FACE annual meeting 2010 Leckford Estate

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Had an interesting day at the Leckford Estate, (after finding the Village Hall as my sat nav doesn't quite pin point the whole postcode! )
John Lee (Chairman of FACE) set the scene for the day and we had a welcome and introduction by Malcolm Crabtree (Managing Director of Leckford) who gave us an insight into the afternoon's trip.
The estate is a worker's democracy it was purchased my John Spedan Lewis of Oxford Street London in 1928 and formed into a Ltd company in 1929 and now forms an important part of Waitrose.
The Leckford Farm:

• produces 30 ton of mushrooms per week
• 230 acres of fruit but the harvest this year is less than last year being approx 800 ton not 1200 ton
• Organic processing dairy unit
• Winter Wheat milled into Leckford Flour
• Oats
• Spring Barley
• Free range Egg Flocks
• Free range Chicken flock

We were then given a talk by Amanda Dance Event and Education Manger followed by Mary Noyce Consultant to the Rural dimension.
Meg Hart FACE regional co ordinator gave us highlights of the work in her area in the last 12 months and this was followed by Bill Graham on FACE's acheivements this year.
John Lee summed up the presentations and asked Sir Don Curry to give the closing remarks which gave us a positive outlook for the future of farm education and working with partners to acheive this.
After a superb lunch from the farm produce we climbed aboard the tractor and trailers for a very informative tour of the Farm and Longstock Park Water Gardens