We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Cornwall Otter has been awarded to Geoff Williams of Tretharrup Farm located in Helston. The Cornwall Otter trophy is awarded to farmers who are committed to wildlife conservation and sustainable farming. 

 

Tretharrup Farm is a beef farm housing 280 cattle and a range of grasslands, woodlands, combinable and daffodils. In the last 5 years the farms artificial fertiliser inputs have been reduced by 50% and continue to increase. They have also reduced ploughing and heavy cultivation, which is lowering their co2 outputs. The farm has solar panels and they are currently working with us in hopes to use the farm for bird surveying. 

 

The judges explained that "the condition of the cattle spoke for themselves as did the buzz and heady aroma of the very diverse leys", as well as complimenting how tidy the farm was which is "always a sign of well-motivated and organised farmer". 

This photos shows the beef cattle at Tretharrup Farm, taken during the judging tour. 

 

The judges noted the investment by the farm Partnership in the farm infrastructure, fences and tracks and the cattle handling system included improvements to the existing hedges and new lengths being carefully nurtured.

 

              

Winner, Geoff Williams pictured on the left with a photo of the improved fence on the right. 

  

We would like to thank and congratulate Philip Kadner who is our runner up for the Cornwall Otter. Many thanks too to our long-standing Cornwall Otter judges Sonia Oates, Simon Trehane and James Lyall for taking the time to visit the farms, and who's expertise we would be lost without. 

There will be a farm walk hosted next spring at Tretharupp Farm, so make sure you keep an eye on the website where we will be posting more information in due course! Huge congratulations again to Geoff Williams.