Keeping H2O Low with LEAF

Last thursday I had a brilliant day with other members of the Carling Wester Growers Group at a special training day organised by LEAF  The training day was to bring to our attention the impact of water on our farms and how much we rely on this precious resource.  The aim of the day was to raise awarness of water and how it impacts our business and what we can do to try and reduce its impact.  In my farming career I have witnessed both ends of the scale when it comes to water impact.  On the 20th July 2007 we had over 140mm of rain in 24 hours and this spring (Mar-May) we only had 53mm of rain.  The discussion, lead by Caroline Drummond, from LEAF, Louise Manning (LJM Associates) and Andrew Galloway (Masstock Arable (UK) Ltd soon had us discussing in depth, the problems of too much or too little water and its effects on our livestock, crops and the environment.  We discussed how to keep water in the fields, by using minimum tillage to keep trash on the surface to slow down the run-off and reduce risk.  Correctly cultivating the fields allows water to slowly seep into the soil, hard compacted layers mean the water can't soak in and rushes off the surface taking fertiliser, soil particles and pesticides with it into the nearest watercourse.  We spoke about ways to reduce these risks, buffer strips to intercept running water, tramline placement, gate placement, stock watering areas and a whole list of other options available.  Some of these options can be put towards Stewardship Schemes or will count towards the Campaign for the Farmed Environment

We looked at weather data, demonstarting how our climate is changing, with reduced sunshine hours and increased volitility in rain fall events.  We listened to Louise talking about her trips to California where they are running out of groundwater and what's left is becoming saline.  Peru and other countries are going to run out of water (in some areas) in the next 30 years or so.  Countries exporting salad crops, potatoes and vegetables are in effect exporting water and what impact will this have in the future?

After a great walk around the farm looking at sprayer technology, machinery, irrigation we ended up with a spade in a barley field.  The idea was to dig down and try and find any problems with the soil structure that might hinder roots or water from getting into the soil, alais we found none. (Well done Ed).

The next stage of our training is to have a go at the LEAF Water Management Tool, an on-line assessment that looks at: water distrubution around the farm, irrigation, crop protection products, cleaning and transport of product, protecting water quality and domestic water facilities.  Following on from this we will be meeting again, after harvest, to find out how we have all got on, and what changes we have made to our business' as a result of the training.

Integrated Farm Management Training with LEAF

Today I am at the Royal Agricultural College near Cirencester with managers and lecturers from many Agricultural Colleges around the country. The idea of today's training is how we can use the tools developed by LEAF to educate students, of any age. Tools such as The Green Box (which Caroline Drummond LEAF - CEO is holding up), Speak Out Training, LEAF Audit, notice boards and the LEAF Marque can have a real impact on farm about getting our message across. The message is summarised with 'LEAF on every plate and every gate'.

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LEAF Training Day Success

Yesterday was a first for Farmer Jake.  I was asked by LEAF to give a talk about blogging and twitter to a group of 10 farmers as part of a funded two day course.  The course was aimed at giving these farmers the skills and tools to host inspirational farm visits.

I was taking part in day two of the training session along with Susie and Patrick (from Green Shoots Media) who were talking and demonstrating photography and film.  This picture shows Susie going through a selection of photographs giving tips on light, shade, framing and many other tips, the paparazzi hold dear to their hearts!  I spoke to the group for about 20 minutes explaining, how I started blogging and tweeting, who inspired me and when I started.  Then the group split up for a more in depth discussion about how to blog, what skills are needed, how long it takes and so on.  We talked for a while about twitter as well, and I see a few more followers for No1FarmerJake (thanks) I had a really great morning, engaging with a wide range of people coming from different farming backgrounds.  They all had one thing in common, wanting to enhance the experience of visitors onto their farms and for that I applaud, each and every one of them.  I look forward to reading some new blogs and news from each of the farms as and when they start to appear.  Good luck everyone.

