As we wrap up another wonderfully busy year, we wanted to share a special moment of celebration with all of you. Our Christmas video was made with good cheer, plenty of laughs, and deep appreciation for everyone that makes Alscot the special and unique place it is.
We wish you all a bright and joyful Christmas and a happy and successful new year.
Thanks for being part of our journey!
We’re now in our second year of regenerative farming, and it’s been fantastic to see real progress taking shape.
As part of our commitment to sustainable land management, we’re grazing our SFI land with organic sheep – working in partnership with Daylesford Organic and other local farmers. Daylesford has provided 700 organic Lleyn sheep to graze between October and December across 650 acres of overseeded Alscot land, laid with herbal leys.
This approach not only supports soil health and biodiversity, but also contributes to the wider goal of sustainable and organic food production, which we believe is essential for healthy living.
We won Best Green Business in the Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards!! 🏆
Winning Best Green Business means the world to us because it recognises our vision for the future and the heart of everything we do — our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and creating a positive impact on our community and the planet. It’s a reflection of the hard work, vision, passion, and purpose that drive our team every day. This award reaffirms that doing business responsibly and protecting the environment can go hand in hand with success.
As part of our sustainable land management practices, we conduct baseline surveys and carefully monitor improvements in soil health, plant life, and wildlife diversity. Surveys across grasslands, woodlands, water bodies, and arable land are now well underway, helping us build a valuable dataset for the future.
A recent bird survey, carried out on the 5th and 6th of March, yielded encouraging results. A diverse selection of waterfowl was recorded, including teal, gadwall, mallard, snipe, moorhen, and little grebe. In the woodlands, red kites were observed nesting, while fieldfare and redwing thrushes—winter visitors to the UK—were noted both in the woods and on some grasslands. These birds were busily feeding, storing energy for their migration back to mainland Europe.
We have recently planted an additional 800 cricket bat willow tods, expanding the nursery we first introduced in February 2025. These new tods, alongside those cut from willow already grown on the estate, include stock from English Willow and will help establish a dedicated cricket bat willow bed for producing Sets.
Recenty we welcomed back Will Blake and his team from University of Plymouth where they spent the day on Alscot soil carrying out experimental work using AgroCares NIRS (Near Infrared Spectroscopy) technology.
This innovative approach allows rapid, on-site analysis of soil health and composition, helping us better understand the condition of the land and how we manage it.
Three 5K races, one each month from May to July, in three different locations and the venue for the final race on 9th July is Alscot Park!
Organisers, Tempo Events, have very kindly chosen to support Friends of Startford Hospital.
Estate Owner, Emma Holman-West is Patron of the Friends, a charity that provides equipment and services to the patients and staff of Stratford Hospital, that don’t come under the provision of the NHS.
This week marked an exciting milestone at Home Farm as we completed the planting of 1,250 metres of new hedgerow, made up of 7,500 mixed native species. The planting took place in an area of the farm currently undergoing organic conversion, reinforcing our long-term commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible farming.
On Tuesday 20th Jan 2026, the Alscot team came together to help plant over 500 of these hedging plants, and it was fantastic to see such a great turnout. Despite the cold conditions, the sun shone throughout, lifting spirits and making for what could only be described as a cracking day to be outdoors. There was no time wasted — following coffee, the team got stuck in and the plants were soon in the ground.
In December, Alscot introduced Monil virtual fencing as an alternative to traditional physical fencing to manage our herd of Longhorns. While this technology isn’t suitable for protecting livestock and land in every location, it proved to be the ideal site to trial this innovative management tool.
Virtual fencing is operated via solar-powered GPS collars worn by the cattle. These collars provide warning signals to encourage animals to remain within a defined boundary, and compared to traditional fencing, this system offers greater flexibility and significant operational benefits.
Emma first worked with the Friends back in 2016, when the charity launched a major fundraising campaign to help create the hospital’s new state of the art cancer and ophthalmology wards. Emma was spurred on by the shocking statistics that showed, at the time, 30 per cent fewer people in the district refused chemotherapy compared to nearby Warwick Hospital due to the distance they had to travel, often daily. As well as fundraising, Emma’s role was to lead on the internal design ensuring it delivered the best possible experience for those spending some considerable time on the wards, during what can be very difficult times for the patients and their families. Alscot hosted several fundraising events including a clay pigeon shoot, open garden, and concert by The Orchestra of The Swan.
As we wrap up another wonderfully busy year, we wanted to share a special moment of celebration with all of you. Our Christmas video was made with good cheer, plenty of laughs, and deep appreciation for everyone that makes Alscot the special and unique place it is.
We wish you all a bright and joyful Christmas and a happy and successful new year.
Thanks for being part of our journey!
We’re now in our second year of regenerative farming, and it’s been fantastic to see real progress taking shape.
As part of our commitment to sustainable land management, we’re grazing our SFI land with organic sheep – working in partnership with Daylesford Organic and other local farmers. Daylesford has provided 700 organic Lleyn sheep to graze between October and December across 650 acres of overseeded Alscot land, laid with herbal leys.
This approach not only supports soil health and biodiversity, but also contributes to the wider goal of sustainable and organic food production, which we believe is essential for healthy living.
We won Best Green Business in the Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards!! 🏆
Winning Best Green Business means the world to us because it recognises our vision for the future and the heart of everything we do — our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and creating a positive impact on our community and the planet. It’s a reflection of the hard work, vision, passion, and purpose that drive our team every day. This award reaffirms that doing business responsibly and protecting the environment can go hand in hand with success.
Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of engaging with Rosemary Collier, Chair of SWAN (South Warwickshire Area Network for Wildlife). Recently, Rosemary and members of the SWAN team visited Alscot for an exciting experimental trip to trial their brand-new hedgerow assessment surveys.
Using methods developed by the Natural Capital Assessment Partnership (NCAP), these surveys help gather valuable data to support the Warwickshire area habitat database — and may even identify important hedgerows that could become designated Local Wildlife Sites.
7.00pm Tuesday 4th November, Preston on Stour Village Hall
Join us as we look back on our first year of regenerative farming.
Over the past twelve months, we’ve been working to restore soil health, encourage biodiversity, and produce crops in a way that gives back to the land. This community update is a chance to share what we’ve achieved so far, the lessons we’ve learned along the way, and how regenerative practices are shaping a more resilient future for farming. We also want to celebrate the role our local community has played in supporting this journey — from sharing knowledge to contributing valuable data. Your involvement is vital, and together we can continue to grow stronger connections between people, food, and the land.
Let’s keep growing together!
Thursday 2nd October marked an exciting step forward as we welcomed our new herd of longhorn cattle. Delivered personally by their Shropshire breeder, the cattle arrived in excellent condition and were unloaded with ease.
True to their reputation for good temperament, the longhorns stepped calmly down the ramp and made their way into their new field without hesitation. Moving together as a group, they wandered off steadily to explore their new surroundings.
Read the latest copy HERE
Today we welcomed a team of scientists from the University of Plymouth, carrying out specialist surveys using Medusa Radiometrics gamma spectrometry equipment. In addition to the traditional soil analysis techniques, this technology measures natural gamma radiation in the soil to assess density, composition, and structure – providing a more extensive view and valuable insights that would otherwise take extensive drilling or excavation to uncover.
