Papa 10
Miserable Old Git
Woodside Nature Reserve oops sorry Farm
The following is self-explanatory:-
Woodside Farm
Join us
At Woodside Farm, we are running a truly unique farming enterprise, offering locally reared lamb and beef which supports nature conservation.
Our expanding flock of Jacob ewes and Highland beef cattle is being raised at Woodside Nature Reserve near Ilkeston. This 74-hectare reserve is the largest in the county outside the Peak District National Park. It is on the site of the former Woodside Colliery, one of four that operated in this area until the 1960s. Part of the reserve once also formed car parks and fields owned by the American Adventure theme park. The reserve contains a variety of habitats including woodland, hay meadows and grasslands, and a network of small woodlands.
We are managing the extensive areas of grassland through a farming enterprise, which involves the sale of beef and lamb reared on the reserve. Our aim is to produce good quality meat products on a farm which demonstrates good conservation practices. The profits, together with money from government-funded initiatives such as Higher Level Stewardship, will enable us to invest further in habitat management and conservation work, improving the reserve for wildlife and visitors.
Our cattle graze rough grassland which is prime habitat for ground-nesting birds such as lapwing. Their grazing style creates a tussocky patchwork of grass which is ideal for all sorts of invertebrates and insects. Their dung is also a very important part of the ecosystem, attracting specific types of beetles and invertebrates, which in turn become food for birds, bats and other mammals. As they roam the site, the cattle keep the less desirable plants in check whilst allowing seeds of preferable plants and grass to germinate in their hoof indentations.
Our sheep are used to graze areas of grassland which are largely around lakes and former gravel pits. The sheep are used on some of our sites to keep the grass down to a very short, almost lawn, height as we are managing the grassland for wigeon which (like geese) graze short grass Our sheep also like to graze scrub which helps us to prevent it spreading into grassland areas, which in turn allows us to manage the grassland for farmland birds such as skylarks and yellowhammers.
Our view is that local is best, and because of this we only use local abattoirs and butchers. This reduces road miles and stress on the animals and makes it some of the least travelled meat you can buy.
Woodside Farm has public access through nearly all the fields where the animals are. You are welcome to walk here and look at the livestock, but please keep all dogs on leads and your distance from the animals. They can take fright and become stressed if pressured, especially when they have young.
If you have questions or queries, contact our Conservation Farming Officer. If you are interested in volunteering we are happy to have you. We require people to check livestock and to do regular checks on site, feed bird tables etc.
Prices
We price our beef and lamb per kilo. We sell our lamb in halves or wholes and our beef in 1/8th
Lamb is priced at £8.50 per kilo and beef at £10 per kilo. A box of beef usually costs between £170 and £220 while a lamb box is around £40-£65.
Both the lamb and beef come in individually shrink-wrapped joints and individually labelled with the name of joint and weight. Each ½ of lamb or 1/8th of beef also comes in a hygienic cardboard box which can be used to transport the meat home to your fridge/freezer. All our meat is fresh, never frozen so you have the longest shelf life possible.
About Us
The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is a local charity working to protect and conserve the natural environment, raise awareness of wildlife issues and inspire people across Derbyshire and beyond.
Nuff Sed
Typical reply of rhetoric without reality, a charity with limited funds does not spend thousands of pounds to have 'miles' of fencing installed by contractors with a further substantial amount for the purchase of stock.
Selling meat and dairy products for the good of the local community? who benefits from this commercial enterprise? certainly not the 'locals' I have spoken to who maintain the DWT's acquisition of Woodside is a retrospective step in respect of wildlife, but the reply exudes the virtues of farming.
Although thousands can be spent on the farm, including the 'superbarn', how many hides are there at Woodside and Erewash Meadows? Zero!
At least some work has been carried out to placate the contrarians so Dave should be a bit happier at Wyver and John at Willington.
After birding the Woodside area for some 60 years (started work at the colliery when I was 15) I think the time has come for a tactical withdrawal so whatever is done will be of no consequence to my emotions.
Who knows maybe when the 'farm' fails they can always open a theme park
The following is self-explanatory:-
Woodside Farm
Join us
At Woodside Farm, we are running a truly unique farming enterprise, offering locally reared lamb and beef which supports nature conservation.
Our expanding flock of Jacob ewes and Highland beef cattle is being raised at Woodside Nature Reserve near Ilkeston. This 74-hectare reserve is the largest in the county outside the Peak District National Park. It is on the site of the former Woodside Colliery, one of four that operated in this area until the 1960s. Part of the reserve once also formed car parks and fields owned by the American Adventure theme park. The reserve contains a variety of habitats including woodland, hay meadows and grasslands, and a network of small woodlands.
We are managing the extensive areas of grassland through a farming enterprise, which involves the sale of beef and lamb reared on the reserve. Our aim is to produce good quality meat products on a farm which demonstrates good conservation practices. The profits, together with money from government-funded initiatives such as Higher Level Stewardship, will enable us to invest further in habitat management and conservation work, improving the reserve for wildlife and visitors.
Our cattle graze rough grassland which is prime habitat for ground-nesting birds such as lapwing. Their grazing style creates a tussocky patchwork of grass which is ideal for all sorts of invertebrates and insects. Their dung is also a very important part of the ecosystem, attracting specific types of beetles and invertebrates, which in turn become food for birds, bats and other mammals. As they roam the site, the cattle keep the less desirable plants in check whilst allowing seeds of preferable plants and grass to germinate in their hoof indentations.
Our sheep are used to graze areas of grassland which are largely around lakes and former gravel pits. The sheep are used on some of our sites to keep the grass down to a very short, almost lawn, height as we are managing the grassland for wigeon which (like geese) graze short grass Our sheep also like to graze scrub which helps us to prevent it spreading into grassland areas, which in turn allows us to manage the grassland for farmland birds such as skylarks and yellowhammers.
Our view is that local is best, and because of this we only use local abattoirs and butchers. This reduces road miles and stress on the animals and makes it some of the least travelled meat you can buy.
Woodside Farm has public access through nearly all the fields where the animals are. You are welcome to walk here and look at the livestock, but please keep all dogs on leads and your distance from the animals. They can take fright and become stressed if pressured, especially when they have young.
If you have questions or queries, contact our Conservation Farming Officer. If you are interested in volunteering we are happy to have you. We require people to check livestock and to do regular checks on site, feed bird tables etc.
Prices
We price our beef and lamb per kilo. We sell our lamb in halves or wholes and our beef in 1/8th
Lamb is priced at £8.50 per kilo and beef at £10 per kilo. A box of beef usually costs between £170 and £220 while a lamb box is around £40-£65.
Both the lamb and beef come in individually shrink-wrapped joints and individually labelled with the name of joint and weight. Each ½ of lamb or 1/8th of beef also comes in a hygienic cardboard box which can be used to transport the meat home to your fridge/freezer. All our meat is fresh, never frozen so you have the longest shelf life possible.
About Us
The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is a local charity working to protect and conserve the natural environment, raise awareness of wildlife issues and inspire people across Derbyshire and beyond.
Nuff Sed
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