Stirley Community Farm (Huddersfield)

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Stirley Community Farm Appeal
We need to raise £30,000 to kick start this fantastic project!
Bumper Vegetable Harvest
Our first year growing gave us an impressive crop of delicious produce
Family Salad Day in the Vegetable Garden
We run regular gardening and wildlife events for people of all abilities
Volunteering at Stirley Farm
Join us for regular volunteer sessions at Stirley Farm
Richard Aspinall
Tending the cattle
Our Beef Shorthorn herd has come in for the winter
Kim Warren

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are redeveloping Stirley as an open access community farm providing facilities for a great day out as well as an opportunity to learn all about a working farm.

Stirley Community Farm will be run as a beef social enterprise based on a low input traditional farming model, rearing slow maturing hardy breeds fed on grass and hay grown on the farm. The farm will be open to all, with a visitor centre and self-guided trails.
As an example of sustainable farming, Stirley Community Farm will explore and provide a demonstration of concepts such as low carbon farming and land management that will improve the wildlife of the Pennine Fringe. Tree planting is planned to increase woodland cover and provide wood-fuel, whilst pond and wetland areas will be established.
The farm is also a base for a wider community vision which looks at local food production and growing as a way of uniting local people and helping to bridge gaps in the community. The vegetable training area has been hugely successful in the first year of the project thanks to the help of all the people who have volunteered their time to maintain it.
The development of the farm and its food operation will include;

Renovating existing farm buildings
Establishing a herd of Beef Shorthorn cattle
Food growing training area
Formal orchards and Forest Garden
Food events and festivals
Education provision and training programmes

Stirley Community Farm Appeal

We have recently secured a large grant of £300,000 from the Veolia Cre8 Challenge Fund, which will enable us to begin restoring Stirley Farm. We now need to raise £30,000 by the end of January to match this grant, so we can start work to restore the farm, bringing wildlife back to the outskirts of Huddersfield.

Much of the wildflower-filled meadows in England have been lost. We plan to restore the 250 acre swathe of meadows, using rare breed cattle. We will also repair traditional dry stone walls and the old stone farm buildings. These will provide a hub of activity for local children and others, to learn about the wildlife of Stirley Farm and also about sustainable food production, conservation management and grassland ecology.

This project really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and this major grant will really kick start the project. I hope you will help us make the most of this exciting opportunity at Stirley Farm and make a donation today.