Due to the previous wet autumn of 2019, the farm had planted over-yeared seed in conditions that were unsuitable for cultivating. It was a backwards step and 2020 ended up being worse than 2019. So Brixworth Farming made the decision to do more cultivations where it was needed, to keep the ability to direct-drill. The No-Till Passport series is brought to you by Martin Industries.

We organic farmers do a bit of cultivation to mineralize some of the goodness we have built up in our leys and to deal with some weeds. This year all of my spring sown crops were established after a green manure, grazed by sheep over the winter and then with three light and shallow passes with a cultivator we managed to get our crops in with much less soil disturbance than usual. You’d be proud of me. The No-Till Passport series is brought to you by Martin Industries.

Apparently there’s no shortage these days of clever experiments to help illustrate important points about the health and functioning of soils.