Members and Friends of FWAG SouthWest and local guests were welcomed into the White Barn at Frogmary Green Farm by Nick and Claire Bragg one sunny evening in mid-July of this year. The farm walk about to take place was planned to showcase all the fantastic environmental and commercial efforts at the farm, highlighting the reasons as to why they were awarded the prestigious county Somerset Otter Award for long-term commitment to wildlife conservation and sustainable farming.

    

 

Greeted with tea and cake, Nick introduced the farm in the setting of the wildflower meadow, which is seeded annually. Frogmary Green Farm is a commercial farming operation with a 3.5mw Anaerobic Digester (AD) (gas to grid), HGV’s, café, wedding space (The White Barn), day spa, flower shop, shepherds huts, classroom, and landscaped gardens. The poultry business on-site is now rented to another local poultry farmer, however, the waste from the poultry is additionally used as fuel for the AD plant and the onsite heat and power generation is used by the producer to heat and power the poultry houses. Frogmary Green Farm have a 50kWh solar array that is roof mounted and produces electricity directly to the main farm buildings. The energy efficiency is very impressive, being 95% self-sufficient in power through the use of a combine heat and power plant powered from the AD plant and two wood chip boilers. The AD plant, which is fed with around 60% agricultural waste from local sources, additionally provides power to around 12,000 homes. The farm hosts one of FWAG SW’s farm plastic recycling days in spring each year, and they have additional waste recycling programmes in place for metal, oil, cardboard and wood.

   

 

The diversification on the farm is impressive, and public engagement is encouraged. Nick and Claire have given over a large area of their land solely to wildlife and public access. Within the gardens, two large ponds which provide wonderful habitat for wildlife as well as housing a naturally colonised carp population. The gardens are accessible to café guests and are a fantastic resource for the local community. Frogmary Green Farm are actively involved with Open Farm Sunday, and this year they welcomed over 3,000 guests to the farm on the day.

The school classroom has been a great educational resource for many school children and groups to learn more about the environment, food and farming. Nick and Claire kindly allowed the local infant school to use this classroom over COVID, and its now regularly used for holiday clubs, before & after school clubs along with the infants school. Claire is very proud that some local school children can say they ‘went to school at Frogmary!’

    

 

Frogmary Green Farm employ around 50 staff, and directors Nick and Claire take an active working role. Staff welfare and development through training and enhancing knowledge is very important to Frogmary Green Farm, opening up new opportunities and positions for their employees as they progress within their roles.

It was clear to guests on the evening that this is an impressive farm business. Nick and Claire take real care and consideration on the farm, and they are constantly finding new ways to preserve and create habitat areas. There are currently 25 acres of margins on the farm and 5km of newly planted hedgerow. The array of habitat is impressive, and Nick and Claire are keen to continue expanding and learning as they go.

After the walk, guests gathered back in the White Barn for a tasty supper of pork rolls and roast potatoes and departed after feeling inspired and well fed!

A huge thank you to Nick and Claire for being such welcoming hosts, sharing your home with us for the evening.

If you would like to know more about the Somerset Otter Award, click here…