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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 61 - 90 of 161

Know Your Soils #1: Meet the bugs!

resource Soilmentor app consortium (featuring video by Catchment Sensitive Farming & Innovation for Agriculture) The first of a twelve part series called 'Know your Soils, where practical tips for monitoring soil health and simple tests you can do on...

Soil biology
No-till for growers: realising the promise of soil health in organic horticulture. Part 1 - Helping growers who want to make the change

resource Organic Growers Alliance Part one 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, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Policy, practice and organic matter

resource Farmerama Farmerama podcast that includes ADAS soil scientist Lizzie Sagoo talking about soil health and soil organic matter at the Agricology Field Day in January.

Biodynamic farming, Organic matter
Why are soil minerals so important and how can we use biofertilisers to remineralise our land?

resource Organic Growers Alliance Insights into biofertiliser production emerging as an important tool in the remineralisation of soils.

Organic matter, Soil biology, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Soil Summary 2016-2017

resource NRM Laboratories A useful summary from NRM Laboratories on soil sampling and data collected on soil nutrients over the course of a year.

Type, texture & structure, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Good Green Manures

resource Soil Association A field lab report comparing four green manure mixes; investigating their effect on soil structure and quality, benefits to the following crop, and their value.

People & skills, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter
Integrated slug control

resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Know your enemy - an integrated approach to slug control is more effective than using chemical slug pellets alone

Integrated farming, Compaction & cultivation, Pests & diseases, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Roots & horticulture, Biodiversity, People & skills
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
Shelterbelts can protect soil against erosion

resource Woodland Trust A Woodland Trust case study highlighting how trees and shrubs can be vital for arable farms, helping to protect topsoil against erosion from wind and...

Agroforestry, Drainage, Organic matter
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
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
Digging the Dirt on Honeydale Farm

resource Soil Association Insights into Ian Wilkinson's quest to create a system of mixed farming with diverse cropping and livestock, reducing external inputs and adding value to commodity...

Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Weeds
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
No-till and mob-grazing

resource Farmerama John Cherry talks about his experiences of converting to no-till and mob grazing - with regard to managing black-grass and renewed fertility in the soil.

Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Weeds, Crop nutrition & fertility building
The basic low-cost infrastructure for mob-grazing cattle on 900 acres in Scotland

resource Farmerama Podcast looking at simple low-cost tools to support moving cattle in a mob-grazing system.

Rotations, Beef cattle & sheep
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
Economic and ecological benefits of reduced tillage in the UK

resource Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust A guide to potential benefits and implications of integrating reduced tillage into your farm management system.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter
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
Companion cropping

resource Farmerama Jake Freestone talks about his experiences of growing oilseed rape with buckwheat and vetch and highlights benefits he has observed.

Type, texture & structure, Organic matter, Pests & diseases, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Markets & food systems, People & skills
Controlled Traffic Farming

resource CTF Europe Ltd Learn all about Controlled Traffic Farming through the excellent CTF website resources collated by Tim Chamen and team.

Buildings & machinery, Compaction & cultivation
Valuing Your Soils

resource Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) 'Valuing Your Soils' will help Scottish farmers, crofters and land managers protect and manage their most valuable resource.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation
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
Seven Ways to Save Our Soils

resource Soil Association It's a farmer's most valuable resource, but many soils are in crisis. This report by @SoilAssociation sets out 7 ways we can save our soils.

Regulations, standards & policy, Organic matter
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
Tried & Tested Professional Nutrient Management

resource Tried & Tested - AIC / NFU / CLA / LEAF and British Grassland Society partnership Tools to help you improve your nutrient and manure and livestock feed planning and recording, and meet regulatory requirements.

Organic matter, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Natural resources & waste
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

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