Yesterday, it was the wider estate team’s turn to be introduced to Alscot’s regenerative farming journey.

While farming isn’t something we’re all involved in on a daily basis, it’s certainly something that unites us—after all, we all rely on food to live!

Our regenerative farming project began as far back as 2020, but it wasn’t until 2024 that we took a major step forward by sowing the fields with legume fallows and herbal leys—our first move toward improving soil health.

This year, the sheep have already benefited from this diverse and nutritious plant system, enjoying protein-rich forage. We’re now excited to be planning for cattle grazing, either later this year or in the next.

The 3–5 year conversion process, designed to produce nutrient-rich animal feed, is regenerating the land - improving the soil structure and quality, and laying the foundation for future organic food production, including heritage wheat and vegetables.

The team was introduced to regenerative agriculture not just through presentation and discussion, but by walking the land itself. We visited a variety of fields—each with different crops, shaped by different conditions—and had the chance to observe and learn directly from the landscape.

The word “wholesome” is often overused, but in this case, it truly captures the spirit of the day.

To learn more, view our ‘Home Farm’ page on the website, follow us on social media, sign up to our newsletter or contact us!

The clear highlight of our recent breeding bird survey was the recording of a Corn Bunting at Alscot. To give this rare and charismatic species the best chance of success, we’re leaving the nesting field completely undisturbed until the young have fledged. Fortunately, our naturalist—from Wiltshire—brings a wealth of experience working with landowners and farmers to support this enigmatic bird.

The vibrant display we’re now seeing is the result of sowing Herbal Leys and Legume Fallow last September—an important step in our journey to regenerate the soil and transition to organic status. The crops are creating some magnificent colour – the purple flowering Phacelia and red Crimson Clover being most visible at this time of year.  

Soil samples have recently been taken across the arable and permanent pasture fields, and sent off for analysis. This will help us to build a valuable baseline dataset as the regenerative farming system develops.

Since Alscot began practicing regenerative farming across approximately 715 hectares of Alscot agricultural land, the project has sparked widespread interest, both locally and nationally, as we work to enhance soil health—a fundamental component of ecosystem services, human wellbeing, and ecological balance. We are actively collaborating with leading organisations and researchers to provide valuable evidence on the wider impact of soil health on society.

Since announcing our commitment to regenerative farming at an Alscot community event in June 2024, we successfully met our target of implementing practical changes on the land by September of the same year. We were therefore delighted to be invited to share our progress and insights with the local community at an event on 2nd April.

Alscot presented the project to a full house at Clifford Chambers Village Hall. The event, hosted by Wild About Clifford in collaboration with Preston Environmental Group (PEG), was a testament to the strong local interest in nature recovery and environmental initiatives.

Trevor Acreman, Chair of Wild About Clifford, was keen for us to engage with group members and neighbours and share the details of our work, including what they might observe in the area and what potential benefits they will experience over time. The event was well received and we hope to continue our mutual engagement.

The full details of our regenerative farming journey is available to view HERE.

Wrapped up warm again, our resident bird and wildlife surveyor Tom, had to rely on his ears this morning (and his sense of humour) whilst on site identifying birds for the BTO register.

Despite the thick layered fog, it was a successful cold February morning, managing to register 23 species and spot a bright blue Kingfisher, a sienna-brown Red Kite and salmon pink Bull Finch, through the mist.

https://app.bto.org/birdtrack/pubcon/shared?subId=SUB49502452

So today we braved the cold and took a walk over the Alscot Biodiversity Net Gain Site. It’s such a beautiful and peaceful location, teeming with wildlife and looked stunning this cold and icy morning. Bird song was evident and Tom Genders, our wildlife expert, observed 31 species including the Hawfinch! Tom uploaded his findings to the BTO (bird tracker)  app. See the results

https://app.bto.org/birdtrack/pubcon/shared?subId=SUB49389489

February 2025 sees start of a new and interesting project for Alscot.
We are creating a cricket bat willow nursery bed using Tods that have been cut from mature cricket bat willow trees grown on the Estate.
The intention being to create a nursery bed that will provide the Estate with its own supply of Sets (young cricket bat willow trees) every 4 years, that can be planted across the Estate.
Once planted, these Sets will take around 15 years to reach maturity before being harvested for cricket bat clefts, where each tree will then be replaced with another Set grown from the nursery bed on the Estate.
We are in the first stage of the project, starting with 800 Tods, and intend to grow the nursery bed year on year.

Joining the electric revolution with our cutting-edge fleet of electric vehicles!

Our team are experiencing eco-friendly transportation without compromising on style or performance. Say goodbye to gas and hello to a cleaner, greener future. Oh and to the Scooby Buzz as this one has been affectionately named by its eco-friendly driver, Darren.