Category: Case Studies

Animals and Trees in the Farming Landscape

Posted on July 25, 2025 by - Case Studies

By Joe Jones, FCT Farm Carbon and Soils Assistant

For many, views of animals grazing under large trees invokes the image of a slower pace associated with older farming periods. Whilst few would dispute the beauty of this, modern agriculture has largely forgotten the utility of trees in farming systems, often seeing them purely as a refuge for wildlife and a nuisance to farming activities . But the work of Dr Lindsay Whistance, Senior Livestock Researcher at the Organic Researcher Centre, is seeking to provide farmers with evidence of how valuable trees are in both environmental and economic terms. Trees can support greater animal welfare and more resilient farm enterprises overall. In this case study, we look at some of Dr Whistance’s research, which examines some of the ways trees positively contribute to livestock farming systems.

Trees on Farms through the Ages

In the past, trees in both hedgerows and fields were much more integrated features of the British farming landscape. Farm trees, hedgerows and woodland were managed carefully to produce a variety of resources. These included raw materials for many household items and crafts, timber for buildings, fuel, as well as fodder and shelter for farm animals.

As the value of wood declined, alongside the adoption of more mechanised and larger scale agriculture, the use for trees on farms diminished. Consequently, many farmland hedgerows and trees were removed in the last century to increase  efficiency and productivity. The decline of trees in the farming landscape meant many benefits were lost, some which were noted and others which are only becoming more apparent now.

The Benefits Triage

Trying to understand and put meaningful data behind what these benefits might be has been a key component of Dr Whistance’s research. She has helped identify several key areas, both directly and indirectly, where trees positively contribute to livestock welfare and has provided a strong case for their inclusion in farming systems.

1. Shelter – buffering the extremes

One of the key challenges farmers face now is the increasing extremes of climatic events. Extreme heat, cold, wind and rain are all challenges to livestock who cannot access places to take refuge. Animals maintain a ‘thermal comfort zone’ where bodily processes are regulated. When temperatures move beyond this zone, the animal begins to experience stress which leads to a greater susceptibility for illness or death.

In hot environments, where animals’ body temperature exceeds the higher critical temperature (HCT), animal food intake decreases in an attempt to reduce heat load. An example of this is in dairy cows, where heat stress leads to a negative energy balance, increases metabolic disorders, and decreases milk production. FCT’s Jemma Morgan explores this issue in her recent blog.

In cold temperatures, animals need to increase their food intake every 1°C that drops below the lower critical temperature (LTC). This puts pressure on food availability.

Dr Whistance provides evidence that trees can help solve these issues. In high temperatures trees canopies help break any solar radiation and capture and store more moisture, leading to a cooling effect. This provides valuable refuge to animals seeking an escape from the heat. In challenging cold conditions, trees help to capture and store warm air underneath their branches, which can sometimes be as much as 6°c warmer than surrounding temperature.

Sheltered refuge is especially valuable during lambing, as newborn lambs must stay warm and dry in their first few hours of life. Without adequate shelter, they risk hypothermia before they can take in vital colostrum, gain energy, and begin to regulate their own body temperature. There are benefits during cold periods too, where grasses grow earlier in the season due to the warm pockets of air. During dry periods, grasses remain green due to the moisture and shade which trees provide. Dr Whistance’s work has also highlighted the benefits of trees in mitigating wind and its influence on ambient temperature.

More farmers are recognising and starting to implement agroforestry to support profitable farming, such as at Longmoor Farm in Dorset.

2- Tree fodder

Trace elements (TE) and plant secondary metabolic (PSM) products form an important part of a herbivore’s diet which directly influence an animals health. Traditionally, tree fodder was a key component of farm animals diet and would provide both of these elements. As access to trees and shrubs has become more restricted in modern day agriculture, these mineral elements have had to be provided through bought in supplements instead.

In one of their studies, Dr Whistance and her team examined mineral content of tree species and found that trees such as willow can provide an important source of cobalt and zinc, particularly valuable for weaned lambs. We have a blog by FCT’s Anthony Ellis on his experiences.

In another of their studies, they also found that the mineral content of stored tree fodder became more available after its storage period, indicating its potential as a stable source of minerals.

As well as animals foraging for the minerals they require, they can self medicate using plants which contain the necessary PSMs. Self selecting behaviour has been studied in goats and sheep and has revealed that those with high worm burdens will seek out leaves with high amounts of tannins to reduce their internal parasites. Certain trees contain high levels of condensed tannins which make them valuable resources for livestock. 

Herbal leys provide tannins and trace elements but trees have an advantage due to their larger and deeper root systems that allow them to access minerals deep into the soil. As perennial plants, they also have key relationships with mycorrhizal fungi which increases the variety of minerals and has the ability to use biochemistry to access nutrients that pasture plants cannot. For livestock such as chickens and pigs, alongside providing browse, trees in the field can help promote a wider range of food sources including insects, nuts and seeds and fungi, which all encourages natural foraging behaviour.

3. Expressing animal behaviour

The last point to examine from Dr Whistance’s work is the effect trees can have on farm animal behaviour. The ability for an animal to express its natural behaviour is a key but often overlooked component of farm animal welfare and promotion of healthy animals. Similar to climatic stress and nutrient deficiencies, environmental suppression of animal instinct may lead to abnormal behaviour which then contributes to more serious problems further down the line.

