In the heart of Buckinghamshire, Jo runs a 1,200-acre family farm that balances heritage with innovation.
The land, primarily arable, also supports cattle, cricket bat willows, and orchards – a mix that reflects both tradition and adaptability.
For Jo, the future of British farming depends on diversification.
“Farmers nowadays, we’ve got to diversify,” he says. “We’ve got to find other means of making money, really, because we don’t actually get much. We’re price takers — and solar is quite important for me from a financial perspective.”
A 112-acre solar park now sits quietly on part of the estate, generating enough clean energy to power 7,000 homes. The site is carefully integrated into the landscape, with hedgerows and wildflowers shielding it from view and enriching the surrounding ecosystem.
“It’s well hidden from the road and the village,” Jo explains. “The local council made sure the company would shield it, and the wildflowers are useful for me because I’ve got an orchard at the top of the solar park that needs pollinating.”
Beyond its environmental benefits, the solar project provides the steady income that’s vital for the farm’s long-term resilience.
“It means I’ve got a steady income that can go straight back into the farm for other projects – whether it’s diversification or maintenance,” he says. “I don’t think we’d be able to do those projects without the money from the solar.”
That financial stability has allowed Jo to take parts of the land out of over-farming and explore new practices such as regenerative and 360 farming, improving soil health and biodiversity while keeping the business viable.
The solar park has also helped bring people back to the land – in spirit and in person.
“One of the biggest benefits has been being able to engage more with the community,” Jo reflects. “People are interested, they want to see it. I’m hoping to build that sense of community spirit even more.”
For Jo, solar isn’t just a diversification strategy – it’s a foundation for farming that sustains both land and livelihood.
Watch Jo’s full story here, and learn more about Adstockfields farm here.
