DHF News: September 2025
All residents of Dennington and Badingham Parishes are invited to an Open Evening and BBQ here at Dennington Hall Farm on September 12th at 4.30. This is our opportunity to show some of what we do and hear your thoughts about the land we farm.
The last few weeks have been very busy. This year, instead of having an Open Farm Sunday we took a stand at the Suffolk Show in the Future4Farming area. With the stand placed beside the Foxhall entrance many thousands of people came past giving us an opportunity to explain some of what we are doing on the farm. Laura, Ryan, Ed, Tim and Kate had an extremely busy two days talking continuously to people. We shared the stand with Restore Ecology, who are helping with our turtle dove restoration project, Nofence, whose collars we use to allow the cattle and goats to graze unfenced areas, Wildfarmed, for whom we are growing wheat and barley, plus we had a drone on the stand to show how new technology is helping farm in different ways. Bruisyard Country Estate provided canapes and showed how the different aspects of farming and hospitality are connected. Although not a competition , I was very proud of the way the team presented what we are doing here. The Suffolk Show is a celebration of much that is special about Suffolk and we all enjoyed being a part of it.
The farm has also become a demonstration farm for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Sixty people from farms and connected rural businesses came round the farm recently on our launch event. This is a three year commitment and our target areas for discussion include succession and sustainability. We have also hosted evening walks for the Country Land and Business Association, Framlingham Farmers’ staff and Harleston Young Farmers. And Teresa, Ryan and Sally have acted as Stewards at the Suffolk Agricultural Association’s School Farm and Country Fair and the Farm Student Day.
Altogether a very busy time and we are beginning to look forward to ordinary farming as harvest approaches! Various farm visits The meat boxes from our small herd of redpolls have been selling well; for those who have not tried them yet the link to order is here https://www.denningtonhallfarms.co.uk/farm-produce. Very many thanks to those who have tried them and for their appreciative comments.
We have been joined in our team here on the farm by Ed Blake, who has moved down from Norfolk, as assistant farm manager, and Matt Wilson (a second Matt on the team), who lives in Wortwell, as sprayer driver. Bradley Leist continues in his key role, while Lucas Foster, Connor Iveson and Jasper Maberly will be joining us for harvest. Sean Howlett continues to look after the hedges.
We look forward to seeing many of you here in September after harvest.
Robert Rous
