Alan Woods Europe 2010

Study Tour Report

2010-10-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

Photo-voltaic array on dairy cow shed, Schoenberger Hof dairy, near Kolenz, Germany

View of fields, farms and countryside near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

Red Poll cows and calves, Uggeshall Farm, Suffolk, England

ALAN WOODS
TAFE WESTERN SYDNEY INSTITUTE
RICHMOND COLLEGE

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES IN PERI-URBAN AREAS
What can we learn from England and Germany?

Alan Woods

2009 Premier's EnergyAustralia Environmental Education Scholarship

Background
Peri-urban agriculture can be defined as rural production on the perimeter of cities and towns. The development of urban communities requires some of the agricultural land surrounding settlements to change its land use away from farming to housing. Increasing fringe development around Sydney has seen the loss of farms that had been responsible for production of vegetables, eggs, meat and fruit for Sydney. Management of the changes in land use on city fringes has become a vexed issue as housing density increases and space for production and recreation is reduced.
My interest in peri-urban agriculture has been heightened by changing land use patterns around Richmond, NSW, where increased housing requirements and changes in farming have seen many farms cease production. Recreational agricultural pursuits such as equestrian activities have replaced fruit and vegetable farms and dairying.

The purpose of my study tour was to look at sustainable agricultural practices around cities and towns in England and Germany and explore how the methods used to teach these practices to students studying Agriculture. These countries have a long history of town and village settlement with adjacent farming, along with an industrial base. They are examples of ‘mature’ developed countries compared with Australia. The maintenance of farming activities around cities and towns seemed to require deliberate actions by planners (both at local and national) rather than through a local government-based development model such as that which currently operates in NSW.

I planned to visit farmers, agricultural colleges, researchers at universities and planners.

Farms in England
Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) is an organisation within England that promotes sustainable farming practices and has a charter to take this message to the general public. LEAF farms hold regular ‘Farm Sundays’ where the farms are open and some explanation of farming practices is given to visitors. This scheme enables a connection between farms, food and consumers. The farms elect to join the scheme and can use the LEAF logo as part of their marketing. Farmers undertake training in presentation of information and exhibition of their farms.

Aishe Barton farm is located near Exeter in Devon. Andrew Baker, the owner and farmer, has a background in engineering and has adopted some different farming practices. The establishment of hedgerows and cropping margins within paddocks allow insects and birds to become resident pest controllers on the farm. Around half of the 267 hectares is cropped regularly; the remainder is pasture area or land set aside for habitat and species protection. Part of farm income comes from the maintenance of natural areas under a scheme to encourage stewardship of the countryside. The grain produced on the farm is used for livestock feed during winter when the cattle and sheep are housed in barns. Several photo boards are located around the farm as part of the LEAF commitment to explain farming processes or habitat for birds and insects.

Broadwell Manor Farm is another LEAF demonstration farm located near Lechlade in Gloucestershire. A mixed farm of over 526 hectares and surrounded by three villages; it combines dairy cattle, sheep, pastures and grain cropping. The farm management strategy put in place by David Jenkinson has been to retain and maintain hedgerows and wooded areas to encourage populations of birds, bugs and predators. Crop margins are preserved and an area of cleared space near hedgerows provides the owners with a game bird area each shooting season. There is a careful rotation of the different crops in order to meet nutritional needs of the cows and efficiently use the arable area. Fertilisers, including treated human sewage waste, are incorporated into the soil at regular intervals.

Till House Farm is part of the farming operation of Phil and Julie Trump. Located on the edge of Exeter Airport and an industrial area, its 100 hectares are used to fatten steers. Part of the farm was proposed for development for the industrial area but the global slowdown has delayed any changes. The family were dairy farmers at Till House, milking over 200 cows for the fresh milk market. The dairy would have needed significant investment in infrastructure to continue, so dairying was discontinued.
Another component of the operation is a 43 hectare farm, Higher Rixdale, about 20 minutes away. This location has farm-stay accommodation which provides a regular income stream for the Trumps. Devon cattle and crossbred sheep are used in grazing activities.

