The most important factor in Nick’s decision to make this huge life change was the difference he knew the farm could make to the planet.
“What attracted me to the farm was the fact that it was organic,” he says. “Emily’s family had started converting back in the 1980s. I finished the job and converted the small remaining area 6 years ago. We have truly diverse cropping and livestock, more people employed, and really exciting and pioneering customers – all wrapped up in a sustainable farming model that benefits the soil, humans, and wildlife.”
Clearly, Nick was firmly bitten by the farming bug. These days he’s true organic expert, as evidenced by Bagthorpe Farm’s speciality: onions, a notoriously tricky crop for organic farmers.
“We are one of the biggest growers of organic onions in the UK, which is perhaps the definition of madness given how difficult they are to grow organically!” says Nick.
Thankfully, the farm’s soils are light, free-draining, sandy loams – ideal for growing onions and root crops. Being in the drier east of the country, they are also able to store their onions snugly over winter without them rotting; something we can’t manage in damp Devon. Before his forays into finance or farming, Nick studied French and Italian at Exeter University. The influence of these cultures and traditions has carried through into his farming; “I have lived in both countries, and visit them most years with my family (I hope I don’t drag them there!). I particularly enjoy the food… I feel that they are two countries who really get organic farming, as can be seen by the prevalence of organic food wherever you are over there.”
But Bagthorpe Farm’s sustainability goes above and beyond organic. “We have solar panels on our barns, and I’ve fitted inverters on all my fans and irrigation pumps, which enable us to be very energy efficient.” Social sustainability is important as well. Nick is helped on the farm by a tight-knit team of four full-time staff. “We also have plenty of seasonal workers on the farm, many of whom are returnees year after year. We really value the commitment and experience they bring to the job, too,” he says.
So what’s most unique about Bagthorpe Farm? “Every farm is unique,” says Nick. “But I believe Bagthorpe is a good example of a mixed organic farm that’s been commercially successful for over three decades. We have proved that organic farming can be extremely productive at the same time as delivering all the environmental benefits.” This is a vital point, especially for other farmers who may need a little encouragement to take the leap into organic.
If you want to really get to know your onions, you can visit Bagthorpe Farm yourself, where Emily has been running a glamping site for over 13 years. “We have a geo-dome, and an amazing bespoke wood cabin, both off-grid in the heart of the farm. They do offer an oasis of quiet to those who stay – and yet we are 15 minutes from the busy North Norfolk coast.” Sounds good to us.
