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Heritage grains and healthy soils at Tubbs End Farm
When Warwickshire arable farmer Hugh Forsyth returned to the family business in 2005, he set about building a more futureproof farm.
Read time: 4 mins Added: 28/07/26
Growth Rooted in Generations of Experience
Before taking the reins, Mr Forsyth studied at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, and completed a placement with Velcourt. In reference to the hard work, he recalls “You’d work eight days a week, 365 days a year, but it was excellent grounding,”. Mr Forsyth’s father and uncle farmed in partnership at Tubbs End Farm, near Kineton, for four decades across about 8,000 acres. “They did an amazing job; no phones, no communication, just maps, lots of kit and lots of people,” he says.
When he returned, the family were farming 400 acres. Since then, the business has grown to around 4,000 acres, including 3,000 acres of combinable crops and 1,000 acres under options such as wild bird mixes, pollen nectar plots and herbal leys. Tubbs End Farm combines its own farming operation with a contracting and farm administration business covering 1,600 hectares.
A 13,000-tonne grain store with cleaning and colour-sorting capability supports the operation. The business employs six people, including Mr Forsyth’s father, who remains involved at 76.
A fifth-generation farmer, Mr Forsyth hopes to pass the baton to his two daughters if they choose to farm. With that long-term view, he is focused on building a more economically and environmentally sustainable business.
Shifting practices
Initially rooted in an intensive system, Mr Forsyth shifted two-thirds of the operation to regenerative and low-input practices, driven by rising input costs, economic uncertainty and a desire to restore soils. “There’s nothing wrong with an intensive system. A third of our business is still in milling wheat and doing well, but we needed something less exposed to political and weather shocks and that gives back to the soil.”
The move proved timely. “When Covid and the Ukraine war hit, fertiliser prices trebled overnight. It just didn’t feel sustainable,” he says.
Today, around two-thirds of the farm is run with no or very low inputs, focusing on margin and resilience rather than chasing yield.
Premium markets, lowering risk
Mr Forsyth has tapped into premium markets, growing ancient grains, heritage rye, wheat and barley for Fielden Whisky, where he also serves as Head of Farming. He also supplies Wildfarmed with low-input cereals grown among flowering strips and legumes, using no herbicides to meet its regenerative standards. On heavy Warwickshire clay, he sees this as a better, lower-risk route than chasing yield.
“It’s about protecting the business and having several outlets, rather than relying on a single market,” he says. “Working with premium producers means we can grow nutrient-rich grain in a way that restores soil and get paid properly for it.” He adds that environmental schemes such as SFI can help deliver a good margin.
Consistency in contracting
Mr Forsyth applies the same principles across the farms he contracts for. “We try to model the same approach across the board, so all the different landowners are on the same page, going in the same direction,” he explains.
Hugh Forsyth Tubbs End FarmInterest in regenerative farming is growing, but farmers need enough security to make changes. Stacking SFI actions, green lending and premium markets can help reduce that risk.
Regional opportunities, investing for the future
The work at Tubbs End Farm aligns with Lloyds’ Farming with Nature report, Farming with nature: mapping the growth opportunity for UK agriculture - Lloyds Banking Group plc which identified rainwater harvesting, soil and sediment retention, and integrated pest management as key opportunities for the Midlands.
Many of the report’s recommendations are already in motion at the farm, from rainwater harvesting and plans to reinstate a borehole to exploring solar and battery storage. Reduced pesticide use, minimum tillage and a focus on soil health also reflect that approach.
“Whatever is thrown at us - weather, markets or politics, we’ve got to be able to ride the storms and come out the other side,” he says. “This system gives us the best chance of doing that while investing in our soil.”
Supporting that transition is key
Matthew Canning Relationship Director, LloydsFarm businesses like Hugh’s are leading the way in balancing profitability with environmental stewardship. Our role is to support that transition with the right finance, insight and flexibility, so they can invest with confidence and manage risk along the way.
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