Our Practices
No Insecticides
We don't use insecticides on our farm. Instead, we rely on natural predators to keep pest populations in balance. We prioritise practices and creating habitats that encourage life and protect beneficial insects and pollinators. It's a long-term investment in ecosystem resilience rather than short-term pest suppression.
No-Till
We avoid ploughing or turning the soil, instead drilling seed directly into undisturbed ground. This preserves soil structure, protects fungal networks, and reduces erosion and moisture loss. Over time, no-till farming builds organic matter, improves water infiltration, and lowers fuel use, all while supporting a more stable soil ecosystem.
Control Traffic Farming
We use permanent wheelings across our fields, so machinery always follows the same paths. This confines soil compaction to a small percentage of the land, leaving the rest undisturbed for root growth and water infiltration.
Cover and Catch Crops
Between crops that produce food (like wheat), we plant catch and cover crops to keep living roots in the soil year-round. These crops capture leftover nutrients, prevent erosion, suppress weeds, and provide exudates for soil biology. It's a simple practice that protects and builds soil health during periods the ground would otherwise sit bare.
Growing Variety Blends
Rather than planting single varieties, we sow blends of different genetics within the same crop. This makes the whole crop less susceptible to disease outbreak meaning we can rely less on fungicides.
Agroforestry
We are integrating trees into our cropping land, strips of fruit trees run through an arable field. Creating windbreaks, improved habitats for wildlife, carbon sequestration, and a diversified output.
Research
We are always trying to learn and improve, in farming and our stewardship of the land. We run several trials collaboratively with research partners, academia, and other farmers. To find out more about what projects we are involved with currently, click below.
Compost
We produce microbially rich compost extracts on-farm, using materials sourced from our own land, and apply them whenever we plant a new crop. Our focus is on delivering microbial diversity, building healthier, more biologically active soils that support stronger plant growth and greater resilience across the whole farm system.
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© Françoise Sergy
Reactive Agronomy
We test and monitor crops closely and respond accordingly. Decisions on nutrition, and disease pressure are based on real-time observation and testing. This reduces unnecessary inputs, and ensures interventions happen only when genuinely needed.
Integrating Livestock
We bring livestock into our cropping rotations, allowing sheep to graze cover crops and winter cereals. This cycles nutrients back into the soil, delivers beneficial microbes, and breaks pest and disease cycles naturally. As a result, we reduce the chemical inputs needed to manage our crops while building a more resilient system.