Dr Whistance’s work has found that fields with trees allow livestock to express behaviour such as play (including scratching and rubbing against tree trunks) and encourages the natural instinct to seek hiding places for seclusion. These behaviours support the animals when regulating their own physiological and emotional health. Cattle in silviopasture systems show increased social licking by up to 80%, which is almost double compared to solely pasture systems. This promotes greater social cohesion which results in animals that demonstrate less fear and aggression and consequently stress. On a physical level,  animals enjoy and benefit from scratching and rubbing themselves against trees and shrubs as it helps to dislodge parasites and seeds and also removes dead skin and hair which can all contribute to complications. Giving the animal the opportunity to manage its own needs in a suitable way can remove the need for intervention from the farmer.

Conclusion

One of the key insights from Dr. Whistance’s work is the vital role that trees and hedgerows play in helping animals to self-regulate, whether through shelter, diet, or behaviour. Her research highlights the importance of managing and using the natural resources available on the farm to support animal well-being. When used wisely, these resources can offer multiple benefits, reducing the need to purchase external inputs and enhancing the overall sustainability of the farm. By enabling both livestock and the wider farm system to make use of natural features, farmers can strengthen the environmental and economic resilience of their operations – just as previous generations did.

It is important to note that tree systems must be carefully designed to suit the specific needs and conditions of each farm. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and some adjustments may be necessary as the system grows within each farm.

Key Findings

  • Trees and hedgerows are valuable on-farm resources, especially for livestock farmers
  • They provide environmental benefits and are key to livestock’s physical and emotional health by facilitating access to shelter, nutrition and expression of natural behaviour. 
  • Tree planting for livestock requires careful planning so the benefits are optimised and the cost/maintenance kept as low as possible 



Willow for livestock

Posted on July 17, 2025 by - Case Studies

By Anthony Ellis, Senior Advisor at FCT

Growing willow on farms

Pensipple Farm is our 200 acre mixed, family farm in South East Cornwall which has been in the family for 84 years. We have a small flock of NZ Romney sheep, grow winter wheat and spring oats with herbal leys and currently winter bird food in the rotation, as part of a substantial Countryside Stewardship and SFI agreement.

10 years ago, my father and uncle entered an agreement with a solar company and 37 acres of solar panels were installed on the farm. In the decade that followed, parts of the farm which became less accessible due to the solar farm perimeter fence started to sprout willows along the 650m fence line. As they grew higher the solar company asked if they could be managed so they didn’t shade the panels out. 

Having read about the positive benefits of willow as a forage source I decided to see what would happen if I coppiced the tall growth and threw it in for the sheep. The result has been dramatic – the sheep absolutely loved it! I now pollard, rather than coppice, the fence line in a 3-4 year rotation all year round – carefully checking for nesting birds. The branches are thrown in for the sheep to browse, and allow them to graze the lower branches as they rotate through this part of the farm.

Sheep grazing on freshly cut willow at Pensipple Farm

Sheep eating willow

The majority is Grey WIllow and is self seeded, although I have planted more saplings this winter in other parts of the farm where the sheep graze.

The leaves contain good levels of Zinc and Cobalt, both of which are important for animal health but, cobalt in particular is very important for growing lambs. The bark contains salicin which is a precursor that allows the body to produce salicylic acid, a natural form of Asperine which has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties, and has been used for centuries for just this purpose.

I try, but don’t always succeed, in giving them fresh growth to browse two or three times a week from May to October; they will eat leaves and bark. Observing which parts of the plant they are eating can give clues as to their health and what they are looking for. If there is excessive stripping of the bark, this can suggest that some individuals might be looking for pain relief for example, and we can focus our checks accordingly.

The joy of willow is that pretty much all grazing livestock can eat it and, if we observe livestock entering a new field, we often see them move to the hedge rows to seek it out, among other trees and herbs. This suggests there is an innate understanding of what their bodies need and where they can find it in the landscape.

Wider benefits

Apart from the feed benefits of willow, it can also provide shade in summer and shelter in winter, potentially stretching the grazing season and increasing DMI on hotter days. On top of this, strategic planting of willow can reduce flood risk, provide a habitat for birds and insects, as well as increase soil health and sequester above and below ground carbon in significant quantities. Willow coppice has been shown to sequester 16.33 tonnes of CO2e/ha/yr (source: Farm Carbon Calculator).

In the future, I’d like to look into chipping the remnants of the grazed branches and compost them, or extract the growth promoting compounds from them to produce a soil drench or foliar feed. The possibilities are quite exciting!

Soil carbon monitoring and carbon footprinting for the Three Dales Landscape Recovery scheme

Posted on July 14, 2025 by - Case Studies

“Working with FCT has been an absolute pleasure! I know I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: it has been so refreshing to work with consultants who are able to take a brief and just get the job done (and to an excellent standard, may I add).” Three Dales Project Development Manager

As part of the development phase of the Three Dales Landscape Recovery Scheme, the FCT team delivered a targeted soil sampling and carbon assessment strategy across the 4,200ha project area, encompassing in-bye grasslands, upland pastures and moorland habitats. This baseline audit will help inform the Land Management and Monitoring & Evaluation plans, and support negotiations with DEFRA ahead of the implementation phase.

Working with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the lead partner in the scheme, we designed and implemented a cost-effective, spatially representative sampling strategy, with GPS-logged sites carefully distributed across varied soil types, management regimes and habitat classes. Regular co-ordination with the LR Project Manager ensured full transparency for all landowners and timely sampling despite the challenging terrain across some remote (and stunning) areas of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

All photos courtesy of Steve Watts.

