By Nick Woodyatt, Agronomist Once again, we are at that stage of the year when we await the firing up of the combine to see how we have...

This is a question I get asked on a regular basis. For me when I started on this journey it was known as ‘conservation agriculture’ which I believe to be a far better description. 'Regen' has been pulled in so many directions; I feel everybody would have their own description as they have been given so much information and not always correct! For me, the aim of farming in this manner is to reduce the toxicity within the soil and planet, but ultimately it is the reduction in t

Here at Brewood Park Farm, we drill beans into a green cover crop using a unique piece of equipment designed specifically for our needs. This piece of machinery, known as the crimper roller, was crafted by TT Engineering and is one of a kind. Working alongside Trevor, a knowledgeable engineer with a background in farming, we have adapted this machine to float and follow the contours of the land seamlessly.

In the United Kingdom, new regulations are being implemented, seemingly influenced by chemical companies. Farms in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) can no longer use orange oil or monosilicic acid as insecticides. Potassium silicate is permitted to correct nutrient deficiencies. The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) gives farmers a choice of actions that reward and support sustainable food production while protecting and enhancing nature. You can read more about it h

Despite the challenging weather conditions, progress has been notable across various crops, with only a few exceptions. Here’s a detailed update on our farm activities and crop conditions this month.   Winter Beans The winter beans have shown significant improvement after the recent spray application. They are now growing robustly, supported by a strong root system. The plants are flowering abundantly, and we’re just waiting for the wind to calm down to facilitate insect poll

April 18th 2024 The last update was amidst flooded fields, making it impossible to work on them for the foreseeable future. So, it's surprising to find the farm drying out nicely, with farming activities back on track and the sprayer already in use. Winter Beans

6th April 2024 Unfortunately, there are not many changes to report in this report. The soil at Brewood is probably as good as it gets, yet it is still soaked, and the wheat and grass are starting to show signs of stress. So, like so many parts of the country, we are praying for sunshine, and what do we get? Storm Kathleen. Winter Wheat

March 25, 2024 This week, the wheat was with Broadway Star to get rid of any leftover grass weeds. We've also moved up the mid-April nutrition plan to as soon as possible because of all the rain we've had. It's left the soil poorer, but luckily, the crops still look pretty good. Oilseed Rape (OSR)

Overall, the farm looks in fine fettle because Tim has managed to get out and finish the Calcifert, Nitrogen and foliar sprays which just shows the advantages of following a regenerative system as many farms are still far to wet to get anything (or much) done. Even though the Calcifert and Nitrogen is out there their availability will be slow to get going so the foliars will be even more important at this stage. Indeed, the wheat really greened up following the mixed spray. T

Balancing Nutrients Anyone that follows me knows that my answer to everything is nutrient balancing and I will argue this stance with anyone, and often do. I have seen oilseed rape with no flea beetle (or slugs) and this is down to making sure that the crop has everything it needs in the correct balance. Even with wheat I have had disease creeping in and with a little change to the feeding regime (last year it was chloride against Septoria) so I am sure that I am in the right

Questioning conventional wisdom on eating habits Seeing we’re in the food industry, I think it’s important to understand a bit about how food affects your mood and what you can do to help improve your mental health.  One thing I have learnt over the years is to have an open mind and acknowledge that many things we were taught at school, or from our parents, were not always accurate, but have led to us having conditioned beliefs around certain things.

March 1st 2024 I keep hoping that each diary entry allows me to say how much the weather has improved and how farming has started in earnest but, of course rain still dominates, and plans are changing. Plans changing is of course a major part of Intelligent farming as we move to take all aspects of the crop and soil into account but on this occasion, I am willing to say that this is the worst that I have known it which isn’t what we need. I understand that the NFU have alread

Introduction: Understanding the Challenge

In a market inundated with products boasting extravagant claims, it's easy to overlook the ones that truly deliver. Enter Triacontanol – a game-changer in the horticultural world that's making waves for its remarkable effects, all at a surprisingly low cost. When I first stumbled upon Triacontanol, I was captivated by its potential, particularly after hearing anecdotes from agronomists about its impact in nurseries. One agronomist recounted how every bud in a cut rose nursery

We're experiencing an unusual amount of rain this period at Brewood, and I'm hopeful this isn't a sign of another dry spring to come, which would be quite disheartening.

Following up on my talk in Oxford, I went to Devon and Cornwall with a colleague to do two more talks there, and they were very well received. My colleague talked about getting and maintaining a living soil and foliar spraying whilst I talked about why I farm the way I do using Biology and Nutrition.

We've had named storms last night and tonight, nearing a record for named storms with eight more weeks of winter ahead. It's not exciting but rather ridiculous. Don't worry; the Donald will soon tell us it's all in our imagination, and everything will be fine.

What an exciting beginning to 2024! I had the privilege of being invited to speak at the Oxford Real Farming Conference. I shared the stage with Ian Tolhurst MBE, also known as Toly, a remarkable grower and soil enthusiast from Reading, Berkshire. Toly is known for producing vegetables for a box scheme and uses wood chip compost to enrich his organic farming practices.

Q1: Is it advisable to use Urea with a chemical inhibitor? A: My initial reaction to this question is a strong "no." We should exercise...

Q1: Is silicon necessary for soil with a high sand content? A: Absolutely. Sand in your soil primarily exists as silica, which is...