ONE of the final bidders in the race to run Aldenham Country Park (ACP) has shared his plans to turn the park into an authentic experience for real food and farming.

Tim Waygood, 45, who runs the family-run Church Farm, Ardeley, in Stevenage, says he is looking to reconnect the community with the land.

He hopes opportunities for volunteer work, residents to grow vegetables and sell them on-site, and educational programmes will engage people.

The farmer stressed the proposals would not turn ACP into a themed-attraction like Willows Farm, in London Colney, but rather a working farm, which connected directly with its visitors.

Under the plans, there would be guided tours of the park and rare-breed farm, which would be expanded with various types of boars, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese, for meat and egg production.

The farm would also seek to start local micro-enterprises for people to produce things like honey or jam, to be sold at regular farmers market days.

Mr Waygood said he hopes everything produced on the site could eventually be sold in a new farm shop and cafe.

The farmer said: “It's all about producing a variety of high quality food for local people, but the variety also enables it to be a visitors attraction and a place for education, a place for young people to come and volunteer and learn.”

Other plans for the site would see the car park charge heavily reduced, allowing people who just want to walk their dog on the land to pay a lot less than those paying to enter the farm.

A new heritage orchard would also be planted in 100 Aker Wood, consisting of various fruit trees, to create a special picnic and barbecue area.

Two other bidders are left in the race to run Aldenham Country Park, with a decision expected to be made by Hertfordshire County Council in July.