Ruscombe Farm
What is conservation grazing?
Conservation grazing generally involves less intensive land management techniques on areas that are less commercially productive. The type of livestock is a primary consideration for conservation grazing and differences in feeding preferences, physiology and animal behaviour affect their suitability for different sites. Due to their hardiness and ability to cope well on unimproved grassland rare and native breeds of livestock are frequently used in conservation and extensive grazing systems and represent an important part of our cultural heritage.
In the UK almost all areas we value for their nature conservation interest form part of cultural landscapes created by humans. Grazing livestock and associated activities played a key role in the formation and maintenance of many semi-natural habitats including grassland, heathland and pasture-woodland, through slowing or altering the successional trajectory of these habitats towards increased woodland cover.
The farm lies at the heart of the Cotswold village of Ruscombe and is family run, with three generations working the farm. The farm complex comprises of various historic and modern agricultural buildings including some which are stone built - threshing barn, coach house and cider house. Swallows nest each year in the the older buildings. An old apple and perry orchard still grows adjacent to the farm and provides home to little owls and bats.
Our cattle are fed soley on grass and hay produced on the farm and land we rent. All the land is under Countryside Stewardship. We do not use artifical fertilsers and only use pesticides as a spot treatment. The majority of the grassland that the cattle graze in unimproved, some of which we conservation graze for the National Trust and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Unimproved Grassland - grassland subject to little or no agricultural improvement (ploughing, herbicides or fertiliser) and usually contains high species diversity.
If you are interested in buying some beef
please contact
Rebecca or Richard
on 01453 766191
If you would like to be put on to a mailing list for future beef sales please let us have contact details, either phone or email and we can let you know when the next one will be ready.