Uggeshall Farm produces Red Poll beef cattle on the east coast of Suffolk. Giles and June Crisp grow crops for both grain and hay to feed their herd of 38 cows. Animals are sold as breeding stock or as cartons of pasture-fed meat. The farm comprises 60 hectares of relatively shallow soil in a region of low rainfall; however it is capable of supporting the herd throughout the year. Conservation of fodder as large round bales also provides a shelter for cattle not shedded through winter. Progeny of an Australian Red Poll bull are in the Uggeshall herd and these animals have made their mark on the English scene by improving muscularity.

Insights Gained from English Farms
* Sustainability in an English context relates less to soil and water conservation and more to economic sustainability. Diversification of produce across both livestock and plant activities are the key to spreading income and risk. Few farms produce a single crop and care is taken with rotation of crops and pastures.
* Farm land is integrated with housing in most areas. Many farms consist of separate blocks with houses in between the blocks.
* Reduced cultivation of cropping areas occurs more now compared to 15 years ago. While soils are generally deeper and younger than Australian soils, fewer machinery operations now occur during preparation and sowing. Modifications have been made to machinery to enable efficient soil preparation.
* There is a big emphasis on efficiency of production and energy use. On-farm consumption of grain and fodder is a more efficient system compared with selling plant products and purchasing feed for animals. The production system is more closely linked than comparable Australian systems.
* Value adding to farm produce is common and most of farms I visited provided beef for sale.

English Colleges

Bicton College offers Further Education (FE equivalent to TAFE) and Higher Education (HE University equivalent) courses in agriculture, horticulture, equine studies and countryside studies (conservation) near Exmouth, Devon. The college has agriculture students engaged in its farm (dairying, beef cattle, sheep, cropping and pastures) and undertaking up to a year of placement on a farm or in a business. There are linkages across the courses with countryside students studying units within agriculture as a lead-in to employment in conservation activities on estates. The college has recently received a grant to upgrade some facilities into an Eco Centre to demonstrate best practice in building construction, insulation and energy capture and use in the built environment on farms.

Harper Adams University College is located near Newport, Shropshire in the Midlands of England. This institute offers degrees and post-graduate studies in many areas of agriculture. It has begun to develop a system of energy production through bio-digestion of farm waste to produce power for heating buildings on the campus. Buildings on the college campus have been fitted with energy efficient components, and a new dairy has been constructed using sustainable, local materials. Student projects have been aligned with lower input agricultural practices to include studies into insect habitat protection in hedge banks in crops and industry-based variety trials for cereals with lower nutrient requirements.

The Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester in Gloucestershire has a long history of agricultural education. Along with undergraduate programs, a post-graduate course in Sustainable Agriculture links students from all over the world in a community of practice to investigate sustainable solutions to international agricultural problems. These can include natural resource development, rural tourism, climate change and organic production. Many of the students in this course are from developing countries and undertake projects that can lead to positive environmental outcomes on a global scale

Otley College is located near the city of Ipswich in Suffolk. This college has undergone many changes in the last 20 years, with Further Education students now accessing animals and facilities off-campus for their practical studies. Changes in funding have seen more specific courses replacing broader-based courses and a greater reliance on external funding. Stronger local links with schools and industry have also been developed.

Writtle College at Chelmsford, Essex offers a range of agricultural courses in both Further- and Higher Education at a similar mix of levels and options to Bicton College. With an emphasis on the delivery of practical skills, it offers study in agriculture, horticulture, equine studies and animal science. Management of animals and the association with production of feed from crops and pastures are the basis of the Further Education programs in agriculture.

