Beenleigh Meadows Farm - farming, education and conservation

Beenleigh Meadows Farm near Harberton in South Devon is one of a new type of farm geared exclusively towards combining the three goals of farming, education and conservation. The farm is managed under DEFRA's Countryside Stewardship Scheme guidelines.

Our 21 acre farm undertakes on-farm educational access and holds regular public events such as bug hunts and fungal forays to spread the word about the importance of biodiversity and conservation. The land is ancient with many archaeological features near the stream. So far on the farm we have built a tool store out of local timber and recycled materials with straw bale walls rendered in lime. We are also building a cob animal shelter demonstrating the sustainability of this ancient building material.

The farm stores energy from the sun and wind and stores rain fallen on building roofs. The land is managed using a mixture of traditional, organic and permaculture production principles. Sheep and goats are grazed conserving the biodiversity of the various pasture habitats including water meadows; willow is grown and a new native woodland has been planted providing a wildlife corridor to an ancient copse. 2007 saw the planting of a new fruit and nut orchard. There are many species to meet on the farm including orchids in the water-meadow, marsh marigolds, barn owls and swallows, plenty of small mammals, amphibians and many insects including beetles, dragon flies and damselflies. There is even some designated scrub area to help make a habitat for small mammals upon which the barn owl feeds.

The farm actively works with RAISE and is one of the 'Neighbourhood Network of Farms' affiliated to the South Devon Community Supported Farming group (CSF), which ensures that we provide access to the countryside for all with a mixed bag of events and courses.
We are open to families, groups and schools, and have a wide range of educational resources and equipment to enhance the learning experience!