A natural cycle of fertility

Rotation - integrating a variety of crops with livestock - is at the heart of the way we farm. A basic rotation consists of three years of arable crops (we grow wheat, beans and triticale) followed by three years of forage crops. 

As forage we grow red and white clover as well as grasses and herbs - all great grazing, silage and hay for our animals. We choose clovers because they naturally build soil fertility, recycling nitrogen from the atmosphere and fixing it in the soil - so there’s no need to add any chemicals as fertiliser. And, as they feed, the animals also play their part in this natural cycle, cleaning the ground, helping with weed control and returning precious fertility (in the form of muck!) to the soil to help nourish our next 3 years of arable crops. Such rotations have formed the base of agriculture since Roman times, however, recent developments in applying industrial principles to farming have led many farmers to abandon such tried and tested methods in favour of monocultures and chemicals.