Farming Practice
16 pages
- Aerobic Compost Making for Biological Inoculation — Detailed method for producing high-quality aerobic compost as a biological inoculant (not fertiliser), based on Simon Cowell’s 15 years of practice…
- Alternative Weed Control — Non-Chemical Methods — Emerging non-chemical weed control technologies as alternatives or supplements to glyphosate and conventional herbicides. Based on Maxime Barbier’s…
- Blackgrass Management Under No-Till — Blackgrass (*Alopecurus myosuroides*) is one of the most difficult and costly problems on UK arable farms, and the primary driver of resistance to …
- Companion Cropping — OSR with Legumes — Growing oilseed rape (OSR) in combination with a legume companion crop (faba beans, vetches, peas) to improve nitrogen availability, reduce inputs,…
- Conservation Agriculture — Core Principles — The foundational framework underpinning direct drilling, no-till, and zero-till systems. Adopted by the UN FAO in their publication *Save and Grow*.
- Cover Crop C:N Ratios, Rotation and Mix Management — Practical guidance on managing cover crop mixes for no-till benefits, including C:N ratio management, rotation risks, and termination strategies. B…
- Cover Crop Species Guide — Comprehensive reference for cover crop species used in no-till and conservation agriculture systems. Based on Frédéric Thomas and Matthieu Archambe…
- Cover Crops — Plants grown between cash crops primarily to protect and build soil rather than for direct economic yield. Central pillar of Conservation Agricultu…
- Glyphosate Alternatives for Cover Crop Termination — Many no-till systems rely on glyphosate to terminate cover crops before drilling. Uncertainty over glyphosate’s regulatory future and demand from o…
- Glyphosate’s Role in Conservation Agriculture — A balanced review of glyphosate’s position in CA systems — its agronomic importance, risks, resistance issues, and relationship to the future of no…
- Herbal Leys — Putting Grass Back into Farming — Multi-species grass/herb leys as a tool for building soil organic matter, drought resilience, and animal health. Based on Ian Wilkinson’s article f…
- Livestock Integration in No-Till Systems — Research evidence on reintegrating grazing animals into no-till cropping systems. Compaction concerns are frequently overstated; multiple studies s…
- Mechanical Weeding in Arable Crops — Overview of mechanical weed control methods as alternatives or supplements to herbicides, driven by increasing herbicide resistance and regulatory …
- Organic No-Till — Is It Possible? — The “holy grail” of organic arable farming: growing crops without tillage or synthetic chemicals. Based on Jerry Alford (Soil Association) article …
- Stubble Management and Cutting Height — How harvest stubble height affects the establishment quality of subsequent cover crops. Field trial evidence from Loire-Atlantique, France (2017), …
- Water Catchment Management and No-Till — Water companies are increasingly working with farmers to improve water quality at source. No-till farming, cover crops, and improved soil health ar…