Mixed farming – Histories and Futures: Historical Agriculture Data Report

Mixed Farming - Histories and Futures is a collaborative pilot project focused on the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere. Its overall aim was to ‘encourage movement towards sustainable mixed agriculture’ and a more resilient local food production economy.
The primary tangible output of the Project is a Gateway, which brings together information to demonstrate that mixed sustainable agriculture is possible in Mid-Wales through provision of interrogatable historical land-use maps, predictive crop maps and risk-based opportunity maps. In addition, both existing and former arable crop producers are identified by location and crop. Oral histories with older farmers in the area supplied the information for the latter.
This report focuses on deliverable D5.2 – Mid-Wales Historical Agriculture Data. It will introduce the historical angle of the Project and the core historic datasets used - the tithe maps and associated apportionment schedules - along with the steps undertaken to make them accessible and usable in the Gateway. It will then discuss additional historical datasets used in the project and those identified as having value for possible future integration, along with the issues associated with their use and reuse.