral landscape by laying and gapping up hedgerows and by planting new hedges

• To strengthen the riverside landscape character further by reverting arable land to grass by the river Blackwater and by grazing the area extensively

• To enhance the landscape character within the parkland by reverting all fields in the arable rotation to permanent grassland

• To create a comprehensive network of 6m grass margins alongside arable fields to provide habitat for birds, insects and mammals and to buffer hedgerows and woodland habitats

• To manage hedgerows and hedgerow trees to benefit wildlife

• To maintain and enhance the botanical diversity of all swards through an extensive grazing and sensitive cutting regime

• To manage the grassland for the benefit of birds, invertebrates and mammals and to prevent erosion of the banks of the rivers Blackwater and Loddon.

There are some 42 acres of 6 metre arable field margins, up to 400 acres of grassland including flood plain river meadows, parkland and other grassland in a mixture of Lowland Pasture with Hay Making, Lowland Hay Meadow with Grazing and Arable Reversion grassland options. Fields are lightly grazed and where hay is due to be cut this is not undertaken until after 15^th July each year.

Approximately 5km of hedgerow have either been newly planted or restored under the Agreement. Existing hedgerows are trimmed on a three year cycle wherever possible in mid winter in order to provide fruit berries and nuts for over wintering birds and other animals.

In addition, a full Parkland Restoration Plan including a Hydrology Survey has been undertaken for Swallowfield Park, the Grade II parkland surrounding Swallowfield Park House owned by the Farley Farms Partnership. The recommendations of the Restoration Plan will be implemented over the coming years with more tree planting etc being undertaken around this historic parkland.

Farley Farms works with FWAG amongst other organisations to deliver environmental benefit across the land it owns. Currently, working with a PhD student from the University of Reading, research into the effectiveness of field margins is being undertaken.

There are over 325 acres of woodlands in 20 compartments owned by the Farley Farms Partnership. Over the past six years a Woodland Management Plan has been in place to restore, enhance and improve the woodland.

25 acres of new broadleaved woodland has been planted on land once in arable rotation. Poor quality softwood (pine and conifer) has been selectively and clear felled and the area replanted with native broadleaved trees. Currently a scheme to replant 6 ha of woodland per year in Wyvols Copse, Farley Hill is being undertaken.

A substantial Woodland Grant Scheme funded via the Forestry Commission is in place at Farley.

Woodland consultancy advice is provided by Lockhart Garratt.