Most farmers would find the everyday running of a 900 hectare arable and livestock enterprise challenging enough, but Edward Brun adds ownership of almost 400 hectares of woodland into his business considerations.

A brief cropping overview of the arable side at Fring and Bircham in West Norfolk shows a major stake in Winter and Spring barley, followed by sugar beet, with cocksfoot grass and stubble turnips grown for seed.

Edward’s father introduced cocksfoot for seed before the war, and they have been growing it ever since. “It is not a particularly profitable crop, but is not expensive to grow, and is good in the rotation on our very light land,” said Edward. After the seed is harvested the land is let for pig production, and for sheep grazing in the Autumn.

In 1977 Edward began to acquire woodland which is now an important and much-loved part of the business. His forestry comprises six woods with a mix of conifer and broadleaf species, dominated by Corsican and Scots pine, and oak, but with all the woodland species - including larch, Douglas fir, beech and sweet chestnut - having an important role to play.

Edward is well known in forestry circles in the East of England, being past regional chairman of the Royal Forestry Society, and the Confederation of Forest Industries, in both of which he is still closely involved. “I do enjoy walking round my woods with like-minded people as there is so much more to discuss than in farming. Woodland management is a very complex thing. Make mistakes and they live with you for many years, whereas in farming errors can be rectified within twelve months. Getting it right is hugely satisfying.”

One of Edward’s favourite places is the ancient Hindolveston Wood which originated in the postglacial period – roughly 12000 years BC. Following a period when virtually the whole country was covered by “wildwood”, evidence shows that woodland management began in prehistoric times. Fascinating records give details of the wood’s management and ecology from the late 1200s when oak standards with coppice growing underneath became the norm. Today Edward strives to grow high forest oak with straight branchless trunks, aiming to achieve sought-after timber for furniture and veneer. To improve the quality of oak for future generations, in the early 1990s he replanted – after much research – high quality oak from well-established Dutch and Danish provenances which are already making potentially impressive stands.

“There are markets for all grades of timber. At the moment hardwood thinnings are selling exceptionally well for firewood, whereas the market for softwood for fencing and building materials is dire, owing to the recession. Our old oak is a capital reserve, and thinning and coppice cutting provides a steady income. Marketing is the name of the game, and our website (www.fringhall.co.uk) generates a range of interesting enquiries, from a request for a huge Douglas fir which was made into the largest dug-out canoe in the UK, to hazel rods and sticks for weaving fences, and faggots for environmentally sensitive riverbank restoration.”

About a third of every softwood tree is of low-grade quality, and finding a market for this is important. Historically the markets have been for pulp, chipboard and animal bedding, but the processors are a long way away, so rendering them uneconomic because of haulage. The answer lies in the production of woodchips, and Edward is one of the founding directors of Anglia Woodfuels. The exciting market for woodfuels is just developing and is gaining in popularity for central heating, as the chips are renewable, emit less carbon than fossil fuel, and at 2.5p per kilowatt hour are half the price of oil and a fifth of the price of electricity, plus the product is locally produced leaving a low carbon footprint.

It was through his business dealings with Anglia Woodfuels that Edward learned more about Anglia Farmers, which administers the woodchip co-operative. “I have not belonged to a central purchasing group before and Anglia Farmers has become an integral part of my business. I’m seeing savings on building materials, fuel, telephones, chemicals, and also secretarial time. I wish I had joined years ago… I would have saved myself precious time, and a lot of money!”