Resources
Browse our library of the best technical guides, research papers and videos on sustainable agriculture below. You can also filter by topic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34
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Sustaining our soils: Getting the balance right
resource Organic Growers Alliance (OGA) Recording of an Organic Growers Alliance's Organic Matters 22 conference session exploring stockfree organic standards and carbon sequestration, mobile green manures, Organic-PLUS trials on fertility-building...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills -
The End is Nigh, The End of Nitrogen
resource Footage of a discussion held at Groundswell 2022, organised by Agricology, about the impacts of reduced nitrogen use and ways in which farmers are moving...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, People & skills -
Including diverse leys in arable rotations
resource Organic Reseach Centre Practice abstract created as part of the DiverIMPACTS project outlining some of the many advantages to more complex mixtures of leguminous leys and some of...Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity -
No-till with living mulches - the holy grail for arable?
resource Northern Real Farming Conference / Soil Association This webinar (part of the 2021 Northern Real Farming Conference and hosted by the Soil Association) explores growing a low growing permanent cover crop such...Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Buildings & machinery, People & skills, Biodiversity -
Designing strip intercropping systems
resource Wageningen University & Research (WUR) Abstract created as part of the DiverIMPACTS project, outlining outcomes from strip cropping experiments and practical recommendations for designing and managing effective strip systems.Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Pests & diseases, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Buildings & machinery, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity -
Virtual Field Day: Cover crops, living mulch and leys @ Cereals LIVE 2020
resource Recording of a virtual event held as part of Cereals LIVE 2020 - a collaboration between Agricology, CFE and the NIAB team that came in...Rotations, Organic matter, Animal health & welfare, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills -
Herbal Leys Virtual Field Day: Parts 1 & 2
resource This is part 1 and 2 of a collaborative 2-part series of virtual events exploring establishment, management, soil health, grazing and ensiling in relation to herbal leys.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Animal health & welfare, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity -
Testing the soil health scorecard (On-farm soil monitoring 2018–2019)
resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) - produced as part of the AHDB-BBRO Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership (ahdb.org.uk/greatsoils) A Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership case study expaining the scorecard that has been developed to help farmers measure and manage soil health and...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills -
Testing the effect of organic material additions on soil health
resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) - produced as part of the AHDB-BBRO Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership (ahdb.org.uk/greatsoils) A Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership case study explaining the scorecard that has been developed to help farmers measure and manage soil health, and...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, People & skills -
Know your Soils #10: Soil Test Calendar
resource Soilmentor app Which soil tests to do, when to do them, which fields and where on the fields to test to get a representative sample.Integrated farming, Conservation agriculture, Organic farming, Biodynamic farming, Permaculture, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Grasslands & forage crops, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Know your Soils #6: Soil Health Reading List
resource Soilmentor app Read these books to get up to speed on soil health and how to build it for your land.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills -
Diverse / Herbal sward mixtures
resource ORC / GWCT / LEAF / OF&G / Soil Association / SRUC / Agricology - as part of Defra Project OF03111 Organic Management Techniques Herbal leys with a diverse range of species can help resolve soil fertility problems, making forage legume mixtures hard to resist.Integrated farming, Rotations, Soil biology, Weeds, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Pollinators & ecological services, Climate -
Integrating leys in arable rotations
resource ORC / GWCT / LEAF / OF&G / Soil Association / SRUC / Agricology - as part of Defra Project OF03111 Organic Management Techniques Integrating leys in arable rotations can provide multiple benefits including weed management, soil health and pollinator habitat provision.Integrated farming, Rotations, Soil biology, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity -
Feeding livestock on pasture-based diets
