We are extremely fortunate to be able to hold the 2021 Gloucestershire AGM at the Oxleaze estate by kind permission of Charles Mann and family.

Registration, Tea and Coffee from 2.15pm

OXLEAZE, Filkins, Lechade, GL73RB

PROGRAMME

2.15pm		Registration, tea and coffee
2.45pm		AGM
3.00pm		National Officer
3.30pm		Tour of various Oxlease enterprises
4.30pm		Return to Barn for Charles Mann’s presentation on the business and approach to sustainable and organic Farming
4.50pm		Drinks and canapés
6.00pm		Depart

ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

By Car: Oxleaze Farm is situated between Lechlade and Burford to the west of the A361 on the Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire border
From the North
At Burford on the A40 take the A361 towards Lechlade. After approx 6 miles take a right hand turn signed to Barringtons 6 miles. Ignore the first left turning to Filkins and after a hundred yards take the 2nd left which is signposted to Oxleaze Farm. Follow the lane for approx 3/4 of a mile and take the farm drive which is signed up to the right. Follow the signs to Oxleaze Barn through the farm buildings. From the South At Lechlade take the A361 towards Burford. After approx. 3 miles you will pass a right hand junction signed Filkins, Carterton, Brize Norton, take the next left hand turning signposted to Barringtons 6 miles. Ignore the first left turning to Filkins and after a hundred yards take the 2nd left which is signposted to Oxleaze Farm. Follow the lane for approx 3/4 of a mile and take the farm drive which is signed up to the right. Follow the signs to Oxleaze Barn
through the farm buildings.Parking is available next to the barn.

What 3 Words
https://w3w.co/tasks.maybe.corrects

Please ensure that appropriate clothing and footwear is worn for the tour. Sturdy shoes and coats advised.

Oxleaze

We look forward to welcoming the Gloucestershire CLA AGM to Oxleaze Farm in October. There has been active farming in the area for centuries as shown by the ridge & furrow, Roman settlements and bronze axe-heads found. However, we are now enjoying the energies of the third generation of our family to drive the business forward.

With poor, thin Grade 3 soils and a rain-shadow we decided that pursuing yields was not our strong point, so in 2005 we had a radical change of policy and began converting to organic across the 850 acres. The BPS was introduced at the same time so we were able to use a lot of this funding to assist us in renovating many of the buildings and bring them into use as offices and workshops. The small indoor pig unit was closed and converted into an excellent 20 horse livery yard. Renewable energies became the ‘next big thing’ and we installed a Biomass boiler which now supplies heat to 90% of the residential and commercial buildings as well as 270kw of solar PV. This was followed by the wedding venue which has now ‘claimed’ a couple more conversions this year to provide further accommodation for the guests.

Meanwhile, on the land we are producing some of the finest organic pasture fed beef from a herd of Angus suckler cows, finishing the progeny supplying a local niche market and we intend to expand this. Additionally, we have concentrated on environmental options with our Higher Tier coming to an end in December, hopefully applying for Mid-Tier for 5 years in the run up to ELMS working with FWAG and Glos Wildlife Trust. The gardens are pretty spectacular and open and we have a small apiary. In order to boost the biomass we planted 25 acres of additional woodland and harvest/replant cricket bat willows. We hope to show some of this to you on a short tour. We have not manged to crack the challenges of having the paying public on the farm whilst carrying out the normal activities of shooting and having the VWH or Heythrop field thundering through the car-park just as the bride says ‘I do’!