istock_000014900742large-copycropped3

William Wrinch Farms

Alan Pendle & William Wrinch, E H Wrinch & Son
Photo: Alan Pendle & William Wrinch

William Wrinch Farms is a family run business that has been farming at Ness Farm since the mid 1840’s, the sixth generation is now part of the business. The holding has a mainly south facing aspect on the North bank of the River Stour with around three miles of river frontage
The farm runs to 800 ha of which 500 ha is owned and the balance rented on an FBT. The farm has expanded greatly in the last ten years or so by the purchase of adjoining units which has led to the formation of the present unit, the whole holding is farmed within a ring fence and enjoys all the advantages that such a scenario brings.
The riverside aspect of the farm brings its own challenges with a wide mix of soil types ranging from outcrops of London clay to areas of light stony soils. In between these extremes there are clay loams which are suited to maincrop production and sandy loams that produce a range of salad crops, in total just over 90ha of potatoes are grown.

These are grown in a ratio of approximately 40% maincrop and 60% salads and never in closer rotation of 1 in 6 years.
Choose a location
EH Wrinch & Son
IP9 1LW
There is a 1500 tonne cold store from which crop, mainly salads are marketed through until April or even occasionally May of the following year.

In addition to potatoes the other following crops are grown, onions (31 ha), sugar beet (125 ha) with the balance made up of winter wheat, winter and spring barley and oilseed rape. A small herd of beef suckler cows is run on grassland which is unsuitable for cultivation.
Everything produced on the farm is done so in accordance with the following schemes: Red Tractor – Fresh Produce, Tesco NURTURE, M & S Field to Fork, LEAF Marque, Red Tractor – Combinable Crops & Sugar Beet and Red Tractor – Beef.

Around half of the farm’s area is situated in an AONB and the policy has always been to adopt a positive approach to environmental and conservation issues. The farm were early members of FWAG when it was formed over thirty years ago and in the intervening years a large amount of tree and hedge planting has taken place. William Wrinch Farms have joined the recently formed Shotley Peninsular Facilitation group and are currently in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. The farm sits adjacent to the Stour SSSI which is also a Ramsar site.

Over the years the farm has won various awards including both the livestock and conservation prizes in the Suffolk Agricultural Association’s farms competition and at national level the Farmer’s Weekly / RASE Milling Wheat Grower of the Year award.

The other Farms that make up East Suffolk Produce: