A STUNNING West Devon farm has won the accolade of Britain?s ?Most Beautiful? Organic Farm. Fishleigh Estate near Hatherleigh triumphed in the competition organised by Bayer Crop Science and Farm Life magazine. The award was presented by James Paice MP, shadow minister for agriculture, at a winner?s luncheon ceremony held at Kensington Roof Gardens in London. Estate manager Peter Walter accompanied Sharon and Gemma Sargent from the farm to the stylish ceremony, featuring a tasty lunch and a classical quartet playing in the background, to pick up their glass plaque as winners. The 162-hectare Fishleigh Estate is the home of BBC?s Springwatch programme and produces quality organic beef, lamb and poultry. The judges were impressed with the farm?s commitment to an environmentally sustainable farming system, living in harmony with nature. Countryside Stewardship Schemes, organic production and monitored populations of bird and wildlife are all part of the environmental work carried out on the estate by Peter Walters and his team. Estate owner Ian Sargeant said he was ?very pleased? to win the award. ?It reinforces the belief in what we are doing here,? he said. Mr Sargent said Fishleigh, in conjunction with Dartmoor Happy Hogs at Whiddon Down, had another reason to celebrate as at the recent Taste of the West Awards, its products won two golds, a silver and a bronze. Mr Sargeant said: ?Our golds were for dry cured streaky bacon and a pork, apple and sage burger. The awards cover the six counties of the West Country and I counted 37 gold awards for Devon, which is good.? Ten farms made it to the shortlist and underwent a rigorous assessment by a judging panel which included Cedric Porter, editor of Farm Life magazine, Caroline Drummond, chief executive of LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), Joachim Schneider, UK managing director of Bayer CropScience, John Pelham, partner at Andersons Farm Business Consultants, and Charlie Sainsbury-Place, rural photographer. In particular, the judges were looking for farms that were actively providing protection and enhancement of the environment, have proven profitability, show social responsibility within the rural environment and meet end-market challenges in order to build consumer confidence and promote a positive image for UK agriculture.
