Prince of Wales visits Duchy farm

The Prince of Wales, bearded and wearing a grey flat cap and a hooded jacket, looks off-camera.Image source, PA Media
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The Prince of Wales paid a visit to Lower Blakemere Farm in Herefordshire on Tuesday

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The Prince of Wales has paid a visit to an innovative Duchy of Cornwall farm in Herefordshire.

William was given an hour-long tour on Tuesday of Lower Blakemere Farm, which is spearheading efforts to cut carbon emissions through greener farming practices.

Tenant farmers Phil and Heather Gorringe and their son Monty welcomed the prince to the site which is one of the Duchy's seven Focus Farms, an initiative designed to share knowledge and experiences of the transition to greener farming practices.

"We are so lucky to have had a [royal] visit," said Mrs Gorringe. "It's good for the team."

"I think also it gives you a real boost because we are a Focus Farm. It gives that whole thing a boost, that actually you might be being useful and on the right track."

The Prince of Wales, wearing blue jeans, walking boots, a green waterproof jacket and a grey flat cap, is walking next to a barn. He is talking to a woman who is walking with him as three other men walk alongside.Image source, Kensington Palace
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Prince William was shown around Lower Blakemere Farm by the Gorringe family

The farm, which was established in the early 1980s as a specialist seed grower, is also the home of composting equipment provider Wiggly Wigglers.

The prince was shown two types of kitchen waste composting bins, sifting through waste and inspecting composting worms by hand.

As he looked at the wormery bin, he was heard to say: "Oh my goodness, look at that, that's amazing."

The Prince of Wales stands with his hands over a bucket filled with food waste. In his hands are some worms. He is speaking to a man and a woman, who is also holding composting material.Image source, Kensington Palace
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Prince William sifted through composting bins by hand

"He got right in there," said Mrs Gorringe. "He basically wanted to know how the heck it worked in terms of Bokashi [a Japanese method of composting].

"He had not heard of that, but in terms of worms he seemed really interested that it was functioning in such a small scale.

"He wanted to know if we could replicate that on a larger scale - for farm composting."

A close up showing a pair of hands over a bucket filled with food waste and worms. One of the hands is holding some worms. Someone else's hand is also holding composting material.Image source, Kensington Palace
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Heather Gorringe said Prince William "got right in there" when inspecting the composting bins

Mrs Gorringe added that the royal visit went some way to validating the work being done on the farm.

"It's tough farming, it's tough moving to a regenerative process, it really is," she said.

"So it gives everyone a boost."

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