Your Soil: Your Future
Future-minded farmers gather at Low Beckside for ground-breaking event
Unless you understand the state of your soils, you can’t manage themHector, Farm Manager at Low Beckside Farm
Some of the farm’s breeding ewes, which are rotationally grazed all year round, as well as summer grazing on Mungrisdale Common, as seen here.
Below: an aerial view of Low Beckside Farm, looking south to the lakeland fells
Local upland farmers brought knowledge, experience, and perspective to The Ernest Cook Trust’s Low Beckside Farm at a recent ‘Your Soils: Your Future’ farm walk event.
The event was led by Farm Manager, Hector, and aimed to bring together future-minded farmers from across the region.
It was organised by The Farmer Network – funded by the Lake District Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, and the Land And Nature Skills Service (LANSS).
Hector led the event and shared with the 22 attendees how the 410-acre, higher tier stewardship farm was building business resilience by holistically improving the farm’s most valuable asset, its soils.
Identifying rotational grazing as a beneficial tool, he explained how the new strategy had been implemented:
We could see how rotational grazing could help us extend our grazing period, but wanted to put in boundaries that would serve both the flock and the environment.
We planted 8,960 metres of new hedgerow, a lot of which followed the farm’s original boundaries from the 1800s.
The farm’s 550 Swaledale and Texel Cross breeding ewes, plus their lambs from the end of April to their point sale, are rotationally grazed all year round – interluded by housed periods during lambing, as well as summer grazing on common land, and fields taken out of rotation for silaging.
Hedgerows have also added to the farm’s environmental offering; with up to 22 native tree and shrub species providing vital shelter, food, and corridors for various wildlife. He also remarked that hedgerows offer much-needed shelter and shade to livestock.
Baselining soils was also an important point raised, and Hector highlighted that unless you understand the state of your soils, you can’t manage them.
Comprehensive soil testing and analysis of the entire farm revealed very low pH levels, which posed a challenge to soil health and nutrient availability. Agricultural lime was applied at a variable rate – ranging between 0.5 tonnes per acre (t/ac) and up to 2t/ac – to correct this issue and facilitate better nutrient uptake by grass leys.
Hector said he will be retesting soils this year to inform the next steps in further enhancing soils and forage production.
Understanding how herbal leys can bring soil and animal health benefits, Hector said the farm had trialled seven acres of a GS4 herbal and legume mix – but, unfortunately, had no success. “In hindsight, the conditions were too wet, and it completely failed. We will look to try again but will change our approach by oversowing into existing pasture.”
Attendees were encouraged to use grants and schemes to help make improvements – but also remember to get out and get perspective.
Attending farm walks has given me confidence in the upcoming introduction of Belted Galloway cattle to the farm. We’ll graze them to hammer weeds and tougher grasses, which should reduce herbicide use and mechanical weeding.
The ‘Your Soil: Your Future’ event is one of many Outdoor Learning opportunities hosted by The Ernest Cook Trust at Low Beckside, which is both a working hill farm and one of the Trust’s Outdoor Learning sites.
Read about the work we’ve done to restore fenland at Low Beckside Farm:
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