Thrales End Farm & Business Centre
Where country life and business meet · Thrales End Lane, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 3NS · 01582 349850 · welcometo@thralesend.co.uk
OUR HISTORY
The Pigott family move to Thrales End in 1907. Will Smith, the horseman, pictured here with Daisy and Joe.
The family embraced farming life at Thrales End with everyone involved in tending the land.
John Pigott (in shorts and cap in 1948) took over the mixed farm of crops and cattle from his father in his 20s.
John marries Jessie Clark, a local farmer's daughter, in 1963. (Jessie pictured sitting on her favourite Massey 35). John set about expanding the acreage and rearing pigs.
John's son Ian PIgott, left a career in the city and joined the business in 1996. Converting the pig sties, cattle sheds and grain silos into offices for small businesses begins in 1998.
Ian founds Open Farm Sunday, a national initiative which welcomes visitors onto UK farms in June each year, tempting thousands of people to visit 350 farms throughout Britain to learn about farming methods and the countryside. Subsequently, Ian is named NFU Farming Champion of the Year at the Farmer Weekly Awards.
Thrales End converts to organic farming.
Ian and wife Gilly found The Farmschool charity, delivering creative programmes for secondary school-aged children in GCSE and A level subjects.
Thrales End becomes one of the first farms in the UK to farm regeneratively with no till, cover crops and livestock.
Ian receives an OBE in the New Year's Honours List for services to agricultural and countryside education.
Ian and Gilly open The Pop Up Farm, welcoming visitors to season events for pumpkins, sunflowers, and soon lavender.
Biodiversity and habitat creation put at the centre of Thrales End's farming strategy.
Thrales End focuses on its sense of place, delivering a number of additional amenities for tenants to further strengthen our unique offering and bring our community together.