Soil analysis included soil organic carbon concentration and bulk density (at three depths), nutrient levels, aggregate stability, VESS scoring, and earthworm counts. The resulting dataset enabled a full carbon stock estimation (t C ha) across the landscape. To further support the DEFRA submission, our reporting also included modelling to quantify potential changes in carbon stocks with implementation of the planned changes in land management and habitat enhancements through 2040 and 2050.

Carbon footprints – factoring in emissions, sequestration and peat condition data – were also conducted for each landholding and at landscape scale. Finally, a long-term soil carbon monitoring plan was developed to support the scheme’s 30-year delivery programme.

Everybody was very pleased that we were able to deliver on all aspects of the project within the very tight timeframe.

Trees, soils and wildlife underpinning profitable dairy farming

Posted on July 1, 2025 by - Case Studies

See the full case study here

“When we first came the farm was quiet, but now you hear birds all the time. You go up the drive and see 50 goldfinches flying up. The contractor said the life coming out of the hedges was like nothing he’d seen before” says Stuart Rogers.

Such are the changes in farm management that Suart and his family have implemented at Longmoor Farm in Dorset, they are managing to balance high milk yields with improving soils and biodiversity. This is an interesting example of a farm that appears to balancing both financial and environmental sustainability well.

Longmoor is a dairy farm with 250 cows, averaging 11, 500 litres per year each. The farm is 300 acres, rented from the Duchy of Cornwall. Such systems are commonly dependent on high inputs of feed and fertiliser, but Longmoor has taken a different approach. No fertiliser has been applied to grassland for over 5 years and the pastres are thriving. Through extensive herbal leys and high stocking sensities for short periods, Stuart remarked “it’s easy to get stuck in the trap of reseeding 25% of the farm each year – it just doesn’t work long term.”

Wildlife and carbon

The farm has improved both the wildlife quality and quantity, and the carbon stored in soils, trees and hedges. Hedges have been allowed to grow up and out, including in hedge trees; this both sequesters carbon and provides habitat for wildlife.

Bringing more trees in to the fields has been achieved by new agroforestry rows, consisting of 1.4km of new trees including willow, poplar, maple, hornbeam, oak, wild cherry, and hawthorn. In addition to carbon and biodiversity, these provide shade for cows and even some extra food.

Agrofresty strips at Longmoor

Floral field margins are particularly aesthetic and are rich hunting ground for owls, and indicator species for healthy habitat. On some additional land owned by Stuart, woodland has been planted and ponds created, so wildlife is clearly a passion of his.

Flower margins around fields

Soils are the key

“The plough is a heavy reset that asks a lot from the soil and is very high risk“, comments Stuart. At Longmoor no ploughing has been done for five years. Maize, grown to feed to farm’s dairy herd, is established by strip tilling through a cover crop without using herbicides, direct drilled.

Stuart remembers: “walking on ploughed land you would sink right in after cultivation,
but it was easy to walk on the strip till land”.

Min till maize

The changes stacking up…

The new approach to farming at Longmoor have led to a list of real wins:

  • No fertiliser on grassland for five years
  • No ploughing for five years
  • 1.4km of agroforestry trees planted
  • Hedges wider and higher
  • Fertiiser reduced on cropland by 35-40%
  • Milk yields at 11, 500 litres per cow per year

The combined impact of these is to reduce carbon emissions, increase carbon sequestration, improve wildlife, remain profitable, and sustain interest and enthusiasm for Stuart and his team.

Using the Farm Carbon Calculator on Britain’s Most Remote Inhabited Island

Posted on June 3, 2025 by - Case Studies, Insights, News

Texel cross Shetland ewe with twin Suffolk lambs on Fair Isle (photo credit: Daniel Stout)

Perched between Orkney and Shetland, Fair Isle is Britain’s most remote inhabited island. A rugged, windswept strip of land where the Atlantic meets the North Sea, it stretches just three miles long and a mile and a half wide. This isolated outcrop is home to a small community of crofters who farm against a backdrop of salt-laced gales and long, stormy winters.

Fair Isle is where Daniel Stout grew up, on his family’s croft. The island’s 768 hectares are divided between communal hill ground to the north and seventeen working crofts to the south. Each croft holds an equal share in the island’s common grazing flock of 340 ewes, which graze across 430 hectares of hill land. Sheep are the lifeblood of the island with no cattle currently being run. All flocks are April lambing with lambs sold at September sales in Shetland’s capital Lerwick. Homegrown silage is also produced to keep croft flocks going through the winter months.

From Crofter to Livestock and Carbon Consultant

The rugged, practical farming environment of Fair Isle along with working for Innovis and SAC Consulting, has laid the foundation for Daniel’s future work. Since founding Stout Livestock Consulting Ltd in 2024, he has helped livestock farmers across Scotland better understand and reduce their carbon emissions.

“I started using carbon calculators in 2019, but it’s in the past couple of years that things have really shifted with audits now part of the Whole Farm Plan,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be just a box-ticking exercise, there’s a lot of value to be had in pulling together data required and reviewing how your enterprises have performed and on what inputs.”

In Scotland, a carbon audit is now one of the five requirements under the Whole Farm Plan, which farmers must complete to access Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) support for which two audits were required in 2025 with all five, if applicable, required in 2028. Funding is through the Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF) scheme, offering £500 towards an audit in 2025 meaning it is well worth getting sorted with a carbon audit whilst funding is available. 

