The farm (excluding the livery grazing) will be fully organic from August 2009. This means that, instead of using artificial fertilizers and sprays to produce crops, there will be a crop rotation, which will include periods of ‘fertility building’.
In the ‘fertility building’ period, the nodule bacteria on legumes E.G. red and white clover peas, beans and lucerne is sown to fix nitrogen in the soil, which in turn will be used to provide fertility for the cereal crop.
Weeds are controlled, where possible, by ploughing and cultivating the land prior to sowing. After that there are few options for weed control. Consequently, the crop yield will be a fraction of what one could expect in conventional cereal production.
Due to organic yields being a fraction of what one would expect in conventional crop production, the value of the product has to be significantly higher in order to maintain a viable business.
Cereals (wheat, barley, oats, triticale) for organic livestock feed E.G. beef cattle, milk production, lamb, pork and poultry or egg production
Pulses (peas, beans) for protein for organic livestock feed E.G. beef cattle, milk production, lamb, pork and poultry or egg production
Some types of wheat for organic bread
Some types of oats for organic porridge and/or breakfast cereals