Farmers for wildlife

The champions of the Birds On The Edge Farmland Scheme

Conservation crop in field on Jersey's north coast. Photo by Cris Sellares

We would like to recognise the hard work and commitment of the star farmers that have made our Farmland Scheme possible. They not only joined the scheme with enthusiasm and have sowed the conservation crops on their fields after harvesting the potatoes, but they have also looked after them for the benefit of Jersey’s threatened wildlife. Without our champion farmers none of this would have been possible, so here’s a big THANK YOU to them. Show your support and encouragement for their efforts in safeguarding our farmland birds by buying local produce whenever you can!

Steve Baudains

Steve comes from a family that has been farming in Jersey for five generations, since the late 19th century. He started working for companies such as the Jersey Royal Company and partnered up with other farmers until he took over his family’s farm in St Lawrence a couple of years ago. Steve has been running the farm with his father ever since and looks after the land of a various of landowners across the north and west of Jersey, mainly producing Jersey Royals for Albert Bartlett. Steve Baudains. Photo by Cris Sellares

Colin Huelin

Colin’s farm and land on the north coast has been in his mother’s side of the family for over 70 years. Colin’s childhood memories are of his brother and himself jumping off the bus from school and going straight to the fields to pick potatoes and, later as a teenager, to drive the tractor around collecting bales of hay. Colin is an independent potato producer and sells his crops directly to local and UK markets.Colin Huelin. Photo by Cris Sellares

 

Ian Le Brun and The Jersey Royal Company

Ian ‘Toots’ Le Brun has been with the Jersey Royal Company since it was created in 2002. At that time he had been working for four years for Fairview Farms, which became one of the five founder members of the JRC. His present role at JRC involves securing the land base and making sure that the landlords and ladies wishes, if they have any, are executed. He also looks after the 2nd crop programme which again needs to fill the requirements of all parties concerned. The JRC has been using bird conservation crops under the advice of an independent consultant for over 10 years now in areas such as La Rocque, Victoria Tower, La Hougue Bie and Sorel, providing food for birds in winter across the Island. Their experience with the conservation crops has been invaluable to Birds On The Edge and by joining this scheme it has allowed them to expand the land that is put towards conservation crops. Read more about their work here.Ian Le Brun (The Jersey Royal Company). Photo by Cris Sellares

Nick Mourant

Nick is the fourth generation of the Mourant family to manage Meleches Farms which is based in St Helier. His main focus is on producing Jersey Royal potatoes of the highest quality, for sale locally in Jersey and supplying UK supermarkets via Albert Bartlett.

Nick and his wife, Emma, have a passion for nature and are focused on improving the local environment wherever possible. Meleches Farms is in the middle of a five-year tree planting programme and is proud to support the Birds On The Edge by planting over-winter bird seed in several key coastal locations across the Island.

Follow Nick and the team on their Facebook page Mourant Farms.

Nick and Emma Mourant