tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87948170343010590362011-07-31T02:07:30.989-07:00An insight into the lives of two recently converted organic farmers in Dorset. Dealing with the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities to develop a thriving enterprise, both economically and ehtically.Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.comBlogger181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-49375158274787055022010-03-11T02:24:00.000-08:002010-03-11T02:24:02.871-08:00

Launceston Farm's beautiful new blog can now be found on our website: http://www.launcestonfarm.co.uk/ Please come and find us!  This blog will not be updated from here on in so come on over to the bright side...

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-70331721336662250412010-02-04T06:51:00.000-08:002010-02-04T06:51:13.577-08:00

Not being an avid archaeologist myself, I had a few questions about the significance of our commitment under the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement to protect a group of prehistoric burial mounds on the farm, compared with our other environmental commitments such as conserving local wildlife and enhancing the landscape. After a bit of delving, I soon found some answers. The long and short

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-28487365704291534802009-12-10T08:32:00.000-08:002010-01-07T04:25:15.691-08:00

Over the summer, keen-eyed twitchers have been monitoring Launceston Farm for breeding populations of six farmland bird species which have suffered the most severe decline in numbers in recent years: Grey partridge, Lapwing, Turtle dove, Yellow wagtail, Tree sparrow and Corn bunting. Most of which have been spied on the farm. Launceston Farm is in a high area of importance for conservation

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-69358561580448571472009-10-28T05:22:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:26:56.756-08:00

With the difficulties facing the organic market at the moment it is difficult to get a higher price for organic meat than convntionally farmed meat.  However, we have started selling our beef toWaitrose as they recognise the quality of beef from our Aberdeen Angus cattle meaning we get a better price. Another issue we are keen to look at is how we add value to our own product.  Beef is pretty

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-10117590718676332502009-10-15T03:44:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:27:19.231-08:00

Having just completed my dissertation - hoorah! - on renewable energy generating opportunities for farmers in Dorset, I thought it only fair to share some of my very interesting findings with you all... Farmers have to be entrepreneurial to keep their businesses going, whether that is through diversifying their enterprises or trying different methods of farming to create new sources of income.

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-17678710197390356572009-09-30T08:52:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:27:42.354-08:00

Welcome to the world of multi-media! Thanks to Tom at Galvanised Media, Launceston Farm is now on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipDFrYr-0xI Check it out and let us know what you think.

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-53954947098477381042009-09-30T07:51:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:28:19.725-08:00

Launceston Farm would like to extend the warmest of welcomes to our gorgeous, new addition - a Middle White boar named Magnum who is on temporary loan from a local farm. The girls are generally looking a bit miffed at the moment but we are optimistic our young stud will do his best to make sure our seemingly unwilling ladies are ready to sow down by Christmas. Middle whites are a rare breed

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-8903139405750495352009-08-20T01:37:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:28:39.824-08:00

Farmers the length and breadth of the country have been suffering with the weather again this year but it is huge relief to us here that harvest is very nearly finished. And the crop yields have been surprisingly good. This is the farm's second year of implementing organic methods of farming so there is still uncertainty around every corner for Jimi and Sarah...

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-48499605722967811102009-07-16T03:31:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:29:06.601-08:00

Jimi and Sarah came away from the 2009 Organic Farmers & Growers national cereal event knowing with even more certainty that going organic was the right thing to do as much for the ethics as for the economics. Amongst the expert speakers were a marketing guru expressing his view of the organic market and farmers from the front line discussing their own experiences. Other highlights included the

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-62228768391328454362009-07-08T02:09:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:29:43.259-08:00

Ploughing up unusual objects is not all that uncommon for farmers but we all got a bit of a shock when, out cultivating, we upturned a World War II aeriel bomb in Scraggs field. The highly efficient RAF bomb squad travelled 200 miles from their base to diffuse the mechanism which was all very exciting - particularly for the chaps on the farm... Historical artifacts from the war are fairly

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-43253443687499832832009-05-22T06:03:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:30:16.898-08:00

Dorset's Slow Food group descended on Launceston Farm at the beginning of this month to find out more about Sarah's contribution to the slow food movement in the area. Sarah's herd of Boer/Cashmere goats are a perfect example of how meat should be produced, reared on a small scale in free-range conditions over time to produce a tasty and high quality product. The Slow Food movement is an

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-82492512247169333182009-04-24T07:03:00.000-07:002010-01-07T04:30:42.850-08:00

Plenty of very cute animal photos in our blog this month as all the goats and cows - along with their babes - have been turned out into the fields for the spring. Launceston Farm tours are about to take on a new dimension as Jimi is working on some bench seats for the back of the landrover so that more of our guests can enjoy gorgeous scenes like this one.

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-71128184261047322062009-03-02T07:13:00.001-08:002010-01-07T04:31:35.344-08:00

Half a page spread in the Guardian - not bad for a first flirtation with the national press! A massive thank you to our favourite B&B reviewer, Sally Shalam who has given us a glowing report.

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-83224097782087567662009-02-23T08:55:00.000-08:002010-01-07T04:31:58.294-08:00

Following a fantastic Valentines Weekend at Launceston Farm with five lovely couples and a lovely travel writer and her friend all celebrating the festivities, the English fiz was flowing. On the farm, the spring beans have been planted and three fiesty new fellas are on their way to cheer up our lonesome cows. With easter fast approaching, Sarah will be whipping up the shortbread rabbits...

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-45484293681323175412009-02-03T06:12:00.000-08:002009-02-03T06:26:03.770-08:00

We just thought the house looked pretty...Despite the hazardous two inches which have brought Dorset to almost complete standstill, the show must go on. Being the time of year for ploughing, Phil is out there braving the elements - almost as intrepid as Tia (pictured here).We hope all the snow eases up in time for Launceston Farm's impending Valentines Day celebrations.We would love to see any

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-63010215136199685322009-01-20T05:46:00.000-08:002009-01-20T05:59:58.675-08:00

Following a rather jolly New Year's Eve party in the Old Cart Shed for twenty lucky razellers, Sarah is back to work tending to her herd of Cashmere goats. The kid meat has been flying off the shelves this year and we are hopefully going to sell the skins to a London based footwear company.Merve, Phil and Jimi have all been hard at it to make sure the animals are fed and watered over the winter

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-35851147405840250372008-12-17T04:04:00.000-08:002010-01-07T04:32:48.805-08:00

Launceston Farm's trio of Angus bulls are now happily parading their wares around the fields. We hope they are successful in enticing the ladies as we are looking forward to a gorgeous new herd of Angus calves around August time next year. Good luck chaps! We are also looking ahead to Valentine's Day celebrations at the farmhouse bed & breakfast so keep an eye on our offers page for news of

Launceston Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08481826809155098673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794817034301059036.post-86452597846247071742008-11-27T02:54:00.000-08:002010-01-07T04:34:07.228-08:00

Launceston Farm has now flung open its doors to the intrepid visitor for fun and frollicks in the Dorset countryside. We look forward to welcoming you!

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