Community bid to save organic farm in Shropshire

A community-led initiative is under way to help secure the future of Babbinswood Organic Farm, located near the Welsh border, as local residents and farmers work to bring part of the land into community ownership.

The effort is being led by the Babbinswood Farm Community Benefit Society (BFCBS), a non-profit co-operative established to purchase land and expand its use for community benefit.

The group is raising funds through a community share offer to acquire around half of the farm, with plans to lease it and maintain organic production.

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Casha Bowles-Jones explains to visitors the basics of cow and calf dairying © Babbinswood Farm

The farm spans more than 68ha and has been certified organic since 2002, with holistic management practices introduced in 2016.

It is home to a cow-with-calf dairy herd, alongside a holistic vet practice and a farm shop supplying organic produce.

The site also hosts a community garden offering horticultural therapy, food distribution initiatives, educational programmes and outdoor events.

Five generations

Managed by the Jones family for at least five generations, the land also includes woodland, hedgerows, a heritage orchard and a stretch of the River Perry, supporting a range of wildlife habitats.

Patricia Gibbons, a director of the BFCBS, says: “The land was at risk of being sold on the open market. Now it is set up as a community hub.

She adds: “We have more than 700 community shareholders, some from Australia and France, and all over the UK.

“There is a real keenness to keep the farm going as best we can.”

The group is seeking to raise a further £150,000 to secure additional land.

“We want to buy as much land as we can,” says Patricia. 

“We have put a bid in for 18 acres, and we will continue fundraising as there is a possibility of another nine acres and a bit of woodland.”

Organisers say the ongoing fundraising is designed to help protect the farm from potential sale or development, while opening up opportunities for greater community involvement.

Future plans include expanding shared spaces, developing environmental education programmes, and increasing opportunities for volunteering and employment.

Life goes on

As fundraising continues, life on the farm also goes on.

Barbara Jones, the current owner of Babbinswood Farm, is still shepherding alongside her vet work.

And Casha Bowles-Jones, who farms at Babbinswood, tends to the cattle and develops new plans.

The farm shop and veg box enterprise remain active, and wildlife continues to thrive across the land.

To find out more, contact future@babbinswoodfarmcbs.org.uk