Kate Batchelor Artist

A huge thank you to Mike the farm manager at Maple farm in Kelsale near Saxmundham who gave such an informative farm tour about the working practices of this special farm. Maple farm is primarily an organic free range egg producer with some 3000 laying hens. At first sight it seems like a farm of old until you start to understand the progressive thinking and land management that is in fact going on. Mike explained that Every piece of land is being managed to ensure that all energy put in is maximised with a massive bias to management for the wildlife. All the hens are totally free range in huts that move down the field each month and next to each hut is a strip of land planted with all sorts of seed producing plants. Each hut has a maximum of 300 hens and there were 4 or 5 breeds.

Much of the arable is grown to provide feed for the hens, some grain is grown to stone grind in their own mill and others are bought in so that organic white and whole meal white and spelt and Rye flours are produced to sell. The farm also grows organic fruit and veg which is sold from the farm and locally.

Today’s sketch is of 2 chickens but more from Maple farm may follow.

http://www.maplefarmkelsale.co.uk/

“Come on my boys” I heard Moss calling to his herd as he moved them from one field to another on his quad bike. These are the same Stabiliser breed as yesterday sketch.

A big thanks to Moss Spillings and his family for letting me come to see his beef herd today. They have 2 herds one that he calls his motley crew made up of several breeds and cross breeds. The second is his Stabiliser herd. Both herds number about 25 on the marshes along the River Hundred. The Stabiliser breed is a multi-breed composite established in Colorado by the Leachman Cattle Company in the 1970s.

Made up of 4 breeds the Simmental, Red Angus, South Devon and Gelbvieh. The breed combines the fleshing ability, marbling, and moderate-size of the British breeds with the muscle, milk, and growth of continental breeds.

What impressed me most was how friendly the Stabilisers were.

Their beef can be bought locally.

I didn’t need to see what was being harvested my eyes and nose told me without looking. Just like peeling onions in my kitchen the air was full of the smell of onions and my eyes were stinging. I guess the farmer must get used to it.

This morning I had the great pleasure to get dressed up in bee keeper gear with Steve Barrett at Adams distribution centre where he keeps one of his many hives. Today Steve was searching for eggs and was delighted to find some. Steve makes all of his own hives and this one looked splendid in the Addams blue colour scheme.