The Wicken Estate farms 950 hectares (2,347.50 acres) of light to medium soil.  The farm has the capacity to grow good quality crops with a highly skilled workforce utilising modern equipment.  

Each year we typically grow:

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• Winter Wheat for seed and feed for local mills supply chicken and pig farms.

• Winter Barley for feed

• Spring Barley for seed

• Spring Peas for seed

• Sugar Beet

• Onions

• Potatoes

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The soil is key to the business.  We ensure our farming methods only protects and enhances the soil for years and years to come. Cover crops are utilised between cereals and the spring vegetable/root crops. These are mixes designed by us to bring the best potential for the next crop and to look after the soil and its habitat over winter.  These range from a mix of species from legumes, brassicas and linseed which deliver diverse rooting, as well as varied cover above ground which attracts different insects. Half of these mixes are then grazed by sheep over the winter period to remove the cover and deliver the organic matter back to the field. This is done with a cooperation with a neighbouring shepherd.

 

Supporting nature

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We have a very broad range of insect, bird and mammal populations from the smallest butterflies to be found in the hedgerows and meadowland, to roaming fallow and roe deer.  Overhead, the call of birds of prey including a number of different hawks and stunning red kites are a regular sound. Around the farm, there are many areas and features that are created and managed as wildlife habitats. Field margins, field corners and hedgerows are managed to enable a wide variety of species to thrive. We put areas of the farm down to wildflower and bird mixes to help improve species variety. 

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As part of our environmental initiatives, the farm is also involved in a number of schemes to help increase biodiversity  - Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes are the two key programmes currently underway.