Environment
Here at Splattenridden Farm we are dedicated to looking after the environment. For a business who makes a living from the land, it is vitally important that we keep the soils and surrounding environment in the best condition possible within our ability. We believe a mixed farming system enables us to achieve this.
Mixed farming involves running livestock and arable crops across the farm, just like the old days, allowing us to grow a broad range of crops and raise livestock in the same fields. We feel this is a much more sustainable approach to farming, the crop rotation and fallow period, where we allow animals to graze, means we are never taking too much of one thing out of the soil, and always giving the soil time to regenerate.
Mixed Farming
At Splattenridden we have a heard of 300 crossbred cows and a year round arable rotation that includes cauliflower, potatoes, barley, courgettes, daffodils, fodder beet and short term grass leys.
Lowering our Impact on the Land
A plentiful by-product on a dairy farm is manure, an incredibly valuable resource. We use this farmyard manure as a soil conditioner and enhancer; providing a valuable natural source of nitrogen that is essential for healthy crop growth. This constant supply of natural fertiliser greatly reduces our reliance on manufactured fertiliser which has both economic and environmental benefits.
Keeping the Soil Fresh
A further benefit of mixed farming is the ability to rotate arable crops and also include feed crops such as temporary grass. Rotation allows the cycles of pests and diseases to be broken naturally and prevents any build-up of crop-specific diseases in the soil.
Wild Flower Boundaries
By its very nature, a mixed farm provides a mixture of habitats which in-turn supports and encourages a wide variety of wildlife.
We maintain natural, mixed hedgerows as boundaries around the majority of our fields. These act as wind brakes and stock fencing for us while also providing nesting sites and food for some of the most loved of British birds.
In addition to this, we maintain generous field margins to provide cover and homes for ground-nesting birds and the wild flowers are a great source of nectar for pollinators.
Land Stewardship Schemes
Contrary to popular belief it is in every farmers best interests to encourage a diverse ecosystem on the farm as we benefit not only from the pollinating services of bees and other flying insects, but also the pest control provided by the bird life as they feed themselves and their young.
We also support a number of stewardship schemes on different areas of the farm, like wild flower areas, pond creation, and maintaining our hedgerows. We have a bi-annual hedge trimming policy, this enables our hedges to concentrate their growing energy on maintaining a thicker bushier growth lower down rather than trying to race for the sky. This improves the habitat for birds and other beneficial insects as well as maintaining an effective field boundary.