Plaw Hatch Farm is situated on the edge of the Ashdown Forest in South East England, West Sussex (25 minutes from Gatwick International Airport). The nearest village is Forest Row with about 150 shops and businesses and the next town is East Grinstead with a railway station and hourly trains to London (approximately 1 hour). The Ashdown Forest is officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and it covers 6400 acres of the High Weald. (The Weald is an area thirty miles south of London and half way to the South coast of England).
The usable land of the Farm for grazing and forage conservation is 60 ha. Our aim is to become self sufficient in both, seeds and feeds. A dairy herd of MRI forms the principal livestock activity, with sheep, pigs, and hens to provide diversity of produce. The Farm offers opportunities for anyone to train and gain experience of biodynamic animal and crop husbandry.
Size The number of cows in the herd is 45
Breeding: MRI is the main breed for replacements. A Sussex bull is used on all heifers and to maintain an even calving pattern.
Feeding: Silage and hay form the basis for the winter feeding and grazing during the summer months. This is supplemented with home grown oats and brought in beans to provide sufficient energy and protein to maintain the cows in good health. Seaweed minerals are added to the ration during the winter months.
Replacements: On average 7 MRI calves are kept back each year, to calve when they are 2 - 3 years old depending on size.
Beef: 2 bull calves are retained every 6 months to raise with the dairy heifers. They finish between 24 and 30 months and are sold through the farm shop.
Housing: During the winter period all cows, calves and replacements are housed in open straw yards. The milking cows have access to a feed area and a large out-door loafing yard. Cows are usually outside grazing between May and November.
A small sheep flock is kept to improve grassland and to provide lambs for sale through the farm shop.. Ewes are Southdown breed plus some other types. They are tupped in November and lamb in April.
Weaned piglets are brought in when 10 weeks old from various local sources. They are fed on the whey from the cheese making and a few home grown oats. Kept outside during the summer when the ground is dry. Some pigs are finished to bacon weight depending on breed.
260 laying hens are kept for egg production. Fed on home grown wheat and a brought in organic layers pellet. Mixed breeds produce a variety of egg colours and sizes. There are no more than 80 in each group. They have access to pasture at all times.
