Farming
We are a mixed farm, with 3 main fields (around 15 acres each) that are all planted as agroforests.
Areas that we farm
Arable
Recently we have started growing arable products, wheat & rye, in between the agroforestry alleys. We want to produce food to organic principles (we are currently in conversion with the Soil Association) that we will process and sell locally. The grain is destined for Nottingham’s first small urban industrial stone mill, Nottingham Mill Coop. We choose to grow heritage varieties as well as populations; these do well in low-input systems and are better equipped to cope with our changing weather. Over the next few seasons, we will work and research on developing a system that works for us, using no industrial chemicals and fertiliser and instead finding natural ways to regenerate our soil.
Agroforestry
Agroforestry is the system of farming with trees. We have 2 arable fields with trees in rows. One with apples and elderflower, from which we make juice, cider, and vinegar; and the second consisting of short rotation coppice which will be used for hedging laying and craft work at the farm. The edible woodland is a mix of fruit and nut trees, a soft fruit area, and a tree nursery. Agroforestry has been shown to have a number of benefits.
Sheep
There are two flocks of sheep at FarmEco, Home Farm’s Shropshire’s and The Wild Wool Shepherdess’ ancient breeds. In the orchard we use sheep to graze the grass and will experiment with them grazing in the arable fields too. Their poo act as a natural fertiliser and they keep the grass low around the trees, our biological lawn mowers!