Happy Birthday, Hope Farm!

It’s been 25 years since we bought this arable farm in Cambridgeshire, during which time species such as Grey Partridge, Lapwing and Corn Bunting have returned to breed, and numbers of nesting Yellowhammers have doubled, nesting Skylarks trebled and nesting Linnets quadrupled. Butterfly numbers have quadrupled, too, and wintering birds have increased; the farm supports more than 200 Yellowhammers and Linnets as well as 100+ Skylarks. This was made possible by managing 10% of the farm as wildlife habitat while also maintaining Hope Farm as a profitable business.

Hope Farm trials and demonstrates nature-friendly farming methods by learning with other farmers and eNGOs as well as collaborating with environmental and agricultural research bodies. Recently, we adjusted crop management, stopped using insecticides, reduced use of pesticides and boosted organic matter in the soil.

Hope Farm, field of Rape, Dec 1999_1015550_Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Field of Rape at Hope Farm in December 1999. Photo: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Field of tall, yellow wheat, with a path running through it, going into the distance

Arable wheat fields at Hope Farm just prior to the harvest, August 2000_1015360_Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

During the first five years, only wheat and oilseed rape were the only crops grown on Hope Farm. Photo: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Yellow wheat fields framed by trees in shadow, against a blue sky

Arable wheat fields at Hope Farm just prior to the harvest, August 2000_1015358_Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Arable wheat fields at Hope Farm just prior to the harvest, August 2000. Photo: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Hope Farm_1009626_Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

There are currently 142 hectares of cropped area at Hope Farm. Photo: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Corn Bunting 1019692 Tom Marshall (rspb-images.com)

Well over a hundred Corn Bunting now overwinter at Hope Farm. Photo: Tom Marshall (rspb-images.com)

Skylark 2217162 Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Skylark and Lapwing plots provide safe nesting places for these birds. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Lapwing 2220267 Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Lapwings have returned as a breeding species at Hope Farm. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Grey Partridge 2275988 Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Numerous Grey Partridge can be seen on the farm. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

A flock of Yellowhammer lift off next to a hedgerow on the edge of a field

Yellowhammer flock lifting off from path back into hedgerow, RSPB Hope Farm_2275859_Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Yellowhammer flock at RSPB Hope Farm. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Watch the videos below to learn more about work at Hope Farm as well as which species rely on farmland for their survival.

Nature-friendly farming at Hope Farm. Video: The RSPB

Ten birds that need farmland. Video: The RSPB

Bake for nature

Help Corn Buntings by baking with Hope Farm’s YQ wheat flour. Aiding this RSPB Fair to Nature certified farm will directly benefit the ongoing work to provide habitat and food sources for Corn Buntings and many other farmland species.

Buy the flour