Oxford Real Farming Conference: seeking common ground
Phil Sumption picks out some of the ORFC 2024 highlights that shine a light on farmers and growers transitioning to more sustainable and resilient farming systems.
LEARN MOREApril 9, 2019
Take a more regenerative farming approach and start monitoring your soil health. Do you accept the Spring Soil Test Challenge? Soilmentor challenge you to do 3 simple soil tests in your fields this spring! Use these tests to understand how healthy your soil is and how well it will support healthy plants and livestock. Knowing your soil is […]
April 8, 2019
In this months Agricology vlog, Jez Taylor (Head Grower at Daylesford Organic) discusses how he manages slugs in an organic system, including understanding their life cycle, their habitat preferences, and how to plant and grow to avoid slug attacks.
April 8, 2019
In this month’s Agricology vlog, Phil Jarvis, Farm Manger for the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust at the Allerton Project, gives an introduction to what agroecology is and what practices they employ at the Allerton Project. The vlog is in two parts. In this part Phil discusses: – Stock & Stockless Systems – Agroforestry – […]
March 29, 2019
Have you ever wondered about the activities of the humble grey field slug when it disappears below the soil surface? No? Understandable, but in fact this sort of information could be key to combatting this troublesome pest. Slugs are one of the most destructive agricultural and horticultural pests out there, capable of causing an estimated […]
March 28, 2019
Earthworms have been in the news recently, with new data confirming that earthworm numbers are low in UK arable soils due to intensive ploughing, repeated soil disturbance and low soil organic matter. Earthworms are important soil organisms: their burrowing and feeding activities allow water to percolate through soil; they breakdown organic matter, releasing nutrients for […]
March 27, 2019
What is agroecology? Agroecology involves understanding ecological processes and applying these concepts to the design and management of agricultural production systems. “Agroecology is concerned with the maintenance of a productive agriculture that sustains yields and optimizes the use of local resources while minimizing the negative environmental and socio-economic impacts” (Miguel Altieri). In this month’s Agricology vlog, […]
March 21, 2019
World Worm Week is the 23rd to the 31st of March and in this short video soil scientist Dr. Jackie Stroud from Rothamsted Research explains why it is important to get involved and covers basic guidelines to identifying common earthworms.
March 14, 2019
On February 26th, CFE were pleased to host representatives of our partners and supporters and member of the farming and conservation communities to mark its relaunch, 10 years after inception, as Championing the Farmed Environment. The event, held at the Farmers & Fletchers in the City venue, included presentations by a panel formed of speakers […]
February 20, 2019
Head Stockman for Daylesford Farm, Phil Gordon-Jones talks us through the benefits of finishing his beef cattle on home grown forage and we join him as he weighs them to send off to abattoir. *Apologies for the loss of sound mid way through the film*
February 19, 2019
The University of Reading, in collaboration with Harper Adams University, is running a project aiming at investigating the potential to reduce phosphorus losses from dairy farms, with consequent benefits for the environment and reduction of feeding costs. This project is a PhD studentship funded by AHDB Dairy. Phosphorus (P) loss is an important environmental issue; […]
February 12, 2019
Soil analysis is an important, perhaps essential management tool in organic and agroecological farming. It supports the primary means of assessing soil, which include walking the field, digging pits, smelling and looking. Analysis provides recommendations on management, including manuring, soil structure and the need for any mineral fertilisers. However it is widely recognised that the […]
February 11, 2019
The challenges facing farmers today are huge, with uncertainty around changes to CAP payments and questions about how farming will be valued in generations to come. Climate change and extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and soil erosion, cheap imports and rising costs are all threatening the viability of UK farming in the future, leading to […]