May 2026 at Stourton

Phew, what a month May has been!

Our May Events

Artisan Market

We were delighted to host another hugely popular Artisan Market with Lincolnshire Makers earlier this month, welcoming a fantastic mix of makers, producers, crafts and food traders to the Roundhouse in the woods.

The weather was on our side and the sun shone, and visitors really made the most of the day: exploring the self-guided woodland trails, the beautiful space in the arboretum and enjoying farm safaris around the estate. Our fresh venison proved a huge hit too, so we’ll definitely look to offer that more regularly at events here.

Below images are courtesy of Lincolnshire Makers

Wedding Fair

The safari tent is looking particularly beautiful at this time of year, surrounded by fresh lush green woodland and spring sunshine. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting lots of prospective couples at our Wedding Fair, which we hosted with The Walled Garden Baumber, and chatting to them about how their day could unfold here.

From straightforward venue hire to tailored wedding packages, we offer plenty of flexibility to create a day that feels personal and relaxed. If you’d like to find out more or arrange a visit to see the venue in person, we’d love to hear from you.

Charlotte and Jake’s recent woodland wedding reception was a perfect example of that. Their day was full of love, personal touches, and the best kind of celebration surrounded by family and friends in the safari tent. A few photographs from their stunning wedding are included below, and we wish them both every happiness for the future.

Open Farm Sunday – 7th June

In just over a week’s time, we’ll be opening the gates at Stourton Woods to celebrate 100 years of farming here as part of Open Farm Sunday on Sunday 7th June.

Entry is completely free, and there will be plenty to see and do throughout the day. From machinery demonstrations and tractor-and-trailer safaris to children’s activities, including axe throwing and painting, there will be something for all ages to enjoy.

Visitors will also be able to learn more about soil health with our agronomist, explore the historic cellars and their bat residents, browse local producers’ stalls, and enjoy food and refreshments throughout the day, including the ever-popular Hawkstone lager.

It promises to be a fantastic day to discover more about the history of the estate, modern farming, conservation, and rural life here at Stourton Woods. We hope to welcome you between 10am and 4pm.

Woodchip Production

With the new chipper in tow, the team has been busy thinning an area of woodland locally. This involves removing dead wood, weaker trees, and poorer species to give healthier trees more space and light to flourish.

The timber is then transported and processed back at the farmyard into a range of different products, including play chip, bedding chip, and economy landscape chip. Even the dust created during processing is reused, mixed with cow manure to create nutrient-rich compost which is returned back onto the land.

Nothing goes to waste here.

Kiln Dried Logs – Earlier availability this year

Keep your eyes peeled… we’ve taken advantage of the early sunshine and fired up the kiln earlier than usual this year, meaning kiln dried logs should be available from July.

While the kiln is running, we also dry our bedding woodchip at the same time, helping us make the most efficient use possible of the heat generated.

Watch this space…

A very social thank you!

We have reached the princely sum of 10,000 Facebook followers, in fact 10,022 to be precise. We want to thank each and every one of you for clicking that follow button and wanting to keep up to date with everything that we get up to here on the estate and farm as we go about our business.

On The Farm 

Early May brought some welcome rain, but this was soon followed by a spell of very hot weather, which has sped up crop growth more quickly than usual. The wheat is now developing rapidly, with the ears emerging fast under the combination of high temperatures and dry conditions. Spring barley is also moving quickly through its growth stages and, like last year, may remain quite short because of the lack of rainfall and heat stress. Meanwhile, the oilseed rape has finished flowering and is now developing pods – looking rather different now that its bright yellow flowers have faded.

Grain continues to be moved out of storage, and it will not be long before we begin cleaning out the stores ready for the 2026 harvest. In the workshop, we have also been making good progress. Old parts from equipment we no longer use have been sold, shelves have been reorganised, and the space has been thoroughly tidied. It is now a much more pleasant and practical place to work, with special thanks to Jamie and Will for leading most of the transformation.

Silage making has now begun, and we are hopeful of producing the same high-quality silage as last year. As the picture shows, the diversity of the sward provides a more varied and nutritious diet for the cattle and deer during the winter months. This mix of plants also helps the field cope better in dry conditions, as different root structures can reach water at different depths in the soil.

The younger cattle, which many visitors will be able to see grazing in the field on Open Farm Sunday, are doing very well and continue to grow strongly. A representative from GameChanger Beef, part of Sainsbury’s supply chain, will also be on hand during the event to explain more about the cattle and why they are so well suited to our grazing system.

One of the major projects this month has been the construction of a new multi-purpose shed in the yard. This will be shared by the farm and the eco department, providing storage for machinery and, in time, for logs, woodchip and bark. Kirkby Engineering completed the structure quickly and efficiently, and we are all looking forward to the extra space it will bring to the yard.

Deer Diary

The deer have been making the most of the warmer weather, spending plenty of time splashing around in their ponds and sheltering in the shade of the woodland.

Also, this is our favourite time of year as we patiently await the arrival of our deer calves. In fact, we spotted the first one yesterday (28^th May), carefully hidden away on the island in one of our deer parks.

We have been keeping a very close eye on our hinds as they reach the late stages of their pregnancy in the heat. Dotty in particular, has been acting very suspiciously lately, coming up for (even more) affection than usual and looking extremely pleased with herself. Honestly, if she’s already had her calf and is hiding it somewhere clever, we wouldn’t be surprised!