Green Light for High Level Stewardship

Some good news to share with you all in the New Year.  Our Entry and Higher Level Stewardship application seems to have ticked all of the right boxes and has been given a January 1st 2011 start date.  From this moment we are putting the scheme into operation.  It is a great challenge but it will be so rewarding, not just for us, but for the people that visit our farm, those that walk on Bredon Hill and also for the wildlife we can support, attract and encourage.  I hope that the visitors and walkers will be able to appreciate what we are doing and play their part by keeping to the public rights of way and following the countryside code 

A huge thank you to the organizations that lobbied on our behalf, those at FWAG and LEAF the NFU and the CLA also Farmers Weekly for their write up in the 29th October edition.  I would also like to thank Harriet Baldwin MP and Jim Paice MP for their support.  The only omission from our scheme is the removal of funding for our educational access visits and the open access.  These are two areas that really need support to encourage people to learn about their food, farming and the countryside on which we depend on for our living.

So it's full steam ahead, and as of this moment we have started work on our Orchard Management Plan.  Rob Howells our local FWAG Farm Conservation Officer has started mapping and categorizing the trees currently in place.  From this survey we will be able to work out a plan for planting and pruning over the next 5 years.  Later this year we will start to identify those trees and if possible start replanting trees next winter.

Here is Rob in the Cherry Orchard assessing the condition of some very old Cherry trees that could someday soon be some of the first trees to be restored under our High Level Stewardship agreement.

Autumn Rolling In

This is a view along Crashmore Lane running towards our main farm buildings.  The hedges and verges have just been very neatly trimmed, by Gordon.  The colours this year look amazing and although not particularly cold I definitely have that autumn feel.  The field work has nearly been completed.  We will start overwinter ploughing a couple of fields in preparation for salad onions and spring barley later in the week.  There is some outstanding spraying to be done, weather permitting and then the farm maintenance schedule will begin, this year we're targeting quite a lot of sheep fencing!

I have to start writing a talk that I am giving at the LEAF Presidents Event, in London on the 16th November, all about getting the most out my LEAF Membership LEAF.  A little nervous I have to say but I'm sure it will alright on the night!  After the talk I am attending a series of meetings about becoming a LEAF Demonstration Farm which is very exciting.

Big Thank You 2 You

Well done to every-one who attended and those who helped make our Open farm Sunday event at Overbury on the 1st June the best yet. We estimate that over 220 people enjoyed the detailed farm tour with many others taking in the displays in the field. The John Deere, Autotrac 8530 proved a major success with people standing in awe as it performed a twisty route around the trees, with Trevor Bolton (Chris Tallis Farm Machinery- Service Manager) sitting in but not steering the tractor. We were also supported by The Farm Crisis Network, James Meadows (Meadows Farm Shop), Kevin Minchew (Cider), James and Harry Philips, with their ducks and chickens and the NFU. For those not wishing to miss out next year Open Farm Sunday will be on June 7th! Nationally over 400 farms were open on the same day doing all kinds of activities and events, a real credit to those farmers who support LEAF and are prepared to get the message across about British farming and food production to the general public.

A Right Royal Show

These splendid examples of a LEAF employee's are Justine (left) and Val. They, along with the rest of the team work tirelessly for the charity promoting all that is great about British Agriculture and how we can communicate that fact to the general public. Val and Justine were at the Royal Show at Stoneleigh on a 'LEAF Pod' in the Waitrose stand.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I was told they would be on a 'LEAF pod'. I had visions of nightclub podiums and costumes reminiscent of an Adam and Eve fancy dress competition. The show was damp to say the least with torrential downpours. Numbers were well down on where they were last year (I expect). Many two wheel drive cars were being pulled out of the car parks onto the hard roads. It was a shame but I gather the bulk of the show has been cancelled on Wednesday for safety reasons.

At 5pm I was over at the Marks and Spencer's Pavilion adjacent to the main ring for a LEAF Royal Show Reception. LEAF had asked me to say a few words about the LEAF Marque, seen on more and more M&S and Waitrose products. The Marque is the gold standard in farm assurance. It tick's all the 'other' standard marks but includes vast requirement's about biodiversity, environment, energy use and reduction, social impacts on the community and pollution control, amongst others. Check it out on http://www.leafuk.org/leaf/consumers/ You can also look up Leaf Tracks which is a number on your produce that you can type into the LEAF site and it will tell you where that produce has been grown and give you contact details of the farmer! Now that we're LEAF Marque'd we'll be pushing our flour, whole grains, lamb and game later on in the season. I was very nervous speaking after Baroness Byford (President of LEAF), Caroline Drummond (CEO LEAF), Hugh Mowat (M&R Representative) and before Tony Worth (Chairman of LEAF and farmer in Lincolnshire)! I really did that extra glass of red after the talk! It was very successful and encouraging that a supermarket has morals and that it can deliver, through support of British farmers, real benefits to the countryside that we manage and love.

