PASTURE-FED LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION 2015 SUMMER STUDY TOUR
WEST SUSSEX & HAMPSHIRE
ITINERARY
13th – 14th May 2015
This study tour will take a detailed look at the production of ‘Pasture for Life’ beef and lamb on
two contrasting farms – the Sir Charlie Burrell’s Knepp Estate and Tim May’s Kingsclere Estate. It
will provide the opportunity to learn and share knowledge to help host farms and fellow PFLA
members in improving soil, grassland and livestock management for the production of high quality
and tasty Pasture Meat.
It is a busy time of year but also a good one to see grazing livestock and grassland management in
action. The schedule starts and finishes during the middle of the day, allowing time for travelling
and minimising the time away from daily farm work.
It is at the request PFLA members wanting to learn more and is open to existing PFLA Certified Farms
and all members aspiring to become certified. Non-members who want to learn more about the
organisation and what it means to farm under the Pasture for Life scheme are also welcome.
The focus of the tour will be about how to succeed in feeding ruminant animals on a pasture diet on
difficult soils and what positive implications this has for a farm business.
The farms we will visit are pioneers of the pasture farming movement and are experimenting with
new techniques to not only produce great meat but also rebuild soil and re-establish other
important ecosystems in tune with production and profit – regenerative agriculture.
Like the PFLA online forum this event will be a platform for learning and sharing as our collective
knowledge is greater than the sum of our individual knowledge. However, to help with discussions
we are arranging for a grassland “expert” to be on hand during the tour. After the final farm visit we
will have a brief facilitated discussion on next steps for your own farm business.
SCHEDULE
13th May
12:00 – ARRIVE at Knepp Estate
12:30 – Picnic Lunch provided by Knepp Estate
13:30 – Tour of the estate, including Knepp’s rewilding project, and ending up on a 400 acre site of
pasture on which Charlie is looking for ideas as to its best use
18:00 – Check in at the Estate Camp – either luxury or standard accommodation*
18:30 – BBQ dinner at the Estate Camp. Drinks into the evening (bring your own!)
* More info on accommodation here: http://www.kneppsafaris.co.uk/Stay If anyone wishes to stay
elsewhere then they are free to do so but at their own expense.
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14th May
07:30 – Breakfast
08:30 – DEPART from Knepp
10:00 – ARRIVE Kingsclere Estates, tour farm and livestock, interrogate the herbal leys, mob grazing
and soil improvement
12:00 – Facilitated discussion on ‘What will you do differently now?’
13:00 – DEPART (or optional pub lunch nearby)
FARM BACKGROUND
Sir Charlie Burrell, Knepp Estate, West Sussex
Knepp Castle Estate's herd of Longhorn cattle are managed on a naturalistic grazing regime,
producing not only a unique beef product but also habitats for some of Britain's largest populations
of Nightingales, Purple Emperors, Cuckoo's and Turtle Doves to name but a few.
A proportion of the beef is sold through Garlic Wood Farm, a local butcher with a cutting room
based on the estate, however the ultimate aim is to sell all products through local and sustainable
channels.
As well as the rewilding project, the estate has 400 acres of grassland on heavy Weald Clay. This
being difficult to manage, Charlie is looking for the sharing of ideas on how to make best use of this
pasture land.
Find out more about Knepp here: www.knepp.co.uk
Tim May, Kingsclere Estate, Hampshire
Kingsclere Estates Ltd, a family run business, operates a long term view and therefore sustainability
is one of the key objectives, through the adoption of a holistic approach. By 2012, after 10 years of
farming effectively an all arable farming business, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain,
let alone improve yields year-on-year and this was in spite of growing expenditure on increasingly
sophisticated inputs and technology. It was clear that the soil, the foundation of any farming system,
was becoming lifeless and generally lacking in organic matter and a new approach was required in
order to get this soil back to maximising its potential and the land to remain profitable.
One of the options was returning to a more diverse mixed farming system with its many synergies
and symbiotic relationships. With this in mind, just under half of the farm was taken out of arable
production and put into 4 year mixed herbal and red clover leys in order to, among other things,
increase organic matter levels, fix nutrients and aerate the soil. To aid with this soil improvement
and to maintain an economic output from these lays, a 1700 strong flock of breeding ewes were
bought and a 150 head herd of beef cattle drafted in.
Find out more about Kingsclere here: www.kingsclere-estates.co.uk/farming.html
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HOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE
The standard cost for the full itinerary is £70 per person. However, for the luxury accommodation
there is a £25 additional cost, and for any non-members there being a £5 additional cost.
Accommodation Type
Luxury Camping
Standard Camping
Arrange own accommodation
PFLA Members
£95
£70
£70
Non-Members
£100
£75
£75
In order to keep costs low we will endeavour to organise lift sharing en-route to and from, and
during the study tour. Please be prepared to offer contributions in the usual manner.
Please complete the attached booking form and return to Harry Greenfield along with your payment
ASAP. Places are limited and will be filled on a first come first served basis. If you have any
questions please contact Harry on membership@pfla.org.uk / 07815 074712.
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