About Us

Our family has been farming at Maple Farm in Kelsale for over 50 years. Unlike a lot of farms, it has not changed much during this time. The fields are very small with high hedges around them. We have kept our ancient woodlands as well as planting several new woods in recent years. Our fields are surrounded by wide margins of native grasses and wildflowers that provide a habitat for plants, insects, birds and larger animals. A recent survey by the RSPB found we had healthy populations of many of the farmland bird species which are in decline elsewhere. Some years ago, we converted Maple Farm to organic production. We rely on the best bits of modern farming which have taken away many of the back-breaking jobs but otherwise Maple Farm would seem remarkably familiar to a farmer from the past. Fields of wheat and rye stand next to meadows with cattle and sheep. Our pigs live in the woodland which keeps them cool in summer and dry in winter. Our hens forage the rich pastures we have planted for them if not searching the woodland edges for insects. Their delicious eggs with dark yellow yolks are proof that they are finding a good diet. Our market garden produces a wide range of fruit and vegetables grown in soils fertilised by natural composts and plants such as clover. One hundred years ago Maple Farm, along with its neighbours, would have been producing all of the fresh food that the local town and villages needed. We hope that this can be the case again.

View further information on organic farming.