Low Luckens Organic Resource Centre
Woodland Management Traditional Buildings Farm Trail
Countryside stewardship
Low Luckens and Whiteholme are part of the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme. This is a DEFRA grant scheme which offers payments to farmers and other land mangers to enhance and conserve the English landscape, their wildlife and history, and help people to enjoy them. It aims to make conservation part of farming and land management.
Stewardship work at both farms includes hedgerow restoration, hay meadow and pasture management for wildlife, eyesore clearance, pond making and footpath access. This is a long term project over a ten year agreed time scale.
Hay Meadows for Wildflowers and Birds
To encourage the development of species rich hay meadows, only small amounts of farmyard manure are used to fertilise the land. Too much manure encourages stronger growing species, such as rye grass, at the expense of many of the more attractive flowering plants. Diversity of the herbage also promotes the health of the livestock. Cutting of hay is delayed until the second half of July or early August, to allow for ground nesting birds.
Woodland Management
There are about 15 acres of woodland on the two farms, some old and some newly planted. These areas have been protected from grazing animals with stock proof fencing, grant aided by the forestry authority. This not only protects the trees but also allows natural regeneration to take place as young seedlings are not grazed. Stock have been excluded from Low Luckens woods for five years and from Whiteholme woodland for three years.
The large population of roe deer remains a threat to woodland regeneration.
Traditional Buildings
At both Low Luckens and Whiteholme there are old sandstone farm buildings ranged around a farmyard. At Whiteholme there is also a circular "Gin Shed", where once two Clydesdale horses, at either end of a pole, walked round and round to drive a shaft to thresh the oats.
These traditional buildings are mostly unsuitable for modern farming methods, and at both farms their function has been replaced with new cattle sheds.
Old farm buildings, however, are an attractive part of the countryside landscape. If they are to be maintained, alternative uses need to be introduced. One example is the Organic Resource Centre, which was the original farmhouse and more recently housed cattle or horses.
Farm Trail
With the help from the East Cumbria Countryside Project, Low Luckens and Whiteholme farm offer a Farm and woodland walk.
The trail takes you past the peaty waters of the River Lyne. You are welcome to sit a while at our picnic bench at the waters edge or enjoy the the wildlife as you stroll on the 2 mile walk.