Photo: Hazel & Richard Wrinch

We are the third generation of this branch of the Wrinch family to farm 520 acres of mixed arable land and a further 110 acres of marshland which is part of the Orwell SSSI - a nationally important area for wading birds. It is also a RAMSAR site and a SPA (Special Protection Area). Within these areas can be found at least 8 species listed in the BAP including tawny and little owls, the corn bunting, yellowhammers, linnets and lapwing. Over 96 species of birds have been identified on the farm. Come and try to spot them. The River Orwell is considered by some to be the most ornithologically diverse estuary in Suffolk.
As our marshes are situated in close proximity to both the Orwell and Stour rivers and to the Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve on the Trimley marshes, they are of vital importance for breeding, passage migrant and wintering waders and wildfowl.

The working farm is situated at Shotley Hall Farm but we also contract farm for other farmers and rent potato land in to enable us to utilise our potato machinery more efficiently. Like many farms we used to be a mixed arable and livestock unit but we sold our pig herd in 2007 and our beef herd in 2002 as we were struggling to make them pay. Today the farm is purely arable and we grow winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley, triticale, oil seed rape, sugar beet, potatoes and onions.