Choosing the Right Tool for the Job

Since launching Stout Livestock Consulting Ltd, Daniel has used the Farm Carbon Calculator to carry out detailed carbon audits across a range of livestock systems. One of his most extensive applications of the tool has been on his very own home island of Fair Isle, where he completed 14 audits to help crofters meet the requirements of the Whole Farm Plan.

Flocks range in size with some businesses leasing out their in-bye land to other crofters. The audits revealed exceptionally low emissions from the common grazing flock, made up of hardy, low mature weight Shetland ewes, bred pure. These ewes lamb on the hill, are overwintered without supplementary feed, and rear at 90 percent. Two smaller common grazings on the island achieved a 100 percent rearing rate under the same low-input, hill-based system.

Croft flocks performed exceptionally well. Flocks made up of Texel, Cheviot or Highlander cross Shetland ewes, put to Texel or Suffolk rams, averaged a rearing rate of 164 percent from a total of 386 ewes to the tup (ranging from 154 to 171 percent). Crofts running mainly Shetland ewes put to Texel or Cheviot rams reared at an average of 139 percent from 135 ewes.

Shetland cross ewes with texel lambs on Fair Isle (photo credit: Daniel Stout)

Turning Carbon Audits into Insights

“What stood out was the consistently strong productivity the island’s flocks are achieving,” Daniel says. “When you look at the high rearing rates and kg of lamb weaned per kilo of ewe, with low ewe and lamb mortality and low replacement rates, the carbon footprint per kilo of output is impressively low.”

Beyond the numbers, Daniel sees carbon audits as a tool for farm improvement. “It gets farmers thinking about where their inputs are going and how enterprises are performing, highlighting resource use efficiency and what changes could be made that make both environmental and business sense.” On Fair Isle, this helped identify practical mitigation options such as reducing concentrate use, improving grassland management, and even exploring peatland restoration on the common grazings.

The calculator itself also enables broader consultancy services. Its extensive list of building materials supports accurate modelling of embedded carbon in infrastructure like sheds and steadings. “I’ve used it to create full carbon statements for free range poultry shed planning applications by modelling the embedded carbon of the shed alongside the annual operational emissions of the poultry enterprise and carbon sequestration from tree planting on the unit” Daniel says. 

The tool’s scenario modelling capabilities are another strength. “The copy report function is a useful tool,” he continues. “You can take an existing audit and tweak it to test different scenario ideas—changing feed use, trying woodland creation, adjusting flock/herd structure and different enterprises. It gives clients a clearer sense of what each option means for their emissions.”

Small Island, Big Lessons

From one of the UK’s most remote and weather-beaten farming communities, Daniel Stout has brought a grounded, practical approach to carbon auditing that resonates with livestock producers across the country. His use of the Farm Carbon Toolkit Calculator has not only helped crofters on Fair Isle meet policy requirements but also uncovered the strengths of their traditional systems—highlighting impressive productivity and low emissions in a challenging environment.

Whether for policy compliance, management improvement, or strategic planning, Daniel’s work demonstrates how carbon audits can empower farmers to make smarter, more sustainable choices—even from the edge of the map.

Daniel Stout is an FBAASS accredited consultant and user of The Farm Carbon Calculator with a Professional Licence. Stout Livestock Consulting provides independent livestock and farm business consultancy to farmers and crofters throughout Scotland. To reach Daniel call +44 7833 226884 – [email protected]

If you want to hear about how our tool can help you deliver advice or projects in a similar way get in touch now or email us directly at [email protected]

Craig Blyth-Moore is a sustainability communications professional with over a decade of experience turning complex environmental issues into clear, compelling narratives. He has written extensively on energy efficiency, renewable energy, the energy transition and sustainable logistics, helping organisations communicate their sustainability strategies with credibility and impact. 

Craig holds an MSc in Environmental Sustainability and brings both subject matter expertise and strategic insight to his work. His writing has appeared on leading global platforms including Economist Impact and the World Economic Forum, helping to inform and inspire meaningful climate action.

25 Years of Rethinking Soil with Simon Cowell

Posted on May 21, 2025 by - Case Studies, Insights, Soil Farmer of the Year

On a sunny day at the end of March, farmers gathered with Simon Cowell to take part in a farm walk with our Soil Farmer of the Year Winner from 2018. Thanks to funding from the AFN+ network, we have been able to revisit two farms this year to understand how their farm and management systems have evolved since being awarded.

Simon farms 400 acres of heavy clay with a large acreage below sea level. He has been working on improving his soils for the last 25 years, and moved to a no-till system in 2006, being flexible with both management and rotations to prioritise soil health. 

Originally starting as a dairy farm, Simon converted his farm to arable cropping. At that time, it was full cultivation and deep topsoil ploughing, year after year. For 15 to 20 years, it seemed to work. But then something shifted — yields dropped, costs rose, and the soil stopped cooperating, as Simon reflects here:

“The farm is on heavy clay with high magnesium content. It became impossible to make a workable seedbed. The soil was either too wet and smeared or too dry and baked hard. I’d tried gypsum, but nothing made a lasting difference. Eventually, it became obvious: the more I left the soil alone, the better it behaved.”

During the walk, lots of different topics were discussed — from rotations, cultivation choice, to measuring soil health and the value of organic matter. Below, Simon shares some of his reflections on how his management has evolved over the last 25 years:

Direct Drilling

In 2004, Simon bought his first direct drill and hasn’t looked back since. Establishing crops became more reliable and consistent, especially on the heavy land.

