Arable
Balgone Estate enjoys close to 1000 acres of high-quality arable land only 2 miles south of North Berwick. The majority of the crops consist of wheat, barley and oilseed rape alongside the introduction of beans and more recently pumpkins! The estate puts a large emphasis on the practice of environmentally friendly and sustainable production. Around the farm there are numerous beetle banks, hedgerows and grass margins all managed to enhance biodiversity and the well-being of the land.
Livestock
Amongst the arable land, the East Lothian rift runs through the estate which features a natural fault line of carboniferous rock that is not able to be cultivated. This presents an ideal opportunity to use the area as grazing land for cattle. Over the last decade, the farm has shifted its breeding focus from continental Limousine cattle towards more native breeds such as Angus. The cattle share the land with sheep and horses but during the winter they are brought up the farm to keep warm in the build-up to calving in the springtime.
Wildlife
There is an abundance of both flora and fauna around the estate. A family of swans inhabit each lake with gorgeous signets appearing once every year. Nearby, there is an expansive badger den on the banks of the small lake with another den at the south side of the farm towards East Linton in the Craigmoor wood. Moreover, deer and smaller mammals such squirrels, weasels and rabbits roam the estate with a rich birdlife taking to the skies. In a regenerative program, Balgone have planted over 1400 trees in the last two years to boost the natural development and created a hidden haven for biodiversity on the estate. It provides a tranquil setting for the John Muir Way and additional trails around the estate
