How we use our land
For over nine decades the land and estate at Dartington have been used for agricultural experimentation, research and the application of new processes, with a rich and sometimes controversial history in land-based research.
Today, the estate comprises of a main tenancy, Old Parsonage Farm, which covers 480 acres and maintains a milking goat herd, small Jersey herd, beef cattle and sheep with sustainable, forward-thinking farming practices.
In addition to this, around 20 other land-based tenancies run a variety of brilliantly eclectic and progressive food and farming initiatives – including a meat CSA, a vegetable CSA, community orchards, allotments, apiaries and much more
Conservation at Dartington
From dormice to hedgerows and everything in between, conservation work plays a major part in Dartington estate life.
Powered by renewables
A significant proportion of Dartington’s energy is produced via renewables, in the form of our 950kw biomass boiler and 500kh(p) solar-PV array.
Food, farming and conservation blogs
From Mexico City to Dartington: Meeting Rafael Pompa
Since taking up the role of Gardens, Conservation and Land Manager at Dartington Trust ealier this year, ‘Raf’ has been facing up to the challenges of managing a 1,200-acre estate in a time of Covid-19. We went to see how he’s getting on…
Dartington estate revealed as home for 19 ‘at risk’ fungi
The recent UK Fungus Day prompted our Gardens, Conservation and Land Manager, Rafa, to embark on a quest to find the striking and not-so-common Earthstars (Geastrum fornicatum). Here’s how he got on…
Could our new undergraduate degree help shape farming’s future?
Our Schumacher College has launched Britain’s first degree in Regenerative Food and Farming – with the aim of enabling people who want to make a lasting difference to agriculture, from the grassroots up.
Could you take over our kitchen for a night?
We’re launching Kitchen Takeovers – a series of mid-week, rotating pop-ups where we’ll offer up our kitchen and restaurant for local chefs to exercise their talent – and we need you!
Help save a mighty mini-beast from extinction
Budding bug-hunters around Dartington and Totnes are needed to help track one of the rarest ants in England by taking part in the Nest Quest Survey.
Why boosting biodiversity is key in an era of change
5 June is World Environment Day, and this year’s theme is ‘biodiversity’. Land manager Rafael Pompa explains why biodiversity is so important – and what we’re doing to support it on the estate.
Meet our Head Gardener and horticulture specialist Colum Pawson
Colum manages the growing areas around Schumacher College and teaching our horticulture students. We caught up with him to find out what makes him tick!
Some jobs just can’t be hurried
Not many of us take nearly a decade to finish a job – but our conservation warden is positively proud of the fact.
How do we catch up with a climate that’s changing faster than we are?
As environmentalism goes mainstream and increasing numbers of organisations declare a climate emergency, Andrea Kuhn meets those who’ve been trying out the deep social, economic and cultural changes needed to get us out of this mess.
Ash die back at Dartington
We have been anticipating the arrival of ash die back at Dartington for some years. It’s now unequivocally here – and we are urgently seeking your support to enable us to remove diseased tress from across the estate.