Trees planted at popular ice cream farm as part of agroforestry scheme
A popular ice cream farm in Cheshire is set to introduce more flavours to its menu thanks to the range of trees they’ve planted this season as part of an agroforestry scheme. Snugbury’s is a family run ice cream parlour, operating alongside the farm business, which grows organic grass. Using Trees for Climate funding they’ve planted over 2,300 trees on their site near Nantwich.
If you’ve driven past Snugbury’s recently you will have noticed the widely spaced rows of trees in the field along the A51. These are agro-forestry and are a mixture of 5 different walnut and 5 different cobb (hazel) nut varieties being grown with the aim of future nut production. Around the boundaries are mixed broadleaves, with additional damson, pear and greengage fruit trees.
The owner had done lots of research around agroforestry and worked alongside local farming advisors, ELM associates, to design a planting scheme which would work alongside their business.
Key features include:
- Walnut and hazelnut trees have been planted in rows, 36 meters apart, to allow machinery to fit in between the rows.
- The nut and fruit trees will provide additional flavours for the ice cream business.
- Landowner keen to farm with nature.
Project description
Cheryl Sadler first learnt about agroforestry from a project in the Amazon. After visiting a farm in Wem, who was doing silvo-farming, she decided it was something she’d like to introduce on her family farm in Cheshire.
Working alongside their farm advisor, ELM Associates, to select suitable species that could be incorporated into the ice cream business, whilst benefiting the organic grass farm, they decided to plant a mixture of nut and fruit trees.
The nut trees have been planted in rows spaced 36 meters apart, with grassland in between, which is a herbal ley, so that machinery can get around the trees to silage this several times over the summer months.
Cheryl explained: “Trying to farm using nature seems like a better way forward. The benefits seem so logical, you are helping the wildlife, helping the soil structure and it just seems a sustainable model to follow.”
The trees planted around the edges of the site will also help with biodiversity and will help the landowner’s objectives to attract more wildlife to the site.
Project impact
Contribution to Net Zero: The newly planted trees are set to play a crucial role in the UK’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, absorbing carbon as they grow.
Nature and Biodiversity: The addition of the fruit and nut trees will boost biodiversity, providing a food source for wildlife and a nectar source for pollinators.
Public access and community engagement: The public visiting the site will be able to see the trees from the fields alongside the ice cream business.
Agroforestry: This is a unique agroforestry project, providing benefits for both the organic grass farm and the ice cream business, whilst improving the soil quality and benefiting the local wildlife
Video U-Tube Links
https://youtu.be/2cDokuzguR8?si=hckw3Qgm1tqpgz7r
https://youtube.com/shorts/u91w7oUxn0o
