Meet Sophie on our Hatherop Estate
One of our next generation farm tenants
Student Sophie Iles can combine her studies with the launch of a farming career, thanks to a tenancy agreement with The Ernest Cook Trust that has given her access to 140 acres of pasture to graze cattle.
Sophie and her father, Jeremy Iles, have become joint tenants of the land at Home Farm on the Hatherop Estate in Gloucestershire.
Sophie, who is in her second year of a BSc in Agriculture Business Management at the University of Reading, said being given the chance to take on a farm tenancy at the age of just 20 was an exciting opportunity.
Jeremy Iles is a sixth-generation tenant of The Ernest Cook Trust, renting around 950 acres at Leafield Farm on the Quenington Estate in Gloucestershire.
He took over the tenancy from his father, Bob, around 14 years ago and runs a mixed enterprise incorporating arable, poultry, beef, biomass and biogas. Jeremy also carries out contracting work for neighbouring arable farmers.
“My father and I talked about the tenancy, and decided to put in an application,” Sophie said. “We’ve always wanted to extend the cattle numbers, so this was an amazing opportunity.”
“I’ve always had an interest in the farm and asked lots of questions from a young age. My father and I have a good working relationship, and he also asks for my ideas and input.”
This is a really exciting opportunity. It is a family business and so we have such a strong connection to the local area. I know I am quite young, and so this is an unusual opportunity, but I want to throw myself into it!
The new tenancy at Home Farm offers opportunities to graze more cattle and Sophie is also keen to incorporate more Sustainable Farming Incentive Schemes into the operation. She hopes to use family links in Australia to travel there next year and learn about their livestock management practices.
Home Farm is also supporting the educational work of The Ernest Cook Trust, hosting visits by young people during the calving and growing seasons to give an insight into the cyclical nature of farming. Sophie said:
We recently hosted a visit of students from The Royal Agricultural University, focusing mainly on livestock nutrition but we’ve also welcomed various age groups in the past and can tailor visits to suit this.
“Going forward we will aim to deliver engaging visits, incorporating trailer rides to provide well rounded, memorable education experiences. We are also looking at hosting an open day for the local community to show the changes we are making at Home Farm, largely focusing on our rotational grazing system and the environmental benefits that regenerative farming can bring to the local landscape.”
Sophie will combine work on the farm with her university studies, spending as much time as possible on the land and using her experience as a young farm tenant to help with her degree.
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