He uses two drills — a disc and a tine drill. The Moore disc drill is brilliant when conditions are right but struggles in extremes (too wet or too dry). The tine drill, on the other hand, works in almost anything. He will often alternate depending on soil conditions, and finds that flexibility is incredibly important to meet the different challenges that may occur.

Building Soil Organic Matter — and Balancing It

Simon reflects:

“One of the biggest long-term wins has been improving soil organic matter. After years of minimal disturbance, my soil tests show I’m adding roughly one tonne of carbon per hectare per year. That’s a big win for soil structure, biology, and long-term fertility.

But there’s a catch. For every tonne of carbon stored, about 100 kg of nitrogen gets tied up—because carbon to nitrogen ratio is about 10:1. That’s nitrogen that doesn’t go into the crop, at least not right away. It’s a good sign environmentally (less leaching), but it forces us to think differently: we’re not just growing a crop above ground — we’re also feeding the soil. And both require nutrients.”

Managing Fields and Staying Flexible

Simon reflects:

“No two fields are ever the same. One of my best lessons has been to stay flexible — don’t do anything out of habit. For example, I never drill straight up and down the slope anymore. In one field, I direct-drilled linseed straight after the previous crop, no cultivation. Most fields still get a roll or a harrow to cover the seed, but only when needed.

Gypsum? I applied 4 tonnes per acre, three times over eight years. The results? Minimal. The Albrecht soil tests showed no real change, and when you do the chemical maths, you’d need unfeasible amounts to really shift the needle. Direct drilling — now that showed results. That’s what made the difference.”

Surprising Soil Behaviour

“One thing that constantly surprises me is how the soil handles moisture. When it’s dry, it goes rock hard. But once it wets up—even a little—it becomes crumbly and friable. That resilience has improved massively since adopting no-till.

In one field, I remember ploughing up an old meadow and seeing just two inches of dark topsoil over clay. The plough buried all the goodness. That was a turning point. Twenty years later, I believe I’ve rebuilt that topsoil layer—just through direct drilling and patience. It’s a stark contrast to where I started.”

Nitrogen, Legumes, and Root Systems

“There’s no denying it: crop yield still relates closely to the nitrogen you apply. Yes, legumes help. But the better the crop above ground, the better the root system—and that means better soil structure, more exudates, and more microbial activity. It’s a feedback loop.”

Straw and Worms: A Change Over Time

“For 15 years, I chopped and returned every bit of straw. The worms loved it at first. But more recently, it’s been sitting on the surface all winter, forming a mat that small seeds like linseed can’t get through. Now, I bale most of it. I’ve realised: the soil doesn’t need more carbon—it needs nitrogen to break down what’s already there.”

Rotations and Crop Choices

“Rotations? They’re always changing. I try to keep about 50% in wheat, with some barley, linseed, beans, and lucerne. About a third of the farm is spring-cropped. I treat each field on its own merits and decide what’s best for it next—nothing is fixed.”

Drainage, Moles, and Water Holding

“Drainage remains a challenge. I’ve started doing some moling to improve water movement. Last winter killed most of the wheat due to waterlogging. Mole drains helped, but only in the mole line—the soil in between takes years to catch up. So I cross-moled with a tine as an experiment.

On some fields, I now get lovely crumbly tilth after winter even with no plant cover, just from natural wetting and drying. But I still wonder: is my soil becoming hydrophobic, in a good way? That is, allowing water to drain through rather than sealing up. That’s the goal—especially on clay.”

Sheep and Grazing in Rotation

“Sheep are a handy tool, especially for cover crops and herbal leys. But I’ve learned to be very cautious—they can damage soil structure quickly, especially in wet weather. Just one day too long, and the field can end up full of holes that hold water into spring.”

Plough Trials

Despite the benefits min till has produced on his farm, Simon is beginning to experiment with ploughing this year to see whether it is possible to mineralise some of the nutrients within the soil. There are two trials going on, one looking at autumn ploughing and other, spring ploughing.  He explains:

“The trial with autumn ploughing started in September. It was too dry and hard to plough at first so only a proportion of the field was ploughed. The other half of the field was direct drilled in October when the weather came good, and was no problem. On the ploughed side, I had to wait another two weeks to get on the land as it held all of the water.  Although it is an interesting trial, it is going to be difficult to compare due to the delay in drilling the ploughed side. Establishment has been less good on the side which was ploughed compared to the direct drilled.”

The trial confirmed what Simon had been thinking: for his land, direct drilling is the way forward. 

“It’s made my soil ploughable again.”

Undeterred, a second ploughing trial has been underway this spring, where a field was ploughed, power harrowed and rolled and then drilled two weeks later. Simon has been impressed with how the field has performed so far. The next door field has been direct drilled, so it will provide a good comparison to look at performance through this season to see how they grow!

“We’ve proved that we can build organic matter through our system, we are now looking at how we can balance occasional disturbance. I’ve been against it in the past because of protecting the soil structure that I have built up and not wanting to lose it, but I’m hoping that because it was in a good state before, it will recover quickly and be back to how it was before.”

I’ve done all the biological products, the trials, the tweaking. In the beginning, you throw everything at the problem. Over time, you start asking: what actually made the difference? I’ve spent years building organic matter. Now it’s time to start using it.

Many thanks to Simon for an inspirational walk and for sharing his knowledge so freely; it gave everyone lots to think about on the drive home!

