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Members M O'Brien and E Vice win AONB Award ..................... click here to find out more
Liz & Mark being presented with their Award
Mabley Farm Wiltshires
Mabley Farm Longhorns
Mark and Liz with Matt Baker from Countryfile
Mabley Farm consists of around 180 acres of woodland, parkland and grassland located close to the village of Woolhope in the northern part of the Wye Valley AONB.
The farm lies at the heart of the Woolhope Dome, a unique area for its geology and mix of habitat types and has been designated as one of the West Midlands Biodiversity Enhancement Areas.
On the farm we manage wildflower meadows, parkland and woodland for wildlife conservation, landscape enhancement and environmental education. We joined the Higher Level Stewardship scheme in 2006 and became organic soon after.
As well as helping to restore grassland on Mabley Farm, our small flock of Wiltshires (around 40 sheep in total) and traditional Longhorn cattle graze a Herefordshire Nature Trust Reserve site and species rich meadows for private owners.
We make our own hay to feed the cattle and sheep in winter as part of a sustainable system. The cattle and sheep provide organic beef and lamb which is sold locally. Wild fallow deer are also harvested for venison as excessive deer populations have a detrimental effect by altering the structure of habitats.The woodland produces timber (mainly oak and Douglas Fir) for the construction industry and the restoration of old buildings. Coppiced hazel provides material for wattle fencing and hedgelaying. .
These operations provide a variety of valuable habits, resulting in an abundance and diversity of wildlife on the farm. Some of the rarer species present include Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly, Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Barn Owl and Dormouse.
BBC and the Wye Valley AONB Farming Awards
We won the 2011 Farming Awards for our contribution to biodiversity and landscape enhancement in the Wye Valley AONB. Judges David Price (NFU Wales), Mike Williams (FWAG), Alan Morgan (Farming Awards winner in 2009) and Andrew Blake (Wye Valley AONB Officer) visited the farm in July.
We were informed that Mabley Farm had made the final in August and soon after the BBC Countryfile crew visited (researchers, directors and scriptwriters) for a tour of the farm. They informed us that they were visiting all three finalists in the same way, as the actual winner was being kept top secret by the AONB.
Consequently, when it was announced that we had won the awards, presented at Monmouthshire Show on Thursday 25 September and filmed for Countryfile, our looks of suprized delight were genuine.
Later that afternoon the crew came to the farm to film some general views, the weather was perfect. Matt Baker joined the team for filming the following day. Unfortunately we experience the first rain for several months but filming managed to continue between downpours.
Most of the filming took place on the parkland but some was done in the woodland where we managed to get Matt Baker in the charcoal kiln shoveling charcoal. He was very easy going and game to get stuck into everything. It just meant that we were all covered in charcoal dust when the final scenes were shot of Mark, Matt and I sitting on a rock at the top of The Park admiring the view (good job there were’nt any close ups at that point).
Of course the Longhorns stole the show as usual (along with Chudley our old farm dog) when Countryfile was aired on the 11 October. Unfortunately the Wiltshires were only featured briefly in the background. We had no idea beforehand what would make the final cut. For instance, Andrew Blake and our friend Dr. Humphrey Smith were both interviewed on camera at Mabley Farm but did not appear on the TV.
FUTURE AIMS
We aim to continue to improve our flock with emphasis on coat quality. We also hope to start showing soon and continue to help promote the Wiltshire Horn not only for its excellent meat and easy care attributes but also for its usefulness to conservation grazing, being hardy and able to thrive on unimproved grassland.
Contact:-
Mark O’Brien & Elizabeth Vice
Tel: 01432 861000 Mobile 07749 880277
Email: mableyfarm@gmail.com
Website@ www.mableyfarm.co.uk
Flock number 768
Submitted: 22-11-2011
