Lower Drayton is a family business, farming 600 acres. Ray, the farm owner, has been here since 1982, and has seen a lot of changes during his time here. We grow crops of wheat, oilseed rape and some potatoes. Cattle are reared for beef. We have 325 cattle on the farm at the moment, which includes 85 sucklers and followers and some bought in cattle for fattening.

In 1998 we were one of the pioneers in Staffordshire of the stewardship schemes (farming practice to provide habitat for wildlife) and also a woodland scheme.

Over the last five years we have made a lot of changes to the farm in the form of diversification enterprises, not least the ‘LDF Entertainment Hub’ the includes a paintball site, scramble motorbike track, a superfast off road buggy track, pellet gun club and a firework display team. New this year, we have a model airplane flying club and we now have a team setting up hovercraft rides!! Is there no end to what we can accommodate?

As members of FACE (Farm and countryside education) we are committed to education, reconnecting the public and future generations with agriculture and rural activities, by holding educational farm visits. We also open our gates for ‘Farm Sunday’ in conjunction with LEAF (Linking the Environment and Farming), inviting people to ‘come and see what goes on behind our hedge.’!!