Talk and Tour at Travellers Rest Farm

George farms 2000 acres rented from the Bryanston estate with his brother Dougal and it has been in the same family since 1960. Travellers Rest Farm stretches around Durweston village. Much of the farm lies within the South Wessex Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area and the Dorset National Landscape. The farm is crossed by countless public rights of way which are regularly used by walkers and riders.

They grow crops of wheat, barley, rapeseed, beans, and oats, plus grass and herbal mixtures for their animals, a suckler herd producing prime beef from pasture, and a small sheep flock to entertain visits from schools, who come to the farm to learn about food and how it is produced, as well as to enjoy curriculum linked cookery sessions. The Hosfords believe that a farm can be a remarkably effective and stimulating classroom, with relevance to most of the subjects taught in school.

Since 2022 they have moved their crop growing in a regenerative direction, which simply means concentrating more on soil health and productivity, with less reliance on artificial fertilisers and chemicals. Sometimes they sow two crops together, for special contracts, and grow a great many ‘cover crops’ which can protect the soil from rain over winter, and provide late season supplies of food for pollinators. Bird food, flower margins around the arable crops, downland reversion, pollen and nectar mixes and hedge planting or laying are all supported by environmental schemes they have been part of for many years. The hedges have been surveyed by the Great Big Dorset Hedge Team – Dorset CPRE has provided funded for this initiative across the county. There are also 25 hectares of woodland, some mixed deciduous and some plantation.

A visit to Travellers Rest Farm is an opportunity for CPRE members to learn about environmentally responsible farming, environment funding schemes and the challenges farmers face with wildly fluctuating weather.

Book for farm visit

What to bring for the Talk and Farm Tour?
Best to bring stout walking shoes as some of the farm is on a slope. If inclement weather is predicted, please dress appropriately and the introduction talk will be under cover. Welcome to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy after the farm tour. Sorry, no dogs.

PROGRAMME

Directions to the farm – meeting point

Travellers Rest Farm, Durweston, Blandford Forum, DT11 0QG

The farm can be approached via Milton Lane, a steepish single track lane from Durweston Village off the A357 for those coming from the North or West, or via New road and then Milton Lane from Blandford (Tesco roundabout) if coming from South or East. Sat nav will bring you to the farm at DT11 0QG.

Google Maps for directions – 50.8662692,-2.230298

How to book
We hope very much that you will be able to come, the numbers are limited to 45. Dorset CPRE is extremely grateful to the George for kindly agreeing to host this visit on Thursday morning, 21^st May.

There is no fixed charge, however, we recommend a donation of £5 per person which will be collected on the day and George will donate the funds to a farming charity.

If you would like to come, please select the ‘Book Now’ link.  We encourage members to car share where possible.

Book for farm visit