Farm

History

Bruern Farms sits in the North East corner of the old Norman hunting grounds that comprises the Wychwood Forest and has been providing food for the community for over 1000 years.

In 1946 Michael Astor, bought Bruern Abbey along with 600 acres. Today, the farm has grown to 1200 acres, 350 acres of which is woodland.

This third generation farm is more productive and diverse than ever, providing a range of produce including wheat, barley, sunflowers, poultry, beef, lamb and wild venison. 

Wildlife and Conservation

We are passionate about the environment and have an extensive wildlife and conservation management scheme that is integrated into food production. We plant tens of thousands of trees; wildlife and pollinator corridors as well as create wetlands. As a result our bird and insect life is now thriving.

Over the past 5 years we have partnered with Wild Oxfordshire to create pioneering flood management schemes that are restoring river and wetland habitats. Our work with ASSIST (Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Systems) is helping to develop and test innovative farming systems that increase food production & resilience, while reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. 

Community

Recent events (Brexit and the Covid Crisis) have underscored our belief in food security and the importance of providing food for the local community. 

We are actively involved in a pilot scheme called Partners in Produce that aims to provide affordable food from sustainable sources for the local community. We would like to see all our wheat milled locally and our beef and lamb in pubs, restaurants and homes within our community. 

In 2021 we formally became part of the Northeast Cotswolds Farm Cluster that has been been put together to create extensive wildlife and pollinator corridors as well as address clean water issues along the Evenlode River Valley.