The campaign to safeguard the future of a local organic farm and its special cow and calf dairy herd is several hundred pounds closer to its target after a successful open day at the weekend (June 8).

Supporters, through the Babbinswood Farm Community Benefit Society, are campaigning to raise between £800,000 and £1.5m to put part of Babbinswood Farm, near Oswestry, into community ownership and so protect its organic farming system which includes the cow and calf dairy herd.

The alternative is open market sale which campaigners say risks huge change for the farm and its native woodland through development or intensification.

Around 150 people turned out for Sunday’s open day at Babbinswood, which was part of the national Open Farm Sunday event. At least £600 was raised by selling community shares and crowdfunding donations during the day. The campaign has already raised over £100,000.

Barbara Jones and Casha Bowles-Jones, whose family has been farming at Babbinswood for five generations, said there had been a huge amount of interest in the farm plus support, ideas and offers of help in the campaign.

“It was a very positive day. Thank you to everyone who came to support us, to Casha for organising the event, to Lisa and Ben in the shop and to all the members of the Babbinswood Farm Community Benefit Society who worked so hard to help prepare for and run the day,” said Barbara Jones.

The community ownership scheme will be almost identical to that at Fordhall Farm, Market Drayton, which became England’s first community owned farm after a similar campaign in 2006.  Charlotte Hollins, who led that campaign, is now a key advisor and a director of Babbinswood Farm CBS.

Further information on the fund raising and community shares is available on the website www.babbinswoodfarmcbs.org.uk or by emailing future@babbinswoodfarmcbs.org.uk.

A Crowdfunder page is at Save Babbinswood Farm – a Community crowdfunding project in Oswestry by Babbinswood Farm Community Benefit Society

Further information on events at Babbinswood Farm is available on the website at BABBINSWOOD FARM