At Hope Farm, the RSPB has been working for nearly 25 years to farm in a way that works with nature, helps tackle the climate crisis, and grows good food.

Wildlife needs healthy and diverse habitats to thrive and at the same time farming needs healthy wildlife to secure food production. Because Hope Farm is an RSPB Fair to Nature certified farm, it follows the science-backed standard and ensures at least 10% of the farmed area is working for nature through various habitats.  

Georgie Bray, RSPB Hope Farm Manager says, “What’s special about Hope Farm is the audible sound of nature which is now thriving on the farm. Butterflies have increased by 400% and breeding birds by around 175%.  These stats are incredible, but they don’t quite capture the literal buzz around the place”.  

Fat Bird of the Barley

Corn Buntings, endearingly termed The Fat Bird of the Barley, used to be a reasonably common bird in the English countryside. They are a plain and dumpy brown bird, evolved to thrive in a slightly scruffy cropped habitat. They are well adapted to nesting in cereal crops and feeding on the fat heads of seed that would either be ready to harvest or left behind after harvest and overwinter.  

In the last 60 years, Corn Buntings have declined by 83%, driven largely by changes in farming.   

Being a Fair to Nature certified farm, Hope Farm’s approach supports red-listed species such as the Corn Bunting.  Eight hectares of wildflower habitats create a network across our farm for insects to thrive. Hedgerows are managed to deliver an abundance of insect food with taller scruffy bits serving as potential territory-holding beacons.  

YQ wheat 

Growing YQ wheat is an important part of the diverse crop rotation on the farm. It is a crop that really suits farming with nature in mind because it is more resilient to pests and needs less inputs. 

In 2024, Hope Farm hosted at least four Corn Bunting territories on the farm, singing from the hedgerows and in our crops. Recently there have been overwintering flocks, including well over a hundred Corn Bunting, and several hundred Linnets using a cover crop, a special crop sown to protect the soil from erosion and to provide food and shelter for insects and birds.  

Baking for Nature

We are delighted to announce that Hope Farm’s YQ wheat flour is now available to buy from Hodmedod’s. You will be able to see the RSPB Fair to Nature logo on the pack- meaning this product came from this RSPB Fair to Nature certified farm.   

YQ wheat flour has great texture and flavour, and is suitable for pastry, cakes, and sourdough breads. But don’t just take our word for it – get your hands on a bag and get baking for nature! 

Image credits: rspb-images.com