Sold-out Nottinghamshire summer visit and AGM proves a hit with members
CLA members hear about the transformation of a traditional Nottinghamshire estate
More than 100 CLA members gathered at Hexgreave Estate for the Nottinghamshire summer visit and AGM.
The day provided an opportunity for CLA members to hear about the transformation of this traditional Nottinghamshire estate and go behind the scenes of Strawson Ltd, the family farming business that specialises in cereal and vegetable production.
The Strawson family have farmed locally for over 40 years and bought Hexgreave in 1996. Guests at the event heard how the family went about the complete refurbishment of the estate and buildings, which has created a busy business park. This includes 15,000 square feet of office space and 7 live/work properties.
The estate has its own district heating system using willow grown on the estate. The visit included a tour of the Strawson Ltd factory which processes around a thousand tonnes of packed carrots and two hundred tonnes of packed parsnips a week. The business was founded in 2002 and manages circa 4,500 hectares of growing operations.
During the tour guests saw where the vegetables are washed, cooled, size graded and packed in varying sizes ready for distribution to British supermarkets and the wholesale trade.
The environment is an important consideration to the family with approximately 1000 acres of land in environmental schemes and they are adapting their farming practices towards regenerative agriculture.
During the day members had the opportunity to see the estate’s medieval deer park.
This visit was by kind permission of the Strawson family.
Barclays, Chaverys, Farol, Brown & Co and Forestry Commission kindly sponsored the event.
