Destination | STYLE
Sweet as can bee
Farming for the f uture
The Gri ffin fami ly have been living in harmony with the land and wi ldl i fe at Briddlesford Farm since they first arrived in 1923 — and with conservation efforts in place, they look forward to many more years ahead.
Briddlesford Farm is widely known on the Island as the place to pick up mouthwatering dairy products farmed and created in-house, as well as quality cuts of meat from the butchery. The Briddlesford Lodge Farm shop also markets products from other local suppliers and has been awarded the Wight Marque stamp of approval for supporting the Island’s rural economy.
Bluebells at Briddlesford, the farm café on site, is open seven days of the week and serves a delicious assortment of food made with locally sourced ingredients — including Briddlesford’s rose veal and dairy products.
Less widely known though, is the work that goes on at Briddlesford Farm to conserve the woodland areas attached to its land. The farm is spread over 220 acres of pastures and 60 acres of woodland, one part of which has been classed as ancient woodland. Among this stunning space, 150 different species of plant have been recorded, along with many breeds of butterfly and a few families of red squirrels.
To preserve this area of impressive land, the farm was awarded a Woodland Improvement Grant. This money has made it possible for woodsman, Paul Horne and his son, Danny, to care for the woods for more than 25 years – for which they have since received a National Farmers’ Union conservation award.
The farm also encourages educational visits from schools and similar parties to teach children about the role the farm plays in protecting local countryside.
There’s more information about the many aspects of farm life at Briddlesford online at
www.briddlesford.co.uk
Quarr Abbey has approximately 28 colonies of bees located around its grounds, which provide the tea shop with mini and half pound jars of honey for sale and which are very popular with visitors throughout the year.
The amount of honey produced each year varies according to the weather. Last year, with a steady season, the yield was only average, but despite the very cold spring and long dry spell in the summer, this year looks much more promising.
The Isle of Wight Beekeepers’ Association has been operating a teaching apiary at Quarr Abbey since 2011, in return for assisting the Chapter with its bees.
The purpose of the teaching apiary is to provide opportunities for new beekeepers to practise their skills after a theory class in the late winter. This year, 24 people attended these classes and another 12 people or more are introduced to beekeeping each year at taster sessions during the summer, often going on to take the theory class.
There is also the very important Rearing Island Bees project, which supplies local beekeepers with good tempered, productive stock sourced locally, in order to avoid the risk of importing disease to the Island. There is a dedicated apiary within the Abbey grounds for this and a separate queen rearing project at an isolated spot elsewhere on the Island that is supported by the teaching apiary team.
Find out more about Quarr Abbey honey, or the teaching apiary, by visiting www.quarrabbey. org as well as the Isle of Wight Beekeepers Association:
www.iwbka.org.uk
Photo Matt Noyce September and October 2018 53
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