Open Day At Myerscough College

Three of the farms on the Duchy’s Myerscough estate in Lancashire are let to independent land-based teaching institute, Myerscough College. The holdings in question include Lodge Farm, one of the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB)’s Strategic Dairy Farms and the oldest steading on the Duchy’s historic Lancashire Survey.

Founded in 1894 as the Lancashire County Institute of Agriculture, Myerscough is one of the oldest further education colleges in Lancashire. Today, it is also one of the UK’s largest land-based and sports colleges, offering a diverse range of specialist courses to over 6,000 students.

The College held its annual Open Day in June, hosting a record 10,000 visitors this year and heralding a return to ‘normal business’ following a three-year pause in the holding of this annual event as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This popular event was followed by Open Farm Sunday when the College organized ‘guided tours’ of the working farm sites via tractor. The tour included examples of grassland fields, spring barley, calf igloos, beehives, the College’s own livestock innovation centre and its new robotic dairy unit. Over 800 visitors took part in the tractor rides throughout the day.

Commenting on the event, Director of Farm Operations & Innovation, Andrea Gardner said: “The 700-acre farm here at Myerscough College is a fantastic educational resource for students, providing practical and management experience in farming and all things agricultural. We are 100 per cent committed to improving our sustainability and have already taken steps to reduce emissions, increase our operational efficiencies and improve productivity across all areas of our farming business. We are particularly focused on ensuring good soil health and apply slurry and animal waste directly onto the ground rather than blowing into the area. We also try to do as little ploughing as possible and this year introduced herbal leys to the sheep grazing areas.

“Our next project is to start to offset energy from the grid with investment in solar panels. These will also have back-up battery power to support 24/7 milking through our new robotic milking parlour.”

In line with its sustainability objectives, the Duchy of Lancaster is determined to ensure that the long-term benefits of regenerative farming practices on the environment are clearly understood and supported by the next generation of farmers and land managers. As part of this commitment, the Duchy offers an annual bursary to those studying appropriate courses at Myerscough College, as well as to students at Harper Adams University in Shropshire and Reaseheath College in Cheshire.