A growth mindset helps build soil carbon

Posted on July 2, 2025 by - Case Studies, Soil Farmer of the Year

Read the whole case study here

In rural Devon, Paul Baker is doing very interesting things on his farm where he grows arable crops, raises cows and ducks. For Paul, it all starts with the soil “Every farmer should have a microscope – you can’t measure where you are without it. Combined with the shovel, these are powerful tools.”

This is just one example of the approach that Paul is taking on his 340 acre mixed farm, which includes a range of arable crops, dairy calves, and ducks. Most of the land is rented from the Duchy of Cornwall. The farm is net carbon negative, due to the reduction in emissions and the vast amount of carbon being sequestered in the soil.

Paul regularly analyses soil, both visually and under a microscope

A paradigm shift in the arable operation

For an arable farm, a lot of carbon, time and energy is associated with cultivations – or the lack of them. By investing in a strip till drill, the soil preparation has been revolutioned, through fewer passes and much less soil being turned over. As Paul noted “in wet weather you’re not pushing the power harrow through the ground – so that really saves diesel”. Not just a bit of diesel, but savings of 75% over 3 years!

But more than just this saving in diesel, the new system is better for labour requirements, making the most of smaller weather windows, and substantial improvements in soil quality.

Strip till drill in use at Wishay Farm

There is an organic and non-organic system being run concurrently, with a range of arable crops and approaches in both systems. Experimentation in mixed varieties of wheat have also shown benefits in diseases resistance and resilience to different climatic conditions.

Building soil fertility

The changes in cultivation go hand in hand with the building of soil fertility, using composts, manures, and cover crops. But more than this, Paul is interested in the micro-organisms that are in the soil and the fertility sources, using a microscope to better understand the presence of bacteria, fungi, nematodes and protozoa.

A soil sample under the micropscope, teeming with life

Artificial fertiliser use is dropping year on year as the soil ecosystem is working better and being fed by more organic matter. “By feeding the bottom of the food chain, the worms have benefitted” observes Paul

Better grass, better animals

In the grassland part of the farm, livetsock are now grazing intensively for short periods on herbal leys. “Grass growth in the new grazing system feels much better” says Paul. “The areas that are overgrazed don’t come back as quick; weed suppression where mob grazing occurs is better because of the action of hooves and intense grazing over a short period.”

In addition there are now more dung beetles in the pastures, an indicator of a healthier soil ecosystem. It’s also been linked to a reduction in the use of wormers – again because Paul has asked whether they need to be used, rather than following the standard use of these chemicals. You can read more about dung beetles here https://farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk/2024/05/20/what-are-dung-beetles/

Dung beetles feed on manure and help recycle nutrients

A growth mindset

Throughout Wishay Farm, Paul has been experiementing with various innovations in his system, underpinned by a curiosity to improve his farm. These include:

  • Cultivations and seed establishment
  • Composting systems – including Bokashi, food waste, vermicompost, and using starter cultures
  • Application of organic matter and microorganisms to most effectively benefit soil and crops
  • Applying molasses to feed soil bacteria
  • Reducing agro chemicals
  • Experiementing with cover crops, mixes of wheat varieties, and combining different crops
  • Adding woodland soil in to compost

Paul offers some reflections on his journey so far: I started with cover crops. You need to justify buying machinery, but also worrying what others are thinking – your neighbours are looking over the hedge! 

You have to be thick skinned to take any criticism; you can explain away any failures, but ultimately results can speak for themselves. Neighbours might take the mick, but good practice will spread! There’s lots to learn.”

Paul is a finalist in the 2025 Soil Farmer of the Year competition. It’s not hard to see why!

Check out Paul’s Instagram for more inspiration, the aptly named Experimental Farmer https://www.instagram.com/the_experimentalfarmer/

Oxton Organics – pushing the boundaries of soil health

Posted on April 23, 2025 by - Case Studies, Insights

“Had we still been ploughing now, we would’ve had two or three terrible seasons and lots of soil damage. The way I farm now has softened that blow. I wouldn’t want to be cultivating the land like we used to.” 

Jayne Arnold is a grower who is really pushing the boundaries of soil health and management. Based on a 12-acre organic vegetable farm in Worcestershire, she is constantly striving to find ways to improve the diversity, depth, quality and carbon content of their soils. Growing for their own veg box scheme, the farm also has a few sheep, an orchard, agroforestry and makes plenty of compost.

In this new Case Study, we learn how Oxton Organics is balancing a productive farm, producing local food, whilst constantly improving soil health and quality through a voracious appetite for knowledge and an approach.

Click here to download this case study as a PDF.

Drilling green manures between salad crops

Whilst the farm has been organic for a long time, it’s only in the last 7-8 years that this new approach to soil management started, producing some really impressive results. The approach is underpinned by applying high quality compost, biostimulants, and covering the soil as much as possible through mulches, compost and green manures.

The sheep play an important role, and the pastures they’re on have improved significantly since the species mix and stocking regime has changed. This has resulted in not just better pastures and better soil helath, but much more biodiversity too, as Jayne notes:

“In the years after sowing the pasture, it was predominantly grasses, white clover, and yarrow, with a little ribwort, burnet and yellow trefoil. Now there is much more diversity, there are flowers throughout summer and autumn, including dandelions, wild carrot, yarrow, knapweed, oxeye daisy and much more. A few bee orchids and pyramidal orchid appeared four years ago and returned every year since. We had never seen orchids on the farm before! Butterflies and other pollinating insects are also more abundant.”

Biodiverse pastures at Oxton Organics

Wildlife abounds above and below ground, from the tall hedges and lines of willow coppice to the flowers of the pastures and the cropland soil teeming with life. “There are so many worms in the soil, it’s hard to avoid them when transplanting crops!” Jayne says.

Soil Organic Matter levels are rising and distributed more evenly through the soil profile. Structure is improving, soil colouration is more even and deeper through the profile. The action of worms and perennial plants helps to draw carbon down in the soil profile – and that means it is also more stable. Carbon sequestered into the soil like this is a proper drawdown of atmospheric carbon; if it’s not released then it is stable and locked away.

An example of a deep rooting and diverse green manure mix, in one of the polytunnels

Jayne notes that weather patterns have changed, with more frequent extreme rainfall events. “The up and downness of the weather has changed a lot“, she says. Building resilience in the stability of farm soils is essential in helping to mitigate such risks that all growers are experiencing from a changing climate. Soils that are higher in carbon, have a mulch or living cover, and have better structure will be much more resilient to the effects of both heavy rain and drought.

The farm’s focus on soil management underpins all the positive aspects outputs of the farm – quality food, flood resilience, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and indeed sheer enjoyment and intrigue that gets growers out of bed in the morning. A refreshing look at green manures, founded on experience and observation, demonstrates one example of this: “you won’t build a fungal dominant soil with legumes. Plants will reject mycorrhizal associations if there’s too much Nitrogen in the system. You need to build bacteria that naturally fix Nitrogen and be more balanced. You don’t see many legumes in the hedgerow – yet that’s all green” says Jayne. 

Mycorrhizal fungi associating with a radish

Managing carbon is also part of the business strategy, using an electric van for deliveries, minimising any cultivations, ensuring lots of carbon sequestration, and reducing inputs. With so much carbon being absorbed on the farm and being turned into soil organic matter, the farm is really demonstrating how to grow in a way that builds capital for the future, whilst producing great quality food and continuing to explore and push the boundaries.

Sheep grazing in the pastures at Oxton Organics

With thanks to Jayne Arnold for the photos and the interview. Written by Jonathan Smith.

https://www.oxtonorganics.co.uk

Cornish farm cuts artificial fertiliser use by 60%

Posted on March 17, 2025 by - Case Studies, Farm Net Zero

At Tregooden Farm in Cornwall, farmers Malcolm and Catherine Barrett are pioneering ways to take their farm to net zero carbon and beyond. With a 150 strong beef herd on 300 acres, the couple have transformed the way they farm by focussing on soil health, biodiversity and animal health.

Catherine and Malcolm Barrett

On this Duchy of Conrwall farm, the livestock graze on the pastures, but are also fed on maize. The maize is being farmed in a very different way to how they used to work in an intensive dairy system. Across the farm, the huge drop in artifical fertiliser use (by 60% over 4 years) has had significant cost and carbon benefits. Malcolm said:

 “We went quicker than we might have done, but it seems to have worked. No yield deficits are showing yet! I want to move to a point where we’re not applying artificial fertiliser, relying on biological foliar feeds.” 

By adding green waste compost and manure at rates of just a few tonnes per acre, they concentrate on feeding the soil biology to stimulate improved soil health and carbon sequestration. As Malcolm says “We’re farming livestock both above ground and below”.

Maize growing at Tregooden under the low fertiliser approach

Fuel use has fallen to just nine litres per hectare, due to the cultivations changing to a system based on discing and a direct drill. “We used to beat the living daylight out the soil – there’s no need to do that now” says Malcolm. In addition, he realises the changes are spreading through the community: “Our son is 20 and works for a local contractor. Last spring he asked  – ‘why do they work the fields so much?’ It was a lightbulb moment!”

Grazing has changed substantially by grazing more instensively over shorter periods. There are 80 acres of green manures including Westerwolds, rape, stubble turnips, black oats, crimson clover, winter vetch, beans, designed by FCT’s Hannah Jones.

Green manure mix on the farm

Biodiveristy is improving below ground, with good dung beetle and earthworm activity obvious, and soil sampling showing that Soil Organic Matter is rising across the farm – which means carbon is being sequestered. Above ground tree planting, hedge management, wetlands and improved pastures have led to noticeable improvements in bird and insect populations.

Wetland, and mature trees – great for biodiversity and sequestering carbon.

The Barretts are enjoying showing people around the farm, and are invlovled with Farm Net Zero, Innovative Farmers and the Duchy of Cornwall. They want to inspire change in others – farmers, agronomists, community, researchers and more.

Looking forward, Malcolm said “I’m excited about the future, we’re working with soil and nature again.”

It’s clear this farm is a really embracing the change towards net zero, and coming up with an innovative approach to farming. The farm and farmers are demonstrating tangible environmental and social improvements, an inspiration to others.

See more

Watch a video by Catherine of the farm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR-2mdhnqZE

Read the full case study here on FCT’s website https://farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk/toolkit/case-studies/

Soil Farmers: Leaders in Soil Management

Posted on January 27, 2025 by - Case Studies, Insights, Soil Farmer of the Year

Written by Jonathan Smith, Impact Manager, Farm Carbon Toolkit

For the last 10 years, Farm Carbon Toolkit has hosted the Soil Farmer of the Year (SFOTY) competition, seeking out the farmers and growers across the UK who are doing the best job at improving their soils and underpinning their businesses with healthy soil management. The 2025 competition is open now and you can enter here, as well as see details of our past winners. The competition runs in partnership with Innovation for Agriculture and is supported by Hutchinsons and Cotswold Seeds.

