Getting Festive On The Farm

Christmas is a busy time at the National Trust’s Low Sizergh Farm and the family who farm the land know they are a tradition for many other people

- Low Sizergh

Christmas started a long time ago for the Park family - they know they have an important role to play in the festive traditions of lots of other people.

Marjorie and John have been at the 341 acre Low Sizergh Farm since 1980 and now their son Richard and his wife Judith run the farm. Richard’s sister Alison looks after the farm shop and café where people can find farm grown organic produce and high-quality food from other local producers. A third-generation is also involved as Richard and Judith’s son Matthew farms with them and Alison’s son Joe is part of the kitchen team in the café.

There has been a farm on the site, providing food for the estate, since the 13th century. Today, there are 200 sheep and 170 cows and the latter’s organic milk is sent to a cooperative and made into ice-cream and cheese. Raw, organic milk is also available from a vending machine.

The 1,600-acre Sizergh estate has been in the hands of the Strickland family, for more than 700 years. In 1950, they gifted the estate, which includes the family home, Sizergh Castle, and three farms, to the National Trust.