Cambridgeshire County Council’s farms estate welcomes new crop of tenants

A former journalist from Zimbabwe, a 21-year-old entrepreneur and a young couple passionate about protecting the environment are among the new tenants welcomed to Cambridgeshire County Council’s farms estate.

It received more than 40 applications for new holdings last year and has now confirmed the seven who have been successful. The estate, which covers 33,000 acres across Cambridgeshire, is looked after by more than 160 tenants.

It can offer an entry point into farming for those who want to run their own enterprises, or support existing rural businesses to grow and expand. The new tenants are:

• Kate Bull – Throckenholt Farm, Parson Drove
• Charles Deller – Fosters Farm, Whittlesford
• Joshua Dennis – Fen Bridge Farm, Cottenham
• Robert Fletcher – Halls Farm, Guyhirn
• David Mwanaka – Stanton Farm, Landbeach
• Joe Rabicano – Whitehall Farm, Littleport
• Ian Wilks – Car Dyke Farm, Landbeach.

David Mwanaka moved to the UK in 1991, having previously worked as a journalist in his native Zimbabwe. David, who is married with three children, told the Cambridge Independent: “We started farming about 20 years ago, in Enfield, just outside London.

“We started with white maize and squash, and then from there we kept on increasing our acreage – last year we had more than 150 acres in Ware, in Hertfordshire.”

He then progressed to white sweetcorn, which he used to sell to places like Sainsbury’s and Harrods. “We also grow what you call ‘jelly melon’,” he said, “and vegetables like mustard greens and kale.

“Basically, what we do is we try to grow crops that are actually consumed in the UK but not grown here.”

David witnessed some interesting things during his time as a journalist in Zimbabwe. “I was a critic of the government and in that environment working as a journalist wasn’t something that I was really interested in continuing.

“So it came to a point where I just thought, ‘Let me leave the country’.” In the future, David says he hopes to continue innovating in agriculture and “filling that gap”.

Charles Deller, 30, is taking over at Fosters Farm in Whittlesford, which covers just under 400 acres. It is his first farm. He said: “I am the son of another county council tenant farmer, so I was brought up on one.

“I’ve always been involved in the estate and that was always the plan, to try and get my own. The farm that I’ve got is just the other side of the village to where my father is, so we always were aware of it and knew the previous tenant well.

“When he retired, I was ready and waiting to try and get hold of it.”

Charles says he is “absolutely thrilled” to have acquired the site, adding: “We never thought we’d be lucky enough to get it, but we did.”

He plans to re-introduce livestock to what for years has just been an arable farm. “It hasn’t been a livestock farm in living memory,” said Charles, “so I’ve brought back sheep and cattle to the first rotation.”

He added: “It’s a lovely farm. It’s a large farm for someone to get as their first starter farm with the council, so I was very surprised and pleased to get hold of it.”

Kate Bull has taken over at Throckenholt Farm, Parson Drove. Involved in farming all her life, she has developed a contracting business and is looking forward to building a sustainable arable farm, with enhanced environmental features and the use of regenerative farming.

The youngest of the new tenants is Joe Rabicano, who has taken on Whitehall Farm, Littleport. Despite being only 21, he is already an entrepreneurial farmer and contractor in Norfolk. The new tenancy represents a step up the farming ladder for him and he plans to grow a range of arable crops.

Two other young farmers – Joshua Dennis and his partner Kate – have taken on Fen Bridge Farm in Cottenham. Coming from arable and livestock backgrounds, they are looking to introduce a sustainable farming system to protect the environment.

Also determined to protect the environment is Ian Wilks, who runs his own agronomy and farm management consultancy service in Essex and South Suffolk, and has now taken on a farm of his own – Car Dyke Farm in Landbeach.

He says he aims to protect the soil, water and existing environment, while creating new and varied wildlife habitats.

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Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, the Liberal Democrat county council leader and chair of strategy and resources, said: “I am pleased we have welcomed another group of tenants to the county farms estate.

“They will join other tenants who continue to work hard, evolve farming practices and work to promote the enhancement of biodiversity in the natural environment.”

Cllr Elisa Meschini, the Labour vice-chair, said: “The new tenants are joining a community of 160 other tenants who make a difference in farming. I wish them luck in their new endeavours and can’t wait to watch their businesses flourish through 2023 and beyond.”

Cllr Tom Sanderson, leader of the Independent Group and a member of the joint administration leadership team, added: “I wish the new tenants a very warm welcome and hope they will be able to put their own stamp on the county farms estate.”