Here at the Chedington Estate we pride ourselves on the upkeep of our land, it not only has to look good but be practical for our needs. The estate pasture is made up of traditional grazing and cutting mixes and we have no requirement for modern rye grasses.

When it comes to grazing, we graze on a mixed species basis to help naturally control “worm burden” and weeds. This allows us to manage the land without using chemicals unnecessarily.

Our soils vary across the estate, we have flint, loam and chalk and the higher ground leading to more peaty loam on the lower lying pastures, we also have a band of Dorset greensand that runs right across the estate, which enriches our grass with natural minerals and trace-elements.

We now make more than 800 tons of haylage and hay yearly, which we use as feed here on the estate or sell on to other discerning buyers. Given the quality we are now producing it allows our animals to eat what we produce all year round with minimal intake of hard feeds.

When an area of land isn’t being used for grazing, it is used for growing crops and haylage.

On average the team produces 150 bales of hay and 350 bales of haylage which are both sold and also used for the lucky horses based at Chedington Equestrian. The team there report that it is particularly effective resulting in plump and shiny-coated horses.

The main season for this is over the spring and early summer, and the farming teams with their impressive tractor fleet often work late into the evening during the couple of days, where they harvest the haylage in mid-June.

The land on the estate has also been used to grow a crop of wheat and forage crops, which include fodder rape for the sheep.

Over time, the aim is to produce crop that can be used as a bio-fuel in private and commercial vehicles, contributing to Chedington Estate’s sustainability vision of becoming carbon-negative.

As well as the agricultural side of the estate, the team also look after the land and buildings for a variety of other areas within the estate.

The private gardens at The Grange are home to a great variety of plant and tree species as well as wildlife. The estate team make sure the grounds are maintained to a very high standard, where developments and improvements are always being made.

There are also specialised areas such as the cross-country arena at the equestrian yard, which requires meticulous upkeep both for safety and presentation.

Weekly and daily tasks include cutting the grass, tree planting and upkeep, and checking the ground and jumping facilities.

The team also look after the grounds, fences, gates, driveways, gardens, training fields, hedgerows (etc!) for the rehabilitation and events venue as well as a number of accommodation properties.