It became clear to Mike that in order to be successful in improving the farm’s sustainability, he would have to increase the organic matter in the farm’s principal asset; its soils. In order to do this, Mike looked at all aspects of the business, which included;

• Improving soil structure by reducing compaction. New tractors were bought which could automatically inflate or deflate their tyres depending on a particular act of cultivation. This not only reduces compaction but also helps to make the tractors run more efficiently and use less diesel.
• Bringing-in and spreading manure from cattle and chickens to improve soil biodiversity, and to reduce reliance on artificial fertilisers.

• New machinery was acquired to minimise soil disturbance during cultivations which protects and enhances the soil structure.
• Introducing the growing of ‘cover crops’ on the land immediately following harvest in order to encourage root systems to be developed through the soil profiles and for the green vegetation to be incorporated back into the soils so that it enhances the soil’s biodiversity as it decomposes.
• This multi-strand approach has done much to improve the overall health of the soils, and to reduce the farms reliance on artificial fertilisers and agri-chemicals allowing the business to become more environmentally friendly and bio-diverse. In respect of the hemp crops, this project has enabled us to produce hemp without any Agri-chemicals being applied at all.