Written by Mike Harrington from Edaphos I have written articles for DD magazine on phosphorus and potassium so it’s time to complete the set and take a look at nitrogen. Nitrogen inputs are generally framed as merely a commodity input in agriculture — something to be bought, applied and managed. However, nitrogen is far more […]
Nitrogen in Plants and Soil: A Regen View Read More »
A low input, grass-based approach to sheep and dairy farming is producing delicious food and benefitting the soil and wildlife on two Pasture for Life farms. Former Pasture for Life director Sara Gregson paid them a visit Sheep farming in Kent Fidelity Weston has run her family’s 82-hectare mixed farm near Sevenoaks since the early
Pasture farming boosts soil health and biodiversity Read More »
Over a thousand attend Agroforestry Show after record-breaking drought A “growing movement” is recognising that trees can offer farm resilience and business opportunities in the face of extreme weather with more than a thousand people joining the Agroforestry Show. The Soil Association and Woodland Trust event brought farmers, foresters and environmentalists together at Woodoaks Farm
“Growing movement” of farmers seek benefits of trees Read More »
Ocotber 2025 I mentioned a couple of months ago that we’re dividing the farm into two so that my brother Paul and I can do our own things. It’s been an interesting year with some tricky weather, but pleasingly, we spent very little on any of the crops, so yields of 5 to 6 t/ha
Farmer Focus – John Cherry Read More »
No one can attend or probably even watch the replays of all the Groundswell Sessions. That’s what Mike Abram’s new Substack newsletter The Regenerative Farmer is promising to help with, but first Mike explains why he started the newsletter Change is coming. “It’s made farming exciting again.” Over and over that’s the phrase I’m hearing
The Groundswell Sessions Read More »
By Ben Foster, RHIZA Product Manager Rotations are changing, and farm management systems need to change with them to help farmers manage their data effectively. According to the latest DEFRA figures on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) actions uptake, there are 32,200 active SFI agreements, taking 3.4% of England’s utilised agricultural area out of food
New Updates for Agrii’s Contour Platform Help Manage SFI Changes to Rotations Read More »
I should begin with a declaration: I’m a fan of Groundswell. (I cheered the Cherry family when the event won the Food Innovation Award at the BBC Food & Farming Awards last December.) I’ve attended since it was little more than two blokes and a spaniel (OK, a few hundred people in year one), and over
Farmer Focus – Tom Martin Read More »
October 2025 I am sat here writing this and it’s raining; raining for what feels like the first time this autumn! But I am sat here content. Land work here in East Anglia is generally all up to date, and it’s finally a quieter week for most of the arable farming network. 2022 was the
Farmer Focus – Ben Martin Read More »
Jason Pole, AHDB Technical Content Manager, explains how knowing what makes the ergot pathogen tick can help target management to reduce disease pressure, limit crop infection and keep clean grain clean. Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) grows in and replaces grain with its own fungal tissues, which eventually form a hard, purple-black sclerotium (with a white interior) known
The four weaknesses of ergot Read More »
Written by James Warne from Soil First Farming Some of you may be aware that Steve has taken a small step back from running Soil First Farming in recent years. I have been left to steer the ship and try to keep the business true to its original aims. More recently, Paul has joined us,
An Inversion Conversion? Read More »
