We went over to Filford Farm to meet with Martin Huxter.
We're on Filford Farm and we’re right next to the Simene River. My family have been farming here at Filford since the ‘50s. My Great-Grandfather first started farming at the far end of the farm out at Broadoak. Then they bought this end in the 50’s and we’ve been here ever since. We’re now onto our 5th generation here at Filford Farm.
The farm here is a mixed farm. We have beef and sheep and we also grow crops; maize, wheat, barley and a lot of silage. Obviously we're trying to diversify into looking after the ground for the next generations.
"We're trying to diversify into looking after the ground for the next generations."
The Brit Valley Project
I’ve been interested in Landscape Recovery, and various other projects in the area, for quite some time. We’ve been planting trees, we’ve been looking at areas- for example, the area where we’re currently standing- for maybe producing some wetland. We’re trying to do our bit and I think if we all do a little bit it all adds up to quite a big bit.
"We’re trying to do our bit and I think if we all do a little bit it all adds up to quite a big bit."
Hopefully working all together as a big group we can all gain some skills and some information from all different aspects of life. We’ve got lots of different career backgrounds and expertise and ages amongst us. If somebody has done something and it works, maybe we can try it. That would be great. And if we’ve done something and we can pass on some knowledge and expertise, then great. We’ll all gain at the end of the day.
"Hopefully working all together as a big group we can all gain some skills and some information from all different aspects of life."
The Vision
I personally would like to see a lot more birds in the area. Definitely here, for instance, we can have a section where we can have some more wild bird mixes and things like that. If we’ve got an area where there’s going to be some wetland, why not have some birds here enjoying it and taking advantage of it.
"I personally would like to see a lot more birds in the area."
Changes at Filford Farm
Hopefully during this project we’re going to be putting in some wetlands- fingers crossed. We’ve been planting quite a few trees along the banks. We’re looking at some areas where we’re going to fill up the very deep channels, not just on the Simene, but also on some of the tributaries that flow down into the Simene, to hopefully slow up the water. This will hopefully make use of some of the areas that aren't as productive as we like and make better use of them.
"This will hopefully make use of some of the areas that aren't as productive as we like and make better use of them."
The Power of the Collective
It’s a tricky subject trying to get any of the older generations to change their minds and do anything a bit different. Some are very receptive to that sort of thing, others are a bit more: ‘this is how we’ve always done it’. But I think collectively, we’ve got to go down this route, as the last couple of years have shown us that things are changing; we are having wetter winters… we’re having wetter summers! So we’re going to have to make some changes, otherwise we’re all sort of scuppered really.
"I think collectively we’ve got to go down this route, as the last couple of years have shown us that things are changing..."