New calf at Churctown Farm
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An award-winning Scillonian flower farming family has introduced cows to help improve the
condition of their land.
The Julians, who run the postal flower delivery service Scent From the Islands from Churchtown Farm on the off-island of St Martin’s, have taken delivery of a Devon Red cow. Two weeks later she produced a healthy bull calf.
The idea is that the bovine mother and son will graze on land that is too low in quality to produce the scented pinks and narcissi the farm has become famous for to help keep it in good condition and encourage greater biodiversity.
Zoe said: “We’ve been thinking about getting involved with conservation grazing for some time. Some of our land just isn’t suitable for growing flowers and it was beginning to turn into scrubland.
“The cows will keep the land in much better condition and that will encourage a greater variety of wild flowers to grow, which in turn will attract a greater variety of insects. All in all it will benefit wildlife, the landscape and the islands.”
The cow, Valentina, came from the island of St Mary’s. She was part of a herd being developed there by the Wildlife Trust for conservation grazing. Co-owner of Scent from the Islands, Zoe Julian, explained that the herd is to expand in the next few weeks when Valentina and her calf, Moo, will be joined by two more beef cows.
They have beenselected from a herd in Tiverton managed by Land Steward for the Isles of Scilly Chris Gregory. Both will arrive either in calf or with a calf at foot. Chris, a keen advocate of conservation grazing, said: “I’m pleased to see that suckler cows are returning to Churchtown Farm, providing an opportunity not only to graze some of the poorer pastures but also to utilise the grass leys that are put down as a rotational break between flower crops.
This scheme has particular incentives to encourage the extensive grazing of grassland using traditional husbandry, which will hopefully make endeavours, such as the Julian’s, much more viable.”
Media enquiries: Sue Bradbury PR Tel: 01872 863863
Ends 2 August 2010