Over the years we’ve had many inspiring finalists, so we thought we’d share information on some of the winners, what they’re doing on soil management, and some top tips.

Growing soil biology

In 2018, SFOTY winner Simon Cowell, an arable farmer from Essex delves deep into soil biology to create the conditions for his crops to thrive. He makes his own compost and applies it at 2-4 tonnes/acre, more as an inoculant than as a fertiliser, as Simon explains:

It’s not being used as a fertiliser source or for organic matter, it’s purely an inoculation for the soil biology and a home to grow biology that will benefit the soil. Within a few weeks you can see the difference where it has been applied

Through a mixture of crop rotation, on-farm trials and compost, the use of applied Nitrogen has decreased dramatically and the use of agrochemicals. Noticing that the plants nearer the hedge look healthier, Simon comments:

My aim is to get the biology and fungal network to transfer all those benefits throughout the fields, although it’s going to be a slow process.

Farmers should be beekeepers

Over in Oxfordshire, another arable farmer was the 2019 winner. Julian Gold grows a range of crops on 800 ha, with a small flock of sheep to manage the green manures. He’s over 10 years into his journey of minimising tillage and covering the soil as much as possible. He’s tuned in to his soils and how they’re working now:

If you know your soil and are on the right trajectory, you don’t need to do soil testing. I can see the straw disappearing and see worm middens, I know it’s healthy and doing what it should be, but it can take time.

Trials with Universities and Research Institutes has been common on the farm over many years, and has looked at greenhouse gas emissions, soil health and biodiversity on the farm. Julian advocates that all farmers should be beekeepers:

…….as with all things its about a change of mindset. This is true of fertiliser use, crop protection and carbon farming

Using electric fences instead of fertiliser

In 2022, Herefordshire farmer Billy Lewis demonstrated how his mixed farm had turned around and really improved its soil massively. A combination of direct drilling, applying compost, mob grazing, reduced inputs and introducing legumes has transformed the soil health, productivity and profitability.

On the new grazing system, Billy comments:

Since beginning our rotational grazing system we no longer apply fertiliser to our permanent pasture. You will grow ten times more grass with an electric fence than you will with a bag of fertiliser.

Fertiliser use has reduced by 50% over 3 years, with an aim to eliminate it in the future

Noting that arable crops have become much more profitable now, and the livestock more relaxed and healthy, Billy believes this is down to both a reduction in inputs and an improvement in soil biology.

When we dig up any legume species, be it in a herbal ley, cover crop or in the clover living mulch, we’re seeing plenty of nodules forming and more importantly we are noticing that they are active due to the dark purple colour when they are sliced open.

Becky Willson at FCT’s Field Day in 2024, running a session on soil health at Billy Lewis’s farm

12 million worms per hectare

Arable farming can face greater challenges in rebuilding soil health and carbon. 2021 winner Tom Sewell is farming over 1500 acres in Kent with his wife Sarah. The farm is both at a serious scale but also working across a range of soil types. Minimum cultivation and direct drilling have been used for some time on this farm and Tom was an early adopter.

Through a combination of providing minimum disturbance, and adding organic matter – through straw, cover crops and compost, the organic matter has gone up worm counts are very healthy. Tom reckons there are 12 million worms per hectare!

A ‘simple system’ that maximises soil health has allowed them to reduce fertiliser use by 10% per year, yet maintain yields and improve soil health continuously. Tom says:

I just want to improve the soil, I use compost and feed the worms, they’ll do the rest.

Using all the tools

Over at Overbury Farms in Gloucestershire, 2020 winner Jake Freestone farms over 1500 hectares with a diverse arable rotation, plus 1,000 sheep across a wide range of soil types. Jake is using fungal-rich seed dressings to improve germination, soil biology and reduce costs. 

Nitrogen fertiliser is being reduced, other inputs reduced, cover crops experimented with extensively and sheep being a key part of the rotation. “

Jake comments:

Ultimately we are trying to use all the tools that we have to improve soil organic matter, water infiltration and wider water management, soil structure and soil biology to achieve the long term goal of improving our resilience both for our crops, our business and our soil.

A 10-year transformation

Back to mixed farms and in 2023 winner Stuart Johnson in Northumberland demonstrated how 10 years of work has transformed his farm, primarily by reducing inputs, improving soil health and livestock productivity. Moving to a strip-tillage system and mob grazing platform has provided financial success alongside a more resilient business. 

Stuart has now eliminated fertiliser on his grassland and fungicides in the arable crops, instead utilising an integrated system with the livestock and compost teas to grow what is needed on the farm. The farm is currently in a seven-year rotation of a five-year legume/herb mix followed by a two-year arable break with full grass grazing for the sheep and cattle meaning that there is no need to buy in additional supplementary feed over the summer months.

Herbal leys and vegetables

Bringing us right up to date, 2024 winners Tracey Russell and David Neman at Bucksum Farm in Buckinghamshire show in this video how herbal leys and vegetables sold directly is working successfully.

Creating their own compost, using extensive herbal leys (grazed by sheep), they also incorporate living mulches amongst the vegetable row crops. Incorporating top fruit and chickens too, the farm is an exemplar of how to grow fruit and veg in a sustainable rotation whilst improving soil health.

Learn even more!

We also have amazing 2nd and 3rd place Soil Farmers from each year, and you can read more about them here.

Don’t forget, if you think your farming practices are worthy of being entered in the competition, please do consider entering the 2025 Soil Farmer of the Year competition. It’s free – what have you got to lose?