Pollybell shortlisted for Silver Lapwing Awards

Pollybell Organics has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Silver Lapwing Awards organized by FWAG and sponsored by Waitrose & Coombe Farm. Andy Ormiston, Managing Director of FWAG said “The standard of entries to the FWAG Silver Lapwing Award continues to improve year on year. All of the finalists are running a commercial operation for the production of food but have demonstrated that it is possible to do this alongside caring for the environment”. The judging tour of the finalists’ farms will take place in mid-September.

For more information about the awards visit www.fwag.org.uk

The Pollybell Honey Bee Project

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Honey Bee Project at Pollybell, a new initiative introducing our own honey bees into the farm. Caring for our local environment and its wildlife is central to our approach to farming. We are taking areas of the farm out of production in order to grow plants and trees that are great sources of both pollen and nectar.

We have 7 hives coming to the farm this summer which will be set up and maintained by Tom, our new farm beekeeper.

In order to provide pollen and nectar for as much of the year as possible, we have planted the following:

- A small fruit orchard to produce early blossom
- 5 acres of borage (nicknamed the “bee’s bread” probably because of its nectar rich flowers)
- 5 acres of phacelia, the flowers of which produce large amounts of nectar and pollen and are one of the top plants for potential honey yield. They are much visited by honey bees and short-tongued bumble bees. The honey produced is amber or sometimes light green, with a delicate aroma. (Source: International Bee Research Association)
- 2 acres of a special pollen and nectar mix
- We also have 200 acres of field beans which flower in June and early July and are a great source of food for the bees

For more information about honey bees, visit British Bee Keepers Association

All things bright and beautiful – Pollybell Organic Farm scoops another award!

Pollybell Organic Farm has been named Winner for the North East at the Beautiful Farm Awards 2009/10. The award was presented to Pollybell’s finance director, James Brown by celebrity TV chef, James Martin, at an impressive ceremony at the House of Lords.

Pollybell Organic Farm caught the attention of the judges due to its striking commitment to yielding the finest organic fresh produce while using the most up-to-date organic farming techniques and ensuring the best possible environment is maintained.

The team achieves this through initiatives such as leaving winter stubbles until February to provide shelter and a food source to farmland birds; putting up nesting boxes for the owls and setting up 240 bird feeding stations. To ensure that the existing natural habitat is not overstretched 48 acres of woodland, 2,934 trees and 21,660 metres of hedgerows have also been recently planted - that’s enough hedgerow to enclose every Premiership and Championship football pitch in England and still have enough left over to encircle the top seven teams in league one! As a result, the farm is home to a staggering array of barn owls, lapwings, brown hares and English grey partridges.

The Brown family has been involved in farming in Lincolnshire for more than 120 years and on this 5,000 acre site, grows a wide variety of organic fresh vegetables. It is one of the largest suppliers of organic vegetables in the UK and supplies local farm shops, vegetable box schemes and packers across the country. The health and fertility of crops is achieved through rotation or rest of fields which reduces the need for artificial fertilisers and pesticides.

James Brown, finance director at Pollybell Organic Farm, says: “Being recognised at the Beautiful Farm Awards is a huge achievement and testament to our commitment to growing crops in a sustainable way while caring for the environment in which we live and work. We are passionate about raising the bar for organic farming in the UK and believe wholeheartedly that a beautiful farm and a profitable business can go hand-in-hand.”

The Beautiful Farm Awards was hosted by Lord Palmer (a member of the EU Sub-committee for Environment and Agriculture) and is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture and organised by Farm Business magazine. The awards were designed to celebrate farming that is in harmony with the environment.

For Pollybell Organic Farm, the Beautiful Farm Award follows “hot on the tail” of several other accolades including Highly Commended in the Progressive Farmer of the Year category at the Food and Farming Industry Awards 2009; Organic Grower of the Year 2008 at the Grower Awards and BTO Business Bird Challenge 2008 class winner.

Pollybell Highly Commended at 2009 Food & Farming Industry Awards

James Brown, 27, of Pollybell Organic Farm based in Wroot Road, Doncaster has been Highly Commended in the Progressive Farmer of the Year category at this year’s Food and Farming Industry Awards.

Mr Brown collected his commendation at an Awards Dinner hosted by James Paice MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, at the House of Commons in London on December 11th.

Pollybell Farm is currently owned and run by the Brown family who have been farming in the Lincolnshire area for over 120 years. The Farm supplies a wide variety of organic vegetables to local farm shops, vegetable box schemes and packers throughout the UK.

James and his family are passionate about growing crops in a sustainable way, whilst caring for the environment in which they live and work.

“The farm is now into its 10th year of producing crops organically and despite today’s tough economic conditions, and the added challenges that organic farming brings, we are totally committed to continuing,” said James. “Being recognised in this way is very gratifying and a major morale boost, which definitely helps to spur the team on in that commitment.”

Along with his father, Nigel Brown, James has developed a successful and adaptable business strategy which focuses on the needs of his customers. But it doesn’t end there; he also has a strategy for expansion through further land conversion, and with increased sales expected from this year’s harvest, he plans a new cold store along with two new reservoirs.

The Progressive Farmer of the Year Award is sponsored by Agrovista who provide specialist agronomy and crop protection products to British agriculture. The commendation was presented to James by Agrovista’s, Marketing Director, Nick Rainsley.

The Food and Farming Industry Awards are run annually by Farm Business magazine.

“Surviving in the world of farming today is not an easy job, the successful farmer is acutely aware of how best to utilise his assets. People, their skills, buildings and every bit of land all have to be put to the best use possible,” said Alan Whibley, Publisher of Farm Business magazine.

“In the category of Progressive Farmer of the Year we were looking for a farmer who could remain profitable, whilst at the same time balance it with being a good custodian of the countryside; a champion of quality British farming in fact.”