Farming

Preston Hall Land Management website coming soon

Preston Hall is a mixed farm, located in the productive Scottish Lowlands. Managed by Bill Gray since 1996 the farm successfully balances the competing demands of crop production and financial stability, whilst protecting the environment and enhancing wildlife.

In recent years the farm has focused on the arable business with the majority of pasture and grazing land farmed in collaboration with neighbouring farmers. This approach has streamlined the core arable business, whilst maintaining the benefits of having livestock on the farm and providing a habitat rich in wildlife.

With a highly capable team, modern machinery and a forward-thinking approach, Preston Hall strives to be at the forefront of modern farming practices. In 2017 the farm took up the challenge of being one of Scotland’s nine Monitor Farms, a project which has created great excitement and should benefit all involved.

If you are interested to find out more information please get in contact.

Forestry

A large part of Preston Hall is covered in woodland. Some woods are many centuries old, whilst other areas have been planted more recently. The majority of the woodland consists of native broadleafs, such as oak, beach and ash, as well as small areas of commercial softwoods.

As part of the woodland management program over 30 acres of new woodland has been created, over 900 meters of new hedge rows planted, and good progress has been made in managing the mature woodlands. This proactive woodland management strategy has provided a steady supply of timber and has also greatly improved the wildlife habitat.

When felled the higher quality timber is usually sold for furniture making or used for building materials, whilst the poorer quality timber is dried and processed into firewood or woodchip, for use in the biomass boilers. Any surplus firewood and wood chip is sold locally.