resource ORC / GWCT / LEAF / OF&G / Soil Association / SRUC / Agricology - as part of Defra Project OF03111 Organic Management Techniques This resource looks at the practicalities of introducing pasture-fed livestock systems, the benefits and draw-backs of adoption with case studies and linksRotations, Animal health & welfare, Dairy cattle, Beef cattle & sheep, Pigs, Poultry, Grasslands & forage crops, Natural resources & waste, Biodiversity -
Know Your Soils #4: How to capture carbon in your soil
resource Soilmentor app consortium Know Your Soils #4: “If you want to capture carbon, you have to think like carbon!” hear from Napa RCD soil scientist & farmer Charles...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Natural resources & waste -
No-till for growers: Part 2 - Soil health practices for growers
resource Organic Growers Alliance Part two of two detailed informal articles looking at the practicalities of applying a no-till system in an organic horticultural operation and how it relates...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds -
The Benefits of Sheep in Arable Rotations
resource The National Sheep Association How incorporating sheep within arable farming systems can rejuvenate soils, reduce problem weeds, improve biodiversity, & improve yields from following crops.Integrated farming, Type, texture & structure, Rotations, Organic matter, Weeds, Animal health & welfare, Beef cattle & sheep, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Biodiversity -
Crop rotation and its ability to suppress perennial weeds
resource OK-Net Arable project consortium (co-ordinated by IFOAM EU Group) Guidance from the OK-Net Arable project to help you manage perennial weeds effectively through crop rotations.Rotations, Organic matter, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills -
The Basics of Soil Fertility
resource FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL booklet offering a view on soil fertility from different angles to stimulate new thinking about a sustainable relationship to the soil.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills -
Organic crop rotations
resource Soil Association This Soil Association PDF provides an overview of what you may need to take into consideration when planning rotations for field crops.Organic farming, Rotations, Roots & horticulture, Regulations, standards & policy -
Legume Futures
resource Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) Outputs from an international project that looked at forage and grain legumes in cropping systems; management and environmental impacts.Rotations, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Cover Crop and Living Mulch Wiki
resource OSCAR project partners including the Organic Research Centre The AgroDiversity toolbox wiki; an interactive website to help spread knowledge about legume and non-leguminous species and machinery and practices.Rotations, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Grass-clover ley in organic rotations
resource Institute of Biological/ Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS) Grassland Development Centre/ Aberystwyth University A factsheet with useful tips to help you assess and plan grass and legume ley rotations; includes rules, examples and management guidance.Rotations, Grasslands & forage crops -
Cover Crops
resource NIAB TAG and Kellogg’s OriginsTM Guidance on selecting and managing cover crops according to your requirements, outlining financial, agronomic and environmental benefits.Rotations, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
TILMAN - the final report
resource School of Agriculture/ Food and Rural Development at Newcastle University The impacts of reduced tillage methods on crop yield, fertility building and weeds; some key messages from the TILMAN-ORG project.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Organic Arable Production: Rotations
resource Soil Association All you need to know about organic arable crop rotations; why they are necessary, how to plan one, and some examples to get you started.Rotations, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Organic Arable Production: Pest & Disease Control
resource Soil Association How to control arable pests and diseases organically; develop healthy soil and natural predator habitats for healthy, pest-free plants.Rotations, Pests & diseases -
Practical recommendations on reduced tillage systems
resource Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) Video footage of a member of the TILMAN-ORG project outlining some of the problems and potential solutions associated with reduced tillage.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Weeds, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Impact of cover crops on yield and soils in the New Farming Systems programme
resource NIAB /TAG Research evaluating how cover cropping systems can contribute to soil structural improvement, fertility enhancement and yield responses.Rotations, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses -
Using legume-based mixtures to enhance the nitrogen use efficiency and economic viability of cropping systems
resource Organic Research Centre/ Scottish Rural College/ University of Reading/ Aberystwyth University/ Institute of Biological/ Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS)/ Institute of Organic Training and Advice/ Duchy College/ NIAB TAG/ Rothamsted Research The Legume LINK final report, with pointers to help you improve the efficiency of your leys, benefiting crop production and pollinators.Rotations, Crop nutrition & fertility building