Nottinghamshire farmer plants 'edible woodland'

David Rose with Shona Martin of the Woodland Trust and some of the fruit that Home Farm will grow. Picture:  Toby Roberts/WTML

An array of locally-grown fruit will be added to the menu in Nottinghamshire following the planting of an "edible woodland" by a dedicated farmer in partnership with the Woodland Trust.

David Rose is turning six-and a half hectares of arable land at Home Farm, Screveton, by planting more than 4,000 fruit and nut trees. The hard work was done last month when volunteers turned up at the progressive farm to plant the young trees and bushes.

Fruit species include apples, pears, cherry, wild cherry, plum, currants, gooseberry, raspberry, damson, whitebeam, elder, mulberry, wild service tree, apricot, quince, lime, Japanese silverberry, rowan, dog rose, sea buckthorn, medlar, hawthorn and crab apple.

The fruit should be available from the farm and local greengrocers after five years. The nut trees should be producing sweet chestnuts, walnuts, hazels and almonds after ten years.

David said: "Farming is going through such changes and there needs to be a way that smaller or medium sized farms can have an opportunity to have a sustainable business.

"I believe that agro-forestry gives that opportunity to produce food in a way that maximises the potential of every acre.

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