Fieldfare Orchard

25/11/2025

Syntropy - A new paradigm in food growing?
Syntropic Agriculture is a pretty new concept in the UK.
An agroforestry system born in the tropics. Syntropic systems are modelled on the structure of a forest ecosystem and rooted in the understanding of ecological succession. In Syntropy very dense and diverse plantings maximise photosynthetic gain. While drastic pruning turbo charges the system through a combination of mulching and stimulating plant growth hormones. The result is an abundant, healthy ecosystem that produces lots of food and other useful products.
Too Good to be true? We’re gonna find out…
Could Syntropy work on a boggy hill side in North Somerset?
Fieldfare Orchard is a permaculture plant nursery, based at Three Hares Farm, Winford, Bristol.
In 2026 we will be conducting some Syntropic research experiments.
In spring we’ll take some baseline soil microbiology tests and design our experiments according to Syntropic principles. Working with various different plant teams we’ll aim to discover whether Syntropic methods really stack up in a uk context. We’ll monitor biomass production, brix, soil moisture & microbiology, general plant health and yield as we interact with our various experimental plots over the season. Later in the Summer (assuming we’re successful!) we’ll bring in the harvest together & make a lovely shared feast!
Would you like to get involved?
The deal is. I’ll teach you the basic concepts of Syntropic agricultural theory plus various propagation techniques and help you get familiar with a wide range of edible & useful plants. I'm looking for around six volunteers willing to commit to work with me one day per week from January til the end of May.
Taster days & tours available in early 2026.
Email Diana at [email protected] to express interest.
If you can’t commit to the whole five month journey but would like to be involved, please join our mailing list by visiting www.fieldfareorchard.co.uk We will run some one off work days, tours & events in 2026 that might be of interest.
Many thanks for reading!
Best wishes, Diana Powell.

28/09/2023

Join us for our Hedge laying course run by expert hedge layer Mike Reed. Sat & Sun Oct 14th & 15th. Come for just one day or buy two tickets and make a weekend of it. Follow the link in my bio for tickets.

11/09/2023

29/08/2023

Brought in the squash harvest today, Desert Spirit landrace. They have done really well despite the wet weather. A lovely mix of colours and patterns.
Last picture - Small Copper butterfly 🦋🙂

26/08/2023

It's been so lovely adding dye plants and herbs to the orchard this year. The riot of colour is so joyful and the bees and hoverflies are having a ball! My Weld has flowered in its first year!

25/08/2023

This lovely Gatekeeper butterfly came and rested on my shoulder today 🙂

28/06/2023

Rush hour at the farm… 😂

09/05/2023

We’re having a opening morning at Three Hares Farm this Sunday 14th May, 10 - 12pm. Come and have a cuppa and see what we’re growing 🙂

26/03/2023

The Genetic Technology (Percision Breeding) Act received royal assent on Thursday 23rd March. How has this happened with so little media coverage!
Have we learnt absolutely nothing from the failures, famine and near ecological collapse unleashed by the 'green revolution' since the 1970's? Monoculture crops + chemicals = millions for chemical companies and multinational seed patent owners. It does not 'feed the world'. It produces the lowest quality food, devoid of micronutrients and laced with chemical residues.
Chemical agriculture was disastrous. If we make the same mistakes with gene editing they have the potential to permanently alter ecosystems...
We need to restore the lost diversity in our crops through traditional farmer led seed production and support of regenerative farming.
Visit https://beyond-gm.org for the facts.

08/03/2023

Hedgelaying Course
Three Hares Market Garden is hosting on the 18th and 19th of March on the farms beautiful old native hedges that are ready for some restoration. You are welcome to join for either or both days to learn this traditional land management technique that is integral to a biodiverse, working countryside. The course is taught by experienced hedgelayer Alex Arthur, and we provide the billhooks and the hedge. You just rock up and get involved. All the details are in the link above. Please share with hedge-loving folk.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hedgelaying-course-tickets-558746785677?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete

Image credit: print by for the first calendar

Hedgelaying Course

We're hosting a hedgelaying course at Three Hares Farm on the 18th and 19th of March on our beautiful old native hedges that are ready for some restoration. You are welcome to join for either or both days to learn this traditional land management technique that is integral to a biodiverse, working countryside. The course is taught by experienced hedgelayer Alex Arthur, and we provide the billhooks and the hedge. You just rock up and get involved. All the details are in the link above. Please share with hedge-loving folk.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hedgelaying-course-tickets-558746785677?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete

Image credit: print by for the first calendar that we worked on together a few years back

23/06/2022

Planted out all the seedling Walnuts and Heartnuts today! All tucked in to the new tree nursery beds, with a little mycorrhizal inoculum and a tree shelter. Many thanks to Chrissie for all her hardwork! Japanese walnut (Juglans ailantifolia vr. cordiformis) is an extremely graceful tree with large, slightly downy leaves. As the name suggests the nuts are of course heart shaped and reputedly of excellent flavour!