Fresherbymiles all Smiles

Today saw the second delivery to Overbury from Fresherbymiles! http://www.fresherbymiles.com/ Several customers had ordered over the Internet by Monday midday and were able to collect their locally grown/ produced goods straight from the delivery van! I was one of the lucky ones buying ham, steak, tomatoes, onions, Stilton bread and an array of other exciting nibbles. You know the best bit? I didn't have to travel to Morrison's, Tesco's or Sainsbury's, stand in a queue and be bombarded with offers all trying to extract the last penny from my moth ridden wallet!



I did buy some succulent strawberries from the van. I know the farmer who grew them so all the boxes are ticked; local, fresh, good value and grown on a LEAF farm using the LEAF Marque! http://www.leafuk.org Brilliant! Oh and they tasted terrific as well. Find out more about the tasty strawberries and single varity apple juices at http://www.hayles-fruit-farm.co.uk/

Open Farm Sunday Sucess!

Sunday 10th June saw over 200 people descend on Overbury for an Open Farm Event as part of a national campaign organised by LEAF. We were only one farm out of 400 all doing just that, opening the farm gates and welcoming the general public onto our farms. It is estimated that 50,000 were out on farm on one day. That is still not enough! The new Wembley stadium holds over 80,000 and they just turn out to watch a bunch of overpaid pre-Madonnas' kick a football about and pay handsomely for the privilege!

It was great fun taking people around in tractors and trailers answering questions about crops, sheep, irrigation satellite navigation, bio fuels etc. We were even filmed! Check out http://www.countrychannel.tv/ in the future to see the event! Also look out for 'Getting Your Oats' a programme shot last harvest. Caroline Drummond (Chief Executive Officer) of LEAF also came to the event which was a real pleasure, listening to her talk about LEAF, the charity and the Open Farm Sunday Initiative. Next year it's on the 8th June, put it in your diary NOW!

A Grand Day Out!

Bathed in glorious sunshine we held our 3rd Farm Open Day, based between our sheep sheds and the Overbury Village Hall. 350 people attended the open day and were treated to a tractor and trailer ride from the village hall, up to Park Farm on Bredon Hill where they were given a guided tour of the ewe flock mid lambing. Several groups actually saw lambs being born which they will treasure for a long long time.

The tour started by talking about the rams, which ones we use and when they are used, then we looked at the ewes waiting to lamb, before feeding a few orphan lambs and looking at some of the farm equipment on display.
After the tour was finished the tractor took our visitors back down to the village hall where refreshments, lamb casserole and home made lamb burgers could be eaten. There were displays there from SOYL http://www.soyl.co.uk and also local produce for sale from our neighbouring farm shop, (Meadows Farm Shop at Bredons Norton). Rod and Paul, the game keepers provided an insight into their profession and a look at some of the animals and bird they have contact with on a day to day basis. A big thank you to all of those people who helped organise the day and made it the success it was.
It was a really hot day but worth all of the effort, we'll be doing it again on the 10th June 2007 when we will be taking part in the 2nd LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) organised 'Farm Sunday' http://www.leaf.org.uk

Farm Sunday 10th June 2007

Just some advanced warning about LEAF Farm Sunday on Sunday 10th June 2007! I have just booked the trailers from Robbie's farm at Over http://www.over-farm-market.com/.

I have hired two this time to target 224 people this year! (or a few more if demand is there)

Do book early as last year we ran out of spaces. There will be some static stalls and demonstrations at the village hall in Overbury. You will have to ring the office on 01386 725111 to book your valuable seat.

If there are any potential sponsors out there, don't be shy! Any volubteers to sponsor the porta-loos?