Partnerships
George Pickering
Park Farm
With his dad, Raymond, and two brothers, Greg and Will, George manages a herd of 375 milking cows at Park Farm, in Hadlow. He can trace farming in his family back to 1712, but they began specialising in dairy in 1918, when they moved to Kent.
Dairy farming is very much in the blood, and the family are totally committed to the health and wellbeing of the herd. George knows all his cows individually, and can tell you the history of every one of them.
Sustainability is also a priority. The cows are grazed outside in summer and housed during the winter – mainly on straw, which makes a more environmentally friendly fertiliser than slurry. They feed on silage and beet grown on the farm, and so incur no food miles.
Working alongside George and his brothers, sister Emma runs the farm office – so this is still very much a family affair. And with the four siblings having 10 children between them, there’s a good chance this will continue.
“"The farm day starts at 4am, when the first milking begins. It’s always a hive of activity, and the ‘to do list’ never gets shorter! It’s hard work, but we all enjoy the challenges each day brings and watching the calves grow."”
