
Smiling Tree Farm
Shropshire UK
[email protected]
http://smilingtreefarm.com
My Bio:
Christine owns and runs Smiling Tree Farm, a 70 acre pastoral farm that is home to a beef suckler herd of Traditional Hereford cattle, a micro-dairy herd of Jersey cows who keep their calves at foot and a small flock of Shetland sheep. Raised exclusively on diverse pastures, wildflower meadows, special fields of herbs, and browsing trees, these native and rare breeds produce flavoursome, nutrient-rich, ethical meat and raw milk using Pasture for Life, organic, permaculture and Holistic Management practices. All produce is sold direct to the end consumer in an almost closed-loop system.
Christine completed the introductory and advanced training modules of Holistic Management with Kirk Gadzia in 2014 and further training with Owen Hablutzel in 2015. Since 2014 Smiling Tree Farm has been run following the principles of Holistic Management within the context of delivering the triad of environmental, social wellbeing and economically sound outcomes. The foundation of these three interconnected goals is the desire to raise healthy, contented animals on a natural diet whilst using tools, like holistic planned grazing, that mimic natural processes to improve soil health, sequester carbon and support the wider ecology and biosphere. This environmentally sustainable system delivers very high animal welfare and exceptionally flavoured, nutrient-rich produce that, in turn, provides an economically sustainable business without dependence on government subsidy.
Christine strives to continually learn from her own practices and from others, constantly observing effects and adjusting practices as needed to gain desired results. Christine aims to enlighten those interested in this more ethical way of farming through written articles for her own and other websites, social media and by welcoming visitors, consumers, other farmers and the next generation to the farm.