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Farm Overview
Crop Production
Lettuce (butterhead, romaine, loose-leaf), Mizuna, Spinach, Swiss chard / Chard, Wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), Beetroot (red, chioggia, golden), Carrot, Daikon radish, Garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, Leek, Onion (yellow, red, white), Parsnip, Potato (early, maincrop), Radish, Spring onion / Bunching onion, Turnip (spring and autumn), Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima, moschata), Tomato (various types), Broad bean / Fava bean, Climbing bean, Pea (sugar snap, shelling), Borage, Parsley (curly, flat-leaf), Thyme
Soil Management & Practices
I use 'end of life' large wooden boxes from a Glass Factory as raised beds.
People with mental health conditions
Economics
Labour, Seeds & plants, Inputs (compost, amendments)
Farm Gate sales
Ecological Performance
Crop rotation, Intercropping / companion planting, Mulching (organic, plastic, living), Manual weeding, Soil health improvement (compost, vermicompost, microbial inoculants), Physical barriers (nets, fleece, row covers, insect tunnels), Trap crops / flowering strips / beneficial insect habitats, Resistant or tolerant varieties, Adjusted planting dates / crop timing, Water management (drip irrigation, avoiding leaf wetness), Reduced tillage / permanent beds
Crop rotation, Intercropping / companion planting, Mulching (organic, plastic, living), Manual weeding, Soil health improvement (compost, vermicompost, microbial inoculants), Physical barriers (nets, fleece, row covers, insect tunnels), Trap crops / flowering strips / beneficial insect habitats, Resistant or tolerant varieties, Adjusted planting dates / crop timing, Water management (drip irrigation, avoiding leaf wetness), Reduced tillage / permanent beds
Crop rotation, Intercropping / companion planting, Mulching (organic, plastic, living), Manual weeding, Soil health improvement (compost, vermicompost, microbial inoculants), Water management (drip irrigation, avoiding leaf wetness), Reduced tillage / permanent beds
Challenges & Success Factors
Knowledge, Market access, Risk (weather, pests, diseases), Location. Distance to local towns.
Training, Cooperation / networks, Youtube
Education & Training
- Farm visits / internships
- Books
- Farmer networks
- Youtube
Reflection & Satisfaction
Weather extremes.
My main goal is to get healthy organic food into my local community.
Diversity builds resilience. Planting flowers help to reduce the pest burden.
Satisfaction Ratings (1-5 scale)
Farm Characteristics & Media
The core farming practices that characterise my market gardening system is the use of the circular economy. I use cardboard, large wooden boxes (waste) and upcycled materials as containers for pollinator friendly flowers/attract friendly pests. I use ‘lorry covers’ as ground cover. I use biochar from the wood burning stove. I use animal manures, pig, chicken and cow.
No-till bed systems with permanent beds, Intensive crop rotation and succession planning, High-density plantings for efficient land use, Biological pest and disease management (beneficial insects, netting, compost teas), Regular compost and vermicompost applications to maintain soil biology, Minimal irrigation through soil-organic-matter management, Use of simple hand tools for precision work (Broadfork, Tilther, Paperpot)