Cutting meadows for silage to provide fodder for cattle during the winter
Farming and Forestry on the Coombe Lodge and Langford Court Estate
As a part of our in-hand farming operation our pedigree herd of Red Ruby Devon beef cattle are grazed on the Mendip hills, or on our lower land in winter. Some of you may have met on them on Blackdown or Burrington Ham?
In cooperation with the Exmoor ponies, these cattle are extremely effective at managing the tough vegetation on the moorland, maintaining a naturally balanced environment for flora and birds.
As a very low intensity farm, we look to provide natural habitats for wildlife and bird life in all areas of the Estate.
We are looking to reinstate hedgerows and dew ponds, where appropriate.
We grow a small amount of Winter Barley on the estate to provide additional feed for Beef cattle during winter and for the pheasants
Some of our woodland is currently being thinned to open up the understory for natural regeneration and improved habitats for birds and other creatures. We are also dealing with extensive ash die-back across the estate, so if you see trees being felled, including within Burrington Coombe, this is very likely to be the reason.
