St.Giles Farm – Godshill
Claudia Weis and Eden Cormack have run St.Giles Farm at Godshill since 2017. The 30-acre mixed farm, in its own sloping valley, is named after the church opposite. With areas of species-rich pasture, Claudia and Eden are committed to increasing biodiversity on the site as well as practising biodynamic agriculture, a form of organic farming which treats the land as a self-contained organism and maintains a natural capacity. Together they have been enhancing the landscape by planting hedgerows and trees and building pasture fences, thanks to a Farming in Protected Landscapes grant.
Their rare breed Shetland cattle is very suited to grazing low-input grassland without the need for animal feed. The soil fertility on the land depends on the compost St.Giles farm produces, including from animal manures. Compost covers have been funded, keeping the compost heaps dry in wet winters and prevent nitrates leaching into the ground. Fencing and gates that were also funded were needed to allow rotation of the livestock onto fresh pasture to avoid a build-up of internal parasites and therefore the need to use chemical wormers. The cow manure attracts huge numbers of insects and the farm has reported a significant increase in the bird life on the farm as a result.
Claudia Weis said: ‘Be prepared for hard work. Build up a base of volunteers to draw on for hedge planting and projects where a lot of hands make light work.We are interested in the self-sufficiency of peasant farming and social farming methods as solutions. This project is long-term and it is envisaged for the land to go to the Biodynamic Land Trust and be farmed biodynamically in perpetuity.’
