Cotswolds farmer boosts biodiversity with

Henry Astor is harvesting his heritage wheat crop earlier than ever on his 490-hectare Cotswolds farm. His shift from conventional farming is attracting red-listed birds and building a business that bypasses commodity markets.

Astor says Britain has lost 73 million birds since 1970. On his farm, however, he ringed 23 barn owls, three kestrels, and two little owls this year. He also reports clouds of goldfinch, chaffinch, and greenfinch. A yellowhammer was seen perched nearby.

Biodiversity Restoration Efforts

Between 30,000 and 40,000 trees have been planted at Bruern Farms over the past decade. A 17-hectare agroforestry section mixes wheat with heritage apple varieties. Wildflower meadows are rebuilding soil fertility.

Astor co-founded the North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster. As part of its obligations, a plot is left for bird feeding. According to cluster co-chair Tim Field, this has resulted in flocks of linnets, goldfinch, and chaffinch across 40 farms. One farm saw more than 400 teal in a wetland area.

Astor and neighbouring farmers have 800 hectares of floodplain meadow under restoration. Another 3,000 hectares have been set aside for flood mitigation along the River Evenlode.

Tim Field is unconvinced by the government's "30 by 30" nature restoration plans. He argues farmer groups are not getting deserved recognition. He claims aggregated farms are more powerful for landscape restoration than public or NGO-driven schemes.

A Return to Heritage Grains

Astor returned to run the family farm in 2017. He found it had become a wholly arable operation focused on maximum yield. Profits were minimal. He says wheat farmers grow a commodity that decreases in value yearly while costs for machinery and chemicals rise.

The transition began with an "awakening" at a supermarket. Astor saw a bag of flour priced at £1.20, while he was selling wheat for 15p a kilo. In 2020, he was approached by Fielden whisky to grow heritage grains on 140 hectares.

He now grows varieties like red lammas, orange devon, and kent old hoary. He also uses "population wheat" containing 30-40 varieties grown together. Proponents say heritage wheat is more nutrient-dense and results in more digestible bread. When stoneground, it retains more nutrients than conventional wheat.

Building a Direct Supply Chain

In 2021, baker Helen Evans inquired about Astor's wheat. At the time, he was still sending grain to a commercial mill. These mills reject about 60% of conventional grain for low protein content.

Astor began personally delivering 300kg of flour a week to Evans's bakery, Flor. He bought his own mill. The mill now operates as a separate business, paying his farm £800 a tonne for heritage grain instead of the commodity market price of £600.

He now supplies more than 40 bakeries. Last year, the Gail's bakery chain introduced a Bruern Farms sourdough. It will launch on Ocado in September and in Waitrose in November.

Astor's goal is to mill 500 tonnes a year. This would let him reduce cropping by half, promote biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions, and run a viable business. He harvested 190 tonnes of heritage wheat this year, up from 48 tonnes last year. He expects to reach 500 tonnes by 2028.

Challenges and a Broader Vision

Changing the crop does not solve everything. Soil samples showed low mineral content, partly due to heavy clay soil that slows drainage and microbial activity.

The farm has not used pesticides in 15 years. Astor uses "intensive intercropping" with wildflowers to attract predators that feed on aphids. He applies minimal fertiliser and hopes to boost soil with volcanic ash and microbial teas.

Soil expert Carlos Guerra of the University of Coimbra supports this approach. He says modern wheat monocultures simplify soils and landscapes. Replacing them with diverse crops, eliminating pesticides, and planting wildflowers can rebuild soil structure and biodiversity.

Astor hopes his system can be replicated nationally to make farms profitable and boost food security. His vision is nostalgic, inspired by his grandfather's mixed farm that supported a community.

The farm now employs 15 people in a shop and cafe. A 1.2-hectare market garden is run by a nearby restaurant. Local couples graze sheep on the land, integrating them into the crop rotation to help fertilise fields.

"I have three missions," Astor says. "Growing nutritional food, feeding the community, and increasing biodiversity."