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 31 - 57 of 57
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Digging the Dirt on Curlew Call Farm
resource Soil Association Invest in your soil & reap the returns; an arable farmer’s endeavours in improving soil health through using green manures & grass leys.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
No-dig techniques & soil management to suppress weeds & unexpected results aerating the soil
resource Farmerama No-dig market garden expert Charles Dowding tells of his findings over the years, experimenting with digging and not digging his soils.Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Biodiversity -
The contributions of organic additions on soil quality
resource Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust A useful report to help increase understanding of when and how to use organic matter to help improve soil quality on your farm.Type, texture & structure, Organic matter, Soil biology -
Digging the Dirt on Lower Smite Farm
resource Soil Association Improving soil health and enhancing wildlife on a mixed organic farm through using sustainable natural inputs and innovative cropping.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Pollinators & ecological services -
The Role of Soil Biology in Crop Nutrition
resource Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust A detailed review to help you recognise farming practices that will encourage soil biota.Organic matter, Soil biology, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Soil Saviours
resource The Oxford Farming Conference A short must-watch video highlighting the importance of protecting and enhancing our topsoil and featuring a couple of inspirational farmers.Natural resources & waste, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Biodiversity, Climate -
The Spade Test
resource Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) as part of the Fertilcrop project A useful video with a detailed description of how to take a soil sample and interpret it using the spade test.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Soil biology -
Making the Most of Green Manures
resource Innovative Farmers Improve your understanding of how to use green manures and the many potential ways in which they can benefit your farm business with this audio...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
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 -
Soils and biodiversity
resource Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Information on the importance of biodiversity of soil organisms, the services they provide and agricultural practices that promote them.Type, texture & structure, Organic matter, Soil biology, Biodiversity -
Nutrient Wise Demos
resource Duchy College Farmer focused guidance on managing nutrients on your farm, with information on trials run through the Nutrient Wise project.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Grasslands & forage crops, 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 -
Healthy Grassland Soils pocketbook
resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) / EBLEX / DairyCo A practical guide giving pictorial advice on assessing, maintaining and improving grassland soil structure and soil biology levels.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, Buildings & machinery -
Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure
resource Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) Assess soil structure out in the field and identify where changes in management may be required with the help of a visual reference tool.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Working with Soil
resource An article published in Star & Furrow exploring the biodynamic approach to working with soil... “With what and how do we feed this soil life?”Biodynamic farming, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills -
Living Soils - A Call to Action
resource Centre for Agroecology/ Water and Resilience and Soil Association The causes and implications of soil degradation explained, with a plea to adopt agroecological approaches to help tackle the problems.Regulations, standards & policy, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology -
Biodynamics
resource Biodynamics; what is it, what are the biodynamic preparations, how is biodynamic farming and soil health and fertility intrinsically linked?Biodynamic farming, Organic matter, Soil biology, Animal health & welfare, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Soil: Improving Structure and Function
resource Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) LEAF Demonstration Farmer Chris Baylis discusses measures put in place to help improve soil structure and drainage on his farm with agricultural advisor Philip Wright.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills -
Managing soil biota to deliver ecosystem services: Summary document
resource Newcastle University Research identifying ways your farming practices can enhance the diversity, abundance and function of soil organisms.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity -
Managing phosphorus dynamics in organic rotations
resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Practical recommendations for improving soil phosphate (P) availability for your crops; maintaining levels and maximising on P inputs.Organic farming, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management -
Soil Analysis and Management
resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Improving and managing soil fertility in organic farming systems though soil analysis; what you need to know and how you can do it.Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Pests & diseases, Crop nutrition & fertility building -
Towards farmer principles of health
resource Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research Germany & Humboldt University Berlin & University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Austria Ten statements / principles farmers have developed that make them successful in developing healthy farming systems, as part of the HealthNetworks Project, and used as...Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Pests & diseases, Animal health & welfare, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, Markets & food systems, Natural resources & waste, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity, Climate, Nutrition & public health, Communities & education -
Reduced tillage trials aim to improve soil sustainability
resource University of East Anglia / Wensum Alliance Interesting results from a 5-year reduced cultivation trial that took place at the Salle Park Estate, Norfolk, to assess the impact of contrasting tillage regimes...Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Buildings & machinery, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services -
Measuring and managing soil organic matter
resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) - produced as part of the AHDB-BBRO Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership (ahdb.org.uk/greatsoils) This GREATSoils factsheet explores different ways in which organic matter can be added to soil and how you can measure how much organic matter is...Type, texture & structure, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills -
Transition to agroecological approaches
resource Scottish Natural Heritage / GWCT / ORC / Land Use Policy Group A case study focusing on Douglas Christie, a farmer in Scotland, who has been experimenting with direct drilling and growing cover and companion crops in...Organic matter, Soil biology, Beef cattle & sheep, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Business management, People & skills, Biodiversity -
Fallowing in organic systems - a last resort?
resource Garden Organic A leaflet looking at the pros and cons of leaving land fallow in organic systems to help manage weeds,Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Soil biology, Weeds, People & skills -
Garden Organic’s Soil Information Pack
resource Garden Organic A pack introducing some essential basics for growers, helping promote understanding and improve the management of soilType, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building