Farming

Farming at Stourton is at the heart of our business.  With 650 hectares to manage, we grow a variety of crops including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sugar beet, field beans and herbal ley forage.  We also farm a herd of red deer that graze in the parklands on the old Stourton Estate and are housed over the winter months in our roundhouse in the woods.

With a highly skilled team using modern farm machinery we deploy some of the latest precision arable farming techniques.  Having GPS in our tractors means that we can use auto-steer to cut down on overlaps and be more efficient, reducing wasted time, fuel and wearing parts.  We also use GPS to map our soils and use these maps to target and ensure we only apply nutrients exactly where they are needed in the fields.

The red deer are an important part of the farm here at Stourton.  They thrive in the historic parklands of the estate enjoying lush pastures, with shade from adjoining woodland and even have swimming-ponds!  The nutrient rich forage that we grow for them is not only great for their diet (and essential for feeding them through the winter) but is also an important crop improving the health of the soil in the fields where it is grown.   We also offer all cuts of the highest quality venison for sale through our freezer at the farm.

We have always been mindful of our impact on the environment and have been part of the HLS (Higher Level Stewardship scheme) since 2010.  We are now part of the newly formed SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme) launched by the government in 2023.   We encourage farmland birds and other wildlife to flourish on our land through taking care of our hedgerows – sometimes not trimming them and letting them grow out, leaving wide field margins uncropped – to encourage wildlife to thrive around the perimeter of fields, as well as planting winter bird food as well as pollen and flower mixes with the aim of providing habitat and food sources for farmland birds and pollinators.

We are moving to a regenerative farming approach.  This is a journey that we are building on, we already encourage biodiversity and we will look to weave more regenerative practices to improve soil health here.  This will mean moving to a minimum tillage system; less cultivation of the soil wherever possible, reducing our reliance on synthetic fertilisers by using more natural manure on the land – and growing cover crops to support a more natural eco-system and improve carbon capture.  This is not a new way of farming, in fact it was probably done by Antony’s grandfather, however it is a change in emphasis; working with nature, rather than against it.  Importantly, the crops we produce will also be nutritionally better for you!  If you want to find out more about this approach we suggest you have a look at Six Inches of Soil which explains why we think this is so important.

If you’d like to visit us and hear about our journey please keep an eye on events held at Stourton Woods where we share our story through our farm safaris on tractor & trailer tours, try some of our lovingly reared venison or get in touch with us directly and we will happily tell you more!