Second-place winner of Soil Farmer of the Year 2018. Farms 400 acres in York with arable crops and pedigree cattle on grassland. No-till for 5+ years by 2018. Now a farmer focus contributor in Issue 35 (January 2026).
Profile
| Location | York |
| Area | 400 acres |
| Enterprises | Arable + pedigree cattle on grassland |
| No-till since | ~2015 (5 years by 2018) |
| Drill | John Deere 750A |
Key Practices (from Soil Farmer 2018 Farm Walk)
- Variety of soil types: “blow away sand to heavy clay”
- Soil structure improving especially on heavy land since no-till conversion
- Cover crop evolution over 3 years: basic oats/phacelia/buckwheat → diverse mixes including sunflowers, peas, millet, vetches
- Cover crops grazed by sheep — beneficial biology through manure deposits
- Planning move to mob grazing to further improve soil health
See Soil Farmers of the Year 2018 for full 2018 context.
Appearances
Issue 3 (Soil Farmer 2018 runner-up), Issue 35 (Farmer Focus)
[Sources: dd-issue-03, dd-issue-35]
Related Pages
- Soil Farmers of the Year 2018 — 2018 competition context
- Cover Crops — Cover crop evolution
- Livestock Integration in No-Till Systems — Sheep on covers; mob grazing