A 2,500-acre organic estate situated on the Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire border has announced new tenants who will take on a 25-year tenancy.
Amy and Lance Charity will manage the Paget Estate's Hungary Lane Farm, which will become the estate's sixth organic farm.
The new tenants, who have taken on a 25-year tenancy for the farm, both come from a family of farmers and previously leased a council farm holding.
Hungary Lane Farm is a 275-acre formally biodynamic, arable and livestock farm that will be used to create a diverse range of organic farming and craft activities.
Amy and Lance have a flock of 200 pedigree polled Dorset sheep, a breed which has the unique ability to lamb out of season in September.
A proportion of lamb will be sold to Waitrose as part of the Dorset scheme and will provide a year-round supply of 100% British lamb.
Amy said the move was an "exciting leap" for the family. "As well as the continuing as an organic arable farm, the new farm shop will stock our own organic produce from our farm and market garden, including eggs, lamb and eventually pork," she said.
"We also have a food prep kitchen ‘Hungary Lane Bakes’ which will launch soon offering brownies, bakes and cookie slices.”
Lance and Amy say they are committed to the principles of regenerative agriculture, looking after soils and increasing biodiversity.
They plan to continue bi-cropping, which means growing a spring crop legume, alongside wheat, and will supply local mills with both heritage and more commercial wheats.
Speaking about the move, Lance said that the family's focus would be on producing good quality locally grown food that is 100% traceable.
He said: “We aren't here to grow to astronomical levels, we are here to supply and support our local community, the villages, towns and cities around us.
"The landowner, Joanna Herbert-Stepney is hugely supportive of organic farming principles and has been extremely welcoming, taking a keen interest in our story and farming practices.
"We are very grateful to have this excellent opportunity to become part of the Paget Estate."
Alongside the farm, the couple also run an embroidery business called ‘Needle in a Haystack’ which already has a full order book offering personalised workwear to local business, schools and clubs.
