Resource: Farmer experience

Pasture for Life (PfL) standards can result in improved animal welfare, ecosystem resilience, healthier soils, and increased biodiversity.

A video produced for the AFINET project exploring some of the practical considerations for agroforestry systems and potential benefits.

Video footage recorded when the UK AFINET agroforestry network group met at the Dartington Estate in Devon to discuss agroforestry implementation.

Practical recommendations for exploring the viability of combining grain peas with barley on your farm.  

Video footage filmed at ORFC 2019 of Jez Taylor from Daylesford Organic Farm describing weed management techniques that are used in the market garden.

This is video footage filmed at the ORFC 2019 of the session on silvopasture featuring farmer and PFLA member Chris Jones describing what he has implemented on his farm in Cornwall and why.

Video footage filmed at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) 2019 of Andy Howard of Bockhanger Farms discussing the potential of ‘plant teams’ in theory and practice.

Footage of farmer Stephen Briggs speaking at the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2019 on the process of planning a new agroforestry system, finding markets for wood products, and calculating the business opportunities.

ORC Bulletin article reporting on farmers that have been combining diverse leys with livestock and some of the pros and cons of this practice revealed as part of the DiverIMPACTS project.

A Nuffield report exploring the role of grazing animals in maintaining and enhancing the ecosystem function and striking a health balance between economy and ecology.

An article published in Star & Furrow exploring the biodynamic approach to working with soil… “With what and how do we feed this soil life?”

Alex Heffron uses a plate meter to monitor the volume of forage available in fields across his farm allowing him to improve grass growth and soil health with mob grazing.

Spring and autumn are the best times to do soil tests. Try the three most important and easy soil tests you can do yourself on your land to understand soil health.

Family farm conflicts, benefits of compost teas, preventing disease in apple orchards, how community-owned farms can work – it’s all here in this podcast from Farmerama…

Garden Organic’s useful guide to seed saving; the whys and hows, and taking you through different steps of seed saving for some well-known vegetable and salad crops.

Interested in starting a traineeship to inspire and educate farmers of the future? This guide offers insights from a selection of farms on how such initiatives can be a success as well as what to look for in farms if you are applying as a trainee.

An AGFORWARD leaflet that focuses on managing the tree understorey in a horticultural agroforestry system, for increased food production and biodiversity.

A useful note produced as part of an Innovative Farmers field lab, which focuses on the lifecycle of leatherjackets and outlines some of the management and biological control options.

Wild pollinators need you! This new resource looks at low budget ways you can provide more food, nesting and overwintering sites on your farm without breaking the bank.

Farmerama podcast that includes ADAS soil scientist Lizzie Sagoo talking about soil health and soil organic matter at the Agricology Field Day in January.

Insights into biofertiliser production emerging as an important tool in the remineralisation of soils.

A useful video with a detailed description of how to take a soil sample and interpret it using the spade test.

Farmerama podcast presenting some interesting reflections from ORFC 2018; including the benefits of making sainfoin an essential part of your ley farming system.

A slideshow providing information on some of the inspiring farming systems and a little of the science featured at the Agricology field day on January 2018.