SOUTH DOWNS

To sign the online petition to include the Western Weald within the boundaries of the proposed South Downs National Park go to:: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/western-weald


On Sunday, 1st June 2008, Applesham Farm, on the South Downs just west of the river Adur, had an open day. About 50 people, all ages including kids were treated to a farm tour. The Passmores, Hugh and Chris, conveyed us about their idylic landscape on a trailor pulled by a tractor. After the tour, in which many questions were asked about their particular style of farming, we repaired back to their farmstead and had an excellent BBQ, including farm produced lamb sausages and beef burgers. Hugh and Chris were most excellent hosts and I for one enjoyed the whole experience. This event was organised by the South Downs Society and indeed their Director, Jaquetta Fewster and her partner were in attendance.

Apllesham Farm is a fine example of how modern day, responsible farming can still be carried out.

Following Extract from: The Future of the South Downs, Edited by: Peter Brandon and Gerald Smart.

The farm covers 850 acres (344 hectares) in a great shallow coomb on the eastern flank of the chalk hills between the river Adur and Findon Valley. It also has some 36 hectares of aluvial brook land beside the river Adur - this is the only part of the farm that has changed dramatically since WW2.

The main farm comprises 760 acres (308 hectares) of free-draining, loamy soils on the rolling downs of the upper chalk. Some 540 acres (218 hectares) are in the main rotational farming system, a further 73 hectares in permanent pasture, and the remaining 16 ha taken up by woodland, scrub, ponds, roads and buildings. The farm has 3 main enterprises:

Cereal production, quality winter wheat and spring barley for the seed and malting markets; beef production based on a hundred-head herd of pedigree Limousin suckler cows which are out all year; and, a traditional sheep flock of 420 breeding ewes made up of a nucleus of pedigree Lleyns and a main productive flock of Lleyns cross bred with Texels. They are lambed out of doors in a pen made from straw bails

This part of the farm can truly be described as mixed farming and corn, beef and sheep are the 3 farm enterprises that have characterised farming on the Downs over the years. Very few farms now remain on the Downs that have this mixture; many have gone over to continuous cereals whilst others have become solely livestock farms. The mixture of enterprises is one of the keys to the very high standards of environmental management.