Video: Farmer raises £2m for conservation with sunflower sales

Lincolnshire farmer Nicholas Watts has raised £2m for wildlife conservation by donating money to the Wildlife Trusts over a 14-year period. 

Working in partnership with the Wildlife Trusts, Vine House Farm, Lincolnshire, which grows wild bird seed and 40ha of sunflowers, hit their milestone after donating 4% of every sale to the charity.

The black sunflower seeds are part of 160ha of bird seed crops, which go into wild bird food mixes, along with red millet, canary seed, oilseed rape and naked oats, all grown on the farm.

Thanks to hedges, ponds and wildflower margins at field edges, all created by farmer and award-winning conservationist Nicholas Watts, the farm is also a haven for flocks of wild birds, including rare and declining tree sparrows, red-listed linnets and lapwing.

The money, raised over 14 years, supports the nature conservation work of the Wildlife Trusts.

See also: Couple raise £2,500 for charity with speed shearing contest

The family with Nicholas Watts’ younger grandchildren enjoying sunflower fields at Vine House Farm © Matthew Roberts

Farmer Nicholas Watts said: “Summer sees adult birds moult, shedding their old feathers and growing new ones, which takes a lot of energy, so birds still need feeding.

Sources of natural food, such as insects, are declining and in dry weather worms retreat deeper into the soil. Putting out plump sultanas, soaked in water means young birds can get vital moisture.”

“Watch who visits your garden, whether they’re ground-feeders or prefer perching on trees or shrubs, and offer a variety of food so each bird gets what it needs, from seeds to suet or mealworms.”

Watch the aerial footage of Vine House Farm’s sunflowers, courstesy of Lloyd Rogers for The Wildlife Trusts and read the rest of the report below.

Craig Bennett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts, said: “Through their own love of wildlife and working for nature, Nicholas Watts and his family have enabled many other people to experience the joy of nature in their homes and gardens and, in doing so, to provide fantastic support to the work of the Wildlife Trusts.

“Vine House Farm’s magnificent long-term support for the Wildlife Trusts means we’ve been able to restore wildflower meadows and wetlands, and enable more people to feel the health and wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature.

“Customers of Vine House Farm who are feeding their garden birds are playing an important part too, helping wildlife thrive to support nature’s recovery”.