Jonathan & Janet Corbett
New House Farm
near Newent, Glos.
Jonathan and Janet describe their farm :
"New House Farm is a 330 acre mixed farm in the Leadon Vale. We purchased it in late 2000 and soon took the decision to farm it organically. Unfortunately foot and mouth disease delayed the commencement of the conversion until September 2001 so organic status was not completed until September 2003.
The Livestock
We keep a herd of 60 suckler cows, a flock of 250 breeding ewes and a flock of 340 free-range hens. We grow barley, wheat, oats, triticale and beans to feed the stock during winter months.
Beef
The suckler cows are run with either a Hereford or a Welsh Black bull with the calves being mainly born in the spring of the year. They run with and suckle from their mum until early winter when they are weaned and housed in the large airy sheds and fed a forage based diet. The following summer they graze the lush pastures before winter housing when they are fed the homegrown cereals and silage or hay to produce prime beef at between 24 and 30 months of age.
Sheep
The sheep lamb in two batches, the first in January to produce Spring Lamb for the Easter market and the second batch in March. The lambs suckle their mum’s milk and when old enough graze the grass to produce prime lamb.
Chickens
The free-range hens are fed an organic GM free diet that is additive free and eggs either sold at the door or to a box scheme. They are kept in small groups and housed at night for their own safety. They are free from dawn to dusk so they can demonstrate natural behaviour patterns.
The Farm and the Wildlife
The farm is 10 feet above sea level and the river Leadon and a tributary of it occasionally burst their banks and cause us a few problems. We have a small wood, mainly oak trees, which is carpeted with bluebells in the spring – a joy to see. It is also the home of several pairs of buzzards, kestrels and green and spotted woodpeckers that breed regularly.
The route of the now redundant Gloucester to Hereford canal runs through the farm. In places this has been reclaimed into the fields but a long length is still evident and today used as a farm track – it is also a wildlife haven and home to many badgers. We love to see the wildlife around the farm and to promote the birds our hedges are only trimmed every other year and then we wait until the birds have eaten all the berries during the winter.
Caravan Site & Holiday Cottages
We also run a CL caravan site, as well as some holiday cottages on the farm. Both are for adults only. Further information is obtainable by clicking here
