Resilient & Ready Mentoring

Nick Down, Yattendon Estates

Resilient and Ready cohort 1 farmer

The first mentoring day was held at Yattendon Estate, a 3,200ha farm in West Berkshire, where Nick Down, a Cohort 1 farmer on the Resilient and Ready programme, welcomed the current Cohort and mentees; Lucy & Nick Tyler from Kingsplay Farming Company and Byrony & Archie Graham from Lodge Farm Essex, along with LEAF and Corteva representatives.

Nick gave an overview of his farm, his progress and goals on the Resilient and Ready programme, and the challenges he faced. His presentation sparked a lively discussion among the farms, who found they had a lot in common despite their differences in size and type of farms. The group then toured the farm and saw how Nick diversified his business and reduced his carbon footprint through various projects with his innovative and sustainable approach to farming. 

The day highlighted the importance of learning from each other and generating new ideas. It was a great source of inspiration and confidence for both cohort 2 farms. 

Andy Bason, Newhouse Farm

Resilient and Ready cohort 1 farmer

The next mentoring session was hosted by Andy Bason in February of 2024 at Newhouse Farm, an 800ha estate in Hampshire. Andy outlined the farming practices of the estate and how they have adapted to the changing legislative framework, as well as his personal journey through the Resilient & Ready programme. As a keen spokesperson, Andy enjoys getting involved in local initiatives and has set up a cluster group of farms in the neighboring areas to collaborate and share knowledge and insights.

Following from some great discussion, the group then enjoyed a tour of the farm. Discover more about Andy’s journey on the Resilient & Ready programme here.