Neighbourhood News Spring 2024

35 www.sandridge-pc.gov.uk SPRING 2024 F or the last 100 years, the Sherri! family have been farming at both Nashes and Fairfolds Farms, located on the hill above Jersey Farm and to the east of Sandridge, bordering Hat"eld. Family roots go back to The Mill at Lemsford and The Agricultural Merchants based at Hat"eld Station. There are still many extended family members involved in agriculture around the county. The farms were associated historically with the local family surnames Thrales and Martens. They are the only working farms that once formed Marshalswick Estate, along with Wheelers (Marshalswick) Farm and Evans (Jersey) Farm. In 1919, both farms had run into disrepair and were sold to the Sherri! family just a#er the First World War. History During the Second World War, James Arthur Sherri! (Jim) was on the County War Agricultural Executive Committee, which was responsible for increasing food production to help feed the nation. Nomansland Common was used to grow and harvest potatoes and many farms used Italian and German prisoners of war to work the land. Su!olk Punch horses were bred on the farm and worked pulling agricultural machines. Gloucester Old Spot Pigs and Red Poll Cattle were successfully bred for many years, with people travelling from all over the world to visit the Red Poll Herd. Sadly, the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 saw the last of the cattle leave the farm. Incentives Wheat and Barley are now the main crops grown today. Several areas of the farm have now been put in Countryside Stewardship Schemes (over-wintered stubble and winter bird food crops) rather than being cropped for human consumption. These schemes are funded by the government, providing "nancial incentives for farmers to look a#er and improve the environment, aimed at increasing the number of insects and birds across agricultural land. Between December and April each year, additional feeding for the birds takes place on a weekly basis within the "elds using a mixture of Wheat, Millet, OSR and Sun$ower Seeds. Sadly, due to the "nancial challenges of modern-day farming, diversi"cation has had to take place across the farming business to reduce "nancial risk. The next generation are already becoming involved and learning the challenges facing agriculture in the coming years. Carrie Sherri! Farming in Sandridge