Agricology Blog

We were delighted to take part and attend (in-person and on-line) the Oxford Real Farming Conference a couple of weeks ago. Ever inspiring, we thought we’d give you some of our reflections along with some useful resource recommendations that were highlighted in the sessions that we attended…

While there is lots of information to be found if you look in the right places or speak to the right people, there is a need to pool it together and make it more accessible. This is what this book by Andy Dibben and Ben Raskin does so brilliantly...

The aim was to hold a practical event demonstrating techniques to restore soil health and sharing knowledge and experience between local farmers and farm managers working at a range of scales in the catchment.

"We can’t be growers championing our sustainable production and continue using peat. The issues at stake - biodiversity loss and the loss of carbon - are just too great..."

Agricology's Farm Engagement Officer Matt Smee reflects on his experience of the ORFC (2023) and its contribution to helping build a resilient, equitable and sustainable farming system...

When under the inspection of an environmental regulator, water companies and farmers can often point to each other accusingly. One side can paint a picture of a farmer haphazardly firing tonnes of fertiliser onto their prized crop, the other of a frowning businessman ordering the release of vast tonnes of sewage overflow into the precious water-course, at the expense of all life in it.

A joint industry and Research Council funded project looking at how to reintegrate sheep into arable systems for the improvement of soil quality is seeking help from arable farmers.

Reducing tillage and chemical inputs can be beneficial for soil and the environment, so could a permanent clover understorey acting as a 'living mulch', moving towards a perennial soil cover, offer a practical solution to reducing inputs and having more sustainable cropping systems?

In 1992 I started my career as a newly fledged post-doc working on the Integrated Farming Systems project and so have been intrigued to see the rising interest in regenerative agriculture. But what is it, and is it any different to integrated farming that has been promoted by organisations such as LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) since its establishment 1991?

Ploughing has received bad press in some organic farming circles due to the higher fuel requirements and the fact that it buries soil organisms and green material at too great a depth. The perennial questions are: should we plough and if so how deep?

Jez Taylor, head of Daylesford market garden, shares his recipe for making compost.

The growing season has, without a doubt, already presented us with some significant challenges and, while recent government advice has altered the way that the Kings team is communicating with customers, we are still very much available to offer technical advice and recommendations to support your crop strategy and wider business.