Category: Farm Net Zero

Risky Crops – Field Vegetables in Rotation – Best Practices for Soil Health

Posted on March 29, 2022 by - Farm Net Zero

A FNZ event held in March at Andrew Brewers FNZ demo farm Ennis Barton.

Farmers, growers and advisors met at Demo Farm Ennis Barton near Fraddon to learn how Andrew has integrated vegetable production with his grass-based dairy. Depending on grass production, after six years, fields are rented out to Riviera Produce for cabbages. These are established using a strip-till machine to minimise soil disturbance. Following harvest, any leftover cabbages are grazed by Andrew’s youngstock, before going into spring barley or a grass ley. Andrew is particularly keen on grazing the vegetable residue, as it makes the material “more palatable to the underground livestock” and provides valuable grazing. We also heard from James Wimpress of the Environment Agency, on how to reduce the risk of soil loss from vegetable fields – an important consideration as soil erosion releases carbon as well as removing a valuable asset. Jan Dinsdale from Cornwall Wildlife Trust spoke about the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) Test and Trial. This event was made possible with thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund who fund the Farm Net Zero project.

Key takeaways:

  • Fields for vegetable production should be selected carefully – flattish, with minimal erosion risk.  
  • ELMS is more targeted than previous subsidies but can cover some costs for important soil tests.
  • Integrating livestock and vegetables can reduce bought-in feed requirements.

Growing field vegetables can be an important income stream and break crop, as well as contributing to the nation’s self-sufficiency. However, they can also damage the soil if not grown sensitively. Methods of growing field vegetables in a rotation with grass and cover crops can help to mitigate any soil erosion and improve the rate of soil health recovery and soil carbon capture.

What next?

Andrew’s vegetable fields will now go into either spring barley, grass leys or cover crops and will be assessed to determine which option can restore soil health and capture carbon the fastest. An earlier FNZ cover crop trial on Andrew’s farm, plus Blable (Demo Farm) and Tregooden (Monitor Farm), showed encouraging results for diverse cover crops and their impact on soil health. The trial results can be seen here. 

New videos introducing our Farm Net Zero Demo Farmers

Posted on May 4, 2022 by - Farm Net Zero

Our Farm Net Zero project in Cornwall includes three demonstration farms that act as hubs for training and inspiration for other farmers. Over the last few months we’ve hosted a range of events on these farms and are pleased to share these videos introducing our demo farmers:

Erth Barton Farm

At 300 acres, Erth Barton Farm has been a conventional arable farm for the past four decades, producing root crops, bulbs and cereals. As part of the wider Antony Estate in Cornwall, the farm will transition over the next five years into a healthy, biodiverse, fully functioning natural input farm with a key focus on soil health and the building of soil organic matter. Read more about Erth Barton here.

Blable Farm, Cornwall

Mike Roberts, his wife Alison and their son Sam manage a mix of beef and arable at Blable Farm near Wadebridge. They have 500 acres of grass, arable, scrub and wood with a herd of 150 stabiliser x and pedigree stabiliser suckler cows. This year with more of the arable ground seeded to herbal leys they hope to finish all of their growing cattle on the farm. Read more about Blable Farm here.

Ennis Barton Farm

Andrew Brewer farms 1,000 acres at Ennis Barton, Fraddon. He is a pasture-based dairy farmer and owns 500 Jersey cross cows. He finishes his beef calves on the grass system and also lets out some land for the production of potatoes and cabbages. Read more about Ennis Barton here.

Farm Net Zero project to deliver over £1 million of support to farmers in Cornwall

Posted on August 22, 2020 by - Farm Net Zero, News

Duchy College, part of The Cornwall College Group (TCCG), has been awarded almost £1.3 million from The National Lottery Community Fund to run The Farm Net Zero project, which aims to help the farming community move towards net-zero carbon emissions.

The project which is running for the next 5 years, aims to help the farming community in East Cornwall to move towards net zero carbon emissions. There will be opportunities for farmers to access bespoke carbon footprinting, soil carbon testing and support networks which target practical actions that can be taken on farm to reduce emissions and improve sequestration.

Activities will include the setting up of net zero demonstration farms which will showcase practical actions that can be taken and the impact of management changes on emissions, farm profitability and natural assets. There will be opportunities for farmers to learn more about the sources of emissions on farms and the ways that they can be reduced as well as understanding how soil health is pivotal not just to resilient farming systems but to delivering climate change solutions for society.

Becky Willson project manager for Farm Carbon Toolkit explains:

“We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to build on our existing work with farmers. This funding allows FCT to support communities of farmers within Cornwall to understand the key issues concerning climate change and agriculture, and develop farming systems that are fit for the future.

“Agriculture has a major role to plan in achieving our net zero targets, as well as being in the unique position of providing a climate solution. Involving farmers in the discussions and empowering them to rise to the challenge through enhancing knowledge and opportunities will enable real change.  Reducing emissions and improving sequestration on-farm requires skills development, measuring, monitoring and working together, all things we are able to do within this project.  This project will allow us to engage with a wide range of communities and share best practice and knowledge from other sectors.”

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Cornwall to be at the forefront of developing net zero farming systems and we can’t wait to get started.”

The project is a partnership between Duchy College Rural Business School, The Farm Carbon Toolkit, The Soil Association, Westcountry Rivers Trust, and Innovation for Agriculture.  The project will involve working with farmers and the wider communities across East Cornwall to pioneer new approaches to low carbon food production.

To find out more about the fund please visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk