We had a sell out at our first Feast on the Farm event in collaboration with Herefordshire Meadows!
We had a great time at Caradoc on the banks of the River Wye on Wednesay 10th June for our first Feast on the Farm. We were delighted to be joined by Herefordshire Meadows, who work with farmers, landowners, community groups and the wider public to increase awareness and understanding of the natural and cultural heritage of the county's meadows.
Caroline Hanks and Rory Johnson gave an overview of the restoration work Herefordshire Meadows had undertaken in Autumn 2025 on the floodplain meadow on the banks of the River Wye. It was so interesting to hear about these habitats and how the land was prepared for the donated seed (from sites around Herefordshire) and how Dreda and Alice (farm manager) will be managing the meadow going forward. One really interesting and slightly shocking thing we learnt from looking at an old map from the 1840s, was how land use had changed from being 80% pastures and meadows edging the river and 20% arable, to now being 80% arable and 20% pastures and meadows.
Pastures and meadows act as natural carbon and water storage sinks, which can be an important buffer in slowing the flow of water in the Winter months and during flooding. Whereas water will wash off arable soils (particularly when they are bare) and wash valuable nutrients into the river, well managed pastures and floodplain meadows hold on to the moisture, allowing it percolate through the soil horizon, keeping the nutrients in the soil. Not only do the meadows and pastures provide flood resilience, they also provide all manner of species for the cows to browse on both in the field and as hay in the winter. By eating a natural diet of grasses, herbs and legumes, the cows get the nutrition they need without the need for imported feed, producing a nutrient dense food. More information on pasture based farming can be found here at Pasture for Life.
We then came back up to the manificent barn where we had our feast, bringing the land and the food we eat together. We ate delicious burgers from the farm, cooked up by Nicki and Stone from Cookhouse on the Hill . It was a brilliant start to the project and such a great way to link up the vibrant and healthy landscapes we want to see in our county, with the food we eat and the choices we can make to support this work with the pound in our pockets. If you would like to support Caradoc then consider buying their meat and charcoal from their online Caradoc Farm Shop.