We are delighted to be taking part in Agroforestry Open Weekend 2024
Our farm
We are a small (7.5ha) veganic, forest farm near Faversham in East Kent. We are certified organic with the Soil Association. We have been farming since 2018 on a leased site and since 2021 on an owned site. It the latter that you will be visiting.
On our leased site, we have grown heritage wheat, oats, herbs and some annual veg. We have also established a short-rotation coppice willow stand. We plan to continue trials with perennial/heritage cereals, vegetables and herbs using natural farming methods (including no till) on this site.
We live off-grid and all our water is harvested from rain. We use no single use plastic or concrete.
Our aim is to be community sufficient – we love to collaborate with other like-minded folks and ethical businesses. Our markets are very local – maximum 10 mile radius and all deliveries are made using EV vehicles.
We have planning permission to build a barn on our owned site. This will be made from locally coppiced wood – mainly chestnut and poplar.
We are members of the Vegan Organic Network, the Landworkers’ Alliance and the South East Grain Alliance.
We have funding from DEFRA (Countryside Stewardship), The Woodland Trust, Kent Downs National Landscape, Plants for a Future and LoCASE (Low Carbon in the South East).
Our agroforestry
In the winters of 2021 and 2022, we relocated 32 mulberry trees, 60 crop hazels and a variety of food forest trees to our owned site.
We are creating a 2 acre food forest and the rest of the farm is being designed as linear food forests/alley cropping, platts and orchards as well as a vineyard (for juice grapes). We will also be adding a new short rotation coppice willow area. These are all a work in progress.
This winter and last, we have been planting new hedgerows, shelterbelts, a woodland strip and food forest trees, including shelterbelts of Autumn Olive and Sea Buckthorn, top fruit and nuts, various berries and some ground cover strawberries and herbs plus other perennials. The food forest is well underway.
Our aim is to focus on perennial polyculture across the entire farm and employ a no-till approach.
how to find us
Tree of Life Farm, Shepherd’s Hill, Selling, near Faversham, Kent. ME13 9RS. Here is a dropped pin.
Please do ring Jo (07912 087599) on the day if you cannot find us.
agroforestry open weekend 2024
Over Agroforestry Open Weekend 2023 we will be open on the 17th from 11am to 2pm and on the 18th from 1 to 4pm.
Jo will be giving tours at 11.30 on the 17th and 1.30 on the 18th. Maximum of 15 people per tour. We will add more times if there is demand. We are asking for £5/adult for the tour, including refreshments.
Please let us know that you are coming by texting Jo on 07912 087599. This will help us with car parking and refreshments.
We are a veganic farm – please do not bring any non-vegan food onto the site. Thank you 🙂
facilities/refreshments
We have a compost loo on site.
parking/access
We are 25 minutes walk from Selling Station.
If driving, please park in the area marked once you enter the farm.
dogs
Dogs are welcome as long as their human companions are well-behaved 😉
disability access
Our site is mainly flat and grassland. There is only a hard standing track at the entrance area. You should be OK with an off-road wheelchair as long as the weather has not been too wet. Please contact us to check.
more information?
Please text Jo to book your place: 07912 087599.
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