Sustainability & Farmland Management

Sustainable Farming in Practice

Richard Harvey

My Objectives for my Farming System

• Economically viable in the long term• Provides an acceptable lifestyle• Succession of family generations• Sustainable care of the Countryside• Sustainable care of the Environment• Provision of jobs for local residents• Supporting a vibrant, working Rural Economy• Produce safe, nutritious and tasty food

Manor Farm, Owston

• 125ha farmland

• Range of traditional and new buildings on two village sites

• Rural Location in small village

• Oakham 6 miles, Melton 8 miles, Leicester 15 miles, Market Harborough 18 miles

Manor Farm, Owston, Leicestershire

• 125 ha Farm Land100 ha suitable for arable cropping15 ha permanent pasture10 ha woodland

• Animal Feed Production (Manor Farm Feeds (Owston) Ltd)

• Rural Training Centre

• Wood Fuel Heating Equipment and Wood Fuel (Rural Energy Ltd)

Farm Staff

• 17 full-time

• 7 part-time (4 full-time equivalents)

• Average age 36 years

• 8 graduates

Manor Farm Staff - circa 1925

Management of Farmland

Management of Farmland

Integrated Farm Management –The LEAF System

An acceptable balance of the priorities:

Farm Income & Quality of Life The Environment Wildlife Food Safety Animal Welfare Sustainability

Hedge laid in traditional Leicestershire style

Management of Farmland

Pond – Created 4 years ago in wet area of field

Management of Farmland

Management of Farmland

Hedgerow management for nesting birds

Management of Farmland

Field Wildlife Margins

WARNING!

Possible harmful species to sustainable farmland management

Homo nimbyius

Management of Farmland

Spreading Fertilizer using GPS and soil sampling

Management of Farmland

Planting 10% of farm in deciduous woodland –Winter 2003/4

Management of Farmland

Abbey Fishponds – Reinstated 1997 –View from Footpath

Management of Farmland

Owston Village from SW – Public Footpath through crop of wheat

Management of Farmland

Sharing our Countryside with the public and Blowing our own Trumpet

Diversification

Diversification

Manor Farm Feeds

Started 1986 – One of 6 ruminant feed producers in Leicestershire

Company has achieved turnover growth for 16 successive years

Now, only ruminant feed producer in Leicestershire

Farm animal, horse and pet foods

Retailed to a local market

Utilises home grown and locally grown ingredients

11 full time and 5 part time mainly local residents (3 disabled employees)

Diversification

Manor Farm Feeds – Yet another satisfied customer!

Diversification

Rural Training Centre

Opened summer 2002 in converted cattle shed Funded under DEFRA Rural Enterprise Scheme & Vocational

Training Scheme IT Training, Management, Business, Environment & Skills Training Training for farmers, rural businesses and local residence Training Style:

QualityNon qualification basedTargeted and timed at immediate need Small groups and one-to-one

Diversification

From cattle shed to Rural Training Centre

Diversification

Rural Training Centre –IT Room

Diversification

Rural Energy

Wood fuel heating using efficient technology

Renewable energy from the Countryside

Encouraging existing woodland to be managed – habitat benefits

Planting of new woodland and energy crops

Creation of new rural industry

Diversification

Management of old woodland increases habitat diversity

Diversification

Chipping using existing farm machinery

Diversification

Manor Farm 100kW boiler heating 2 houses and offices

Diversification

Manor Farm 100kW wood chip boiler

Chip feed conveyor

Diversification

Wood Pellets made from sawdust

Diversification

Pellet Stoves for Domestic or small business premises

Summary

Key Elements of Sustainability in Farmland Management

Undemanding crop rotations

Eliminate chemical and mechanical inputs which give marginal economic returns or environmental downside

Increase in ‘natural habitat areas’, woodland and energy crops

Stabilise the rural land management community

Clearly define true environmental damage from public perception and preference

www.manorfarmfeeds.co.uk

www.ruraltrainingcentre.co.uk

www.ruralenergy.co.uk