Highclere Castle farms estates manager receives Royal Agricultural Society award
James Phillips, the Estates Farms manager of Porchester Farms at the Highclere Castle estate, recently (February 11) was awarded the Associateship of the Royal Agricultural Society (ARAgS), and in recognition of distinguished achievement in the agricultural industry.
The presentation was made in the Chomondely rooms, by Baroness Hazel Byford, at a ceremony also attended by the Earl of Carnarvon, owner of the Highclere Castle estate.
“After initial reluctance to go through the rigorous selection procedure I felt very honoured to receive the award, and we were all excited to go to The House of Lords for the presentation,” said Mr Phillips, who has farmed the 5000 acre estate for 28 years.
He has also lived on the estate for the past six years and aims he said, like most farmers, to eventually ‘hand over’ the land he had been entrusted to manage for so many years in better condition than he found it.
“With Sites of Special Scientific Interest, extensive archaeological remains and many grade one listed buildings, the estate is designated an outstanding English Heritage site,” said Mr Phillips.
A large sheep flock grazes the permanent pasture at the estate, which extends to wild flower margins, pollen and nectar plots and wild bird seed mixtures, attracting small birds, bees and butterflies.
“We now have rare Stone Curlews and many pairs of lapwings and Skylarks nesting on managed fallow areas,” he said adding:
“The crops this spring are looking better than for the last two difficult years, and we have just started lambing in the spring sunshine.”