Bowthorpe Park Farm has been home to the Blanchard family who have farmed the land for 5 Generations.
We started farming Bowthorpe Park Farm at the start of the Second World War. As food was scarce and every acre had to be farmed to produce food to help stop the country going hungry.
Ann and Alec Blanchard then moved on the farm in the early 1950s where they raised three daughters Pam, Diane Helen and son Richard. Wheat and barley were the main crops grown along with root crops such as potatoes and sugarbeet. Cows, sheep and pigs were also kept for breeding or selling as fat.
The cropping changed throughout the late 90s with a move away from root crops to just cereal. A 300 head sheep flock was also built up on the farm with the purchase of more grassland. Lambs were fattened and taken into Stamford and Melton Mowbray markets. The highlight of the year though would always be the Corby Glen sheep fair where the majority of lambs would be sold and replacement ewes brought.
In the early 2000s the decision was made to move out of sheep due to price pressure and suitability of the grassland during the winter months. Cattle then made a return on the farm with store cattle being brought and fattened throughout the winter months before being turned out to graze in the summer.