HRH The Prince of Wales visits FarmED, Shipton-under-Wychwood

FarmED is based in the Cotswolds and is a not-for-profit organisation.  Made up of a diverse 107 acre mixed farm FarmED aims to, and provides the space for, educate and accelerate the transition towards a sustainable food system that feeds everyone healthy food, but also helps to reverse climate change and increase biodiversity.  FarmED features herbal pasture, heritage wheat, oats, wild bird seed and various soil-improving crops, as well as a natural flood management scheme, heritage orchard, wildflower margins and woodland areas.   

Met on arrival by Brian Buchan, HRH was introduced to Ian and Celene Wilkinson, the Founders, who escorted him around the farm and education centre.  HRH was shown how mixed farming encourages a healthy soil and allows nature to flourish.  HRH was shown some soil samples produced by this system before meeting Hallam Duckworth, a young farmer who owns the micro dairy herd of cows and calves at the farm, and Emma Mills, who owns the community supported agriculture scheme and vegetable box system.  This vegetable box scheme supports 125 families as well as the FarmED kitchen with vegetables via a subscription model.  HRH was also shown the wildflower meadow where he met pollinator experts Tanya and Esme Hawkes.  They discussed the ecology of the meadow and showed HRH some of their natural beehives in hollowed out tree trunks. 

HRH was then shown the education centre where he met local farmers and growers who were taking part in a workshop aimed at encouraging a move towards a mixed and diverse faming model.  The Head of Sustainable Farming, Jonty Brunyee, explained the educational programme to HRH. 

HRH was presented with a jar of honey, before unveiling a plaque to commemorate his visit.