Arable farmer Tim Beaver from Church Farm in South Lincolnshire has expanded beyond his 550 ha of wheat, sugar beet, spring barley with grapes in a new venture – The Rutland Vineyard.
In a bid to bring an extra income stream and something more exciting to their existing acreage, as well as build more of a connection with the local community, the Beaver family planted 20,000 vines across seven acres back in 2021 and have since built a tasting barn and opened for tours.
Tim has reflected on the reasons the family chose to diversify their farming operation in a new video launched on BASF’s Follow a Farmer YouTube channel.
“I genuinely believe farming is one of the best jobs in the world, although the pressures are quite harsh as the buck does stop with you, but if you stick by your guns and make choices based on research and your gut feeling, then you have to go with it,” Tim stressed. “One of the fun aspects in the vineyard was to produce a cover crop that would feed the vines going forward. We have planted a 10-way mix of clover and red fescue grasses, and the idea is the red and white clover will increase the mycorrhizal fungi in the soil, increasing our organic matter and keeping the vines strong.”
Rutland Vineyard itself might be a new project, but the Jurassic limestone soil in which the vines grow means visitors are encouraged to see what they can find whilst exploring what is now a popular attraction.
Part of the appeal for Tim in the addition of this new enterprise was the opportunity to open up the farm to the general public. “When it comes to picking grapes, many of the seasonal staff are local retirees who benefit hugely from the social and outdoor environments we work in,” he continued. “Inviting people in also allows us the opportunity to showcase the good work that we are doing for nature, to staff and visitors. It also helps to build a better understanding of the industry overall.”
The land surrounding the vines is diverse and seeing it on the vineyard tours demonstrates to visitors the integral link between all the different operations, with cover crops incorporated into the vineyard. The land in front of the vines sits under SFI agri-environmental schemes, with the vineyard overlooking the core cereal crop growing. The farm has also recently added a nature trail and is planning a dog park.
