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From Silent Fields of Wheat to a Wildlife Haven: Our Wilding Journey

Blog from Earsdon Hill Farm.

Just a few years ago, our 360-acre farm in mid Northumberland was silent. Hedgerows were sparse, meadows replaced by monocultures, and the song of skylarks had faded and soil health and incomes were dwindling. We knew something had to change.
A tree stands in a field with a pink, blue and orange cloundy sky above.

© Earsdon Hill Farm

Today, that same land is alive with the sound of birdsong, the flutter of butterflies, and the rustle of wildflowers in the breeze. By converting to organic farming, we’ve restored soil health and reduced chemical inputs, creating a foundation for nature to flourish. We have noticed that our soils have recovered their fertility and flooding of the fields has reduced.

We’ve brought back 12 miles of hedgerows creating vital wildlife corridors across the farm, planted 3 hectares of native woodland through the English Woodland Creation Scheme, and achieved Woodland Carbon Code status – securing long-term carbon storage to help tackle climate change and provide a useful income stream for the future business.

A field of yellow flowers and one daisy under a blue sky.

© Earsdon Hill Farm

One of our proudest achievements is restoring 250 acres of flower-rich grassland, managed traditionally with an August hay cut and sheep conservation grazing in winter. The results have been remarkable: yellowhammers, skylarks, curlews, barn owls, tawny owls, buzzards, kestrels, and even marsh harriers now call our land home.

The air dances with butterflies – meadow brown, common blue, small white, speckled brown, and red admiral – a sure sign of ecological recovery. 

Eco-tourism has played a key role in making this vision possible. Our Hillside Huts & Cabins – four handcrafted shepherd’s huts – offer guests a unique chance to immerse themselves in this rewilded landscape while supporting nature recovery. We are not only restoring nature to the farm, but bringing it back to profitability.

We were honoured that this work has been recognised by being a finalist in this year’s Tye Trophy by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, celebrating outstanding conservation and environmental stewardship.

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