Rushmere Farm is a 250 acre farm not far from Portsmouth. With 50 acres of woodland and 200 acres of arable and grazing, the aim of the Crossleys is to gradually introduce more woodland while still balancing their current agricultural activities.

 

Ecology and community are their watch words and they are at present in the process of conversion to organic farming. They are particularly interested in extending their current woodland by adding and protecting the trees on its boundary as well as introducing trees within their pasture to develop the nutrients and mycorrhizal network in the soil, as well as provide shelter and shade for their grazing animals and to reduce water logging.

 

Rushmere has identified space for planting approximately 300 trees this season, all part of the traditional English woodland mix that will include oak, hazel, beech and cherry, in the longer term they are exploring larger scale agroforestry.

 

This funding is incredibly important as it is the first round of support in a long term quest to shift the farm in to a more regenerative form of agriculture, while still producing food, which is an extremely important shift for all farmers to make.

 

In supporting this project you will be directly supporting this farm in their quest to shift to a more environmentally friendly form of farming, and you will also be contributing to the biodiversity of the farm and the area.