Our Farm

At Irongate Farm we are aiming to produce financially sustainable agroecological and organic food in a way that regenerates our soils, our environments and our communities. We want to enable more equitable, resilient and ecologically sound approaches to food and farming.

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We are aiming to change the current intensive and extractive industrial farming practices and methodologies through conceptual and practical knowledge sharing and doing. By working in proximity with others, both physically and ideologically, we aim to create respectful collaborations. 

 

We have been farming the land here in Weston for over 35 years and a lot has changed in that time. For many years we ran a heavy tillage-based system;, however after visiting America in 2010 and meeting several passionate no-till growers, farm manager John was inspired to drop cultivations and go no-till (a change supported by his deep dislike for bouncing around in bumpy tractors). Since adopting no-till we have noticed a dramatic change in the land, with improved soil structure, reduced erosion, and greater biodiversity - all whilst slashing work hours and fuel consumption! This transformative change inspired our transition to regenerative agriculture…​ and led us to establish the Groundswell Festival.

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The farm consists of arable land, permanent pastures, and woodland. We grow a range of crops; heritage grains, wheat, barley, oats, beans, and linseed, plus species-rich cover crops whenever possible (particularly over winter). Herbal grass leys are integrated into the rotation which, alongside our parkland pastures, are mob grazed by our ‘Pasture for Life’ shorthorn-cross beef suckler herd. We harvest timber from our woodlands for use in the biomass boiler on the estate, which helps us to be a more circular, sustainable farm As part of our long-term mission to spread the regenerative agriculture movement, the farm is currently establishing GroundSchool, which will offer year-round courses on various aspects of regenerative agriculture, using on-farm enterprises as working examples. We envision the regenerative agriculture movement spreading like a web of mycelia, with every collaboration, knowledge exchange, and inspired individual contributing to its momentum.

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Connecting people with the land is an important part of our ethos and we are working hard to invite new participants to share land at the far. Our no-dig market garden Irongate Market Garden produces seasonal veg for sale through the local farm shop, Lannock Larder, as well as to local residents, pubs and restaurants.