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18. Springwood Farm
When John Hiscock and his wife Caroline decided to start organically farming the 1280 acres that make up Springwood Farms, in many ways they were embarking on a voyage of discovery...
“Though it wasn’t long ago, in 1999, at that time there was far less knowledge or advice available,” he explains, “so much of the time it was a case of trial and error.”
In John’s case there was little error and a lot of progress. Centred on his initial 220 acre farm, at Plush, north of Dorchester, with other land he owns and rents in the area, Springwood was certified fully organic in 2001. Today it is home to a 330 strong herd of Friesian/Holstein cross cattle, about 300 followers and arable land that provides their straw, silage and most of the grain that supplements their winter feed.
“We have a closed herd, which means that we breed all of our own cattle and growing virtually all of our own feed ensures that that everything to do with them is under the same careful control,” says John.
“In the years since we became organic the milk yield has risen, which maybe says something about the quality of the grazing and the food that we grow. Weed control is more difficult without chemical sprays, but the upside is that the ground itself is more fertile, as it isn’t under as much pressure as it would be using intensive practices rather than the crop rotation methods that we now employ.”
As well as the dairy herd, Springwood is also the starting point for the Dorset Gap walk and is crossed by another well known South West footpath, the Wessex Way.
Being organic has proved an added talking point for people using both routes. “Many of them now want to stop and talk about how we farm, the milk we produce and to comment on wildlife they have seen,” explains John, adding:
“There is growing interest in organic food and I’d say much more empathy from people for organic farming.”
John’s success doesn’t just inspire the walkers though. Seeing the progress and changes that have been achieved since the organic conversion, his brother Ed, who farms nearby, also decided to convert to organic farming.
