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/
