Did you know that we provide Red Squirrel Boxes on farms producing Natures Nest Eggs?
our producers – Welcome to David & Angela’s Farm
Egg Code: 1UK18400
The hen that laid your egg lives on a farm in the Upper Eden Valley in Cumbria, just north of the Lake District National Park.
About the farmers
David and Angela farmed a mixed farm, producing milk from their dairy herd and cereal crops to sell grain. It was a serious farm fire in 2005 that gave them the chance to rethink how they wanted to farm in the future. This very quickly resulted in their first flock of free range hens and the whole family are involved – including their two children.
They are now dedicated egg producers who place great emphasis on maintaining a happy, healthy flock and creating the right environment for them to prosper.
Creating the right environment for happy hens
To help with the welfare of their birds and care of the environment the farm has a bio-diversity action plan, which includes considerate care of hedgerows, planting of trees and allowing cover to grow for wildlife.
In the winter of 2007/8 the family worked with the Farming Wildlife Advisory Group to create a plan that would enhance the ranging area for their hens and give benefit to local species of mammal, plant and insects.
Planting:
The farm planted a combination of trees and shrubs, some quick growing, others taking longer to develop. The planting included Ash, Downy Birch and Rowan trees along with Sessile Oaks and Bird Cherry, Horse Chestnuts and a few Spruce trees. For the hedgerows a variety of different shrubs were selected including: Hazel, Dog Rose, Crab Apple, Guelder Rose and more than 700 Hawthorn and 400 Blackthorn shrubs.
Supporting rare wildlife
In all, the farm has planted 1400 trees and shrubs in recent years. This has massively enhanced the local environment and is encouraging songbirds, butterflies and small mammals. This area is also one of the last bastions of the Red Squirrel.