Nigel Elgar14 July 2010
Cannon Farm was one of the pioneers of modern organic farming, achieving full organic status in 1993.
The hill farm is a partnership managed by Nigel Elgar, who has lived and worked there since 1986.
Cannon Farm is spread over the wild uplands of the historic county of Montgomeryshire in mid Wales. The farm consists of 342 hectares of grazing and 25 hectares of woodland.
The farm has both cows (20 Welsh Black and 20 Highland) and sheep (500 Welsh Hill Speckled Face ewes).
The majority of the livestock is sold through Graig Producers, an independent organic meat marketing group. They also sell highland beef directly to customers.
Better ways than imported soy
The animals are not given soy feed, but are grazed on a mix of natural and improved pastures. The grazing is divided into natural hill grazing (moorland), improved pasture and semi-improved hay meadows.
The animals are fed on white clover leys producing high protein silage which is both cheaper and labour saving compared to bought in protein.
Nigel Elgar
Nigel opted for alternatives to soy because of the "cost, the availability of organic feed and the knowledge that there are alternative ways of providing protein for ruminants."
As a farm we see environmental management as a key part of our business plan. Because we are organic we have had to look at alternative management to maximise output and reduce cost.
Nigel Elgar
More than just meat
Cannon Farm has won a number of awards for their work including
- National Sheep Association/Farmers Weekly Sheep Farming And Conservation Award 1997
- 1997 Organic Food Awards and the Organic Food Product of the Year in the fresh meat category.
But the farm actively produces much more than just good quality meat. They have a comprehensive programme of hedge planting, shelter belt establishment, dry stone walling and maintain the traditional farm buildings to improve the wildlife habitat and conserve a traditional hill farming landscape.
The farm hosts many threatened species of bird such as black grouse, hen harrier, curlew and lapwing. There are also 50 acres of shelterbelts planted as well as hedgerow restoration.
Nigel Elgar
© Nigel Elgar