Key Insights from English Colleges
* Practical competency-based agriculture programs at Further Education level are similar to those delivered in TAFE in NSW
* Funding restrictions for high cost courses have seen more reliance on external funding sources and links to industry
* Students understanding of energy production and use are now embedded within FE and HE courses of study with college campuses reflecting the wider community’s uptake of renewable energy sources
* Placement of students on a farm or in a business for up to 1 year of their study has positive outcomes for both students’ learning and their employment prospects
* Short courses, targeting skill development, have become an acceptable method of maintenance of industry credentials for people involved in crop spraying, animal management and farm consultancy.
* Short courses in aspects of sustainable agriculture are now being more frequently delivered.

Researchers and Universities in England

University of Plymouth researcher Professor Geoff Wilson has created the concept of a continuum of agricultural producers from ‘productionists’ (concerned with producing more output) through to ‘multifunctional farmers’ (managing many processes such as production, conservation, environmental stewardship and farm development). He believes that long term sustainability can be achieved with the adoption of the idea of ‘multifunctionality’ by farmers.

Dr Richard Yarwood is a Geography lecturer at Plymouth with an interest in development of communities and planning issues. He explained the conflict between the need for affordable housing and the lack of available land in a mature region such as Devon, especially around the more densely populated areas near Plymouth.

Emma Pierce-Jenkins is a lecturer in Planning at Harper Adams University College. She outlined the processes that councils undertake to identify areas for urban development and how landholders propose their land to be considered for development. The term "best and most versatile land" dominates development discussions about farming land so that very good farm land is harder to develop.

The Countryside and Community Research Institute in Cheltenham, is a collaborative research centre between the Universities of Gloucestershire and the West of England. The institute plays a significant role in undertaking rural research in England and across Europe. With a team of over 20 researchers it is the largest such centre in the UK and undertakes projects covering social, economic and environmental issues in rural areas, planning issues, managing change within agricultural communities, food supply and food chains, and landscape and nature. Key issues outlined by Chris Short, Senior Research Fellow within the CCRI, concern the implementation of rural development policy and the challenges that environmental decline and climate change present to farming and rural communities.

English Farm Shops

An example of the diversification of farms in England is the phenomenon of farm shops. Multi-level businesses have developed from a concept of value-adding to produce by selling directly from the farm gate. It is hard to find an Australian equivalent as we lack the population density to sustain enterprises on this scale.
Darts Farm near Exmouth offers a supermarket, delicatessen and restaurant along with camping and kitchen sales. The original vegetable farm still surrounds the retail outlet.

Taverner’s Orange Elephant farm shop is located on a dairy farm near Exeter. Ice cream and dairy products are a mainstay, along with a butchery and fruit and vegetables. Retention of the customer was linked to high quality produce, fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables and the expectation that some items were not available outside the season as opposed to importations by supermarkets.
Occombe Organic farm shop is ten minutes drive from Torquay in Devon. This farm offers activities such as walking amongst woodlands as well as interaction with farm animals and a well stocked shop and cafe.

Farms in Germany

Farming in southern Germany is conducted on relatively small holdings with sizes of tens of hectares rather than the larger scale farms typical of the north of the country. Of the two large states in the south, Bavaria is noted for cattle herds and cropping and Baden-Württemberg is noted for vegetables, wine grapes and dairying.
The Bavarian government has a number of facilities to support agriculture. The Poing-Grub Research centre is only five train stops outside of Munich in a suburb of the city. The centre researches the nutritional and management requirements of livestock, principally cattle, and is responsible for the dissemination of information to the farming community. The use of lucerne in diets for cattle is being studied and, as a deep-rooted perennial legume, it has benefits over annual cereal crops. Investigations into facilities for dairy cattle have covered the use of recycled components for coating concrete to provide better comfort.

‘Haldenhof’ is a mixed farm 20 minutes from the city of Stuttgart. The Schnerring family produces un-pasteurised milk, eggs, pasta and crops on 90 hectares in a combination of activities not seen in Australia. A farm shop and a direct selling system ensure value-adding of all farm produce. Recycling of nutrients by spreading manure back onto paddocks minimises the use of chemical fertilisers or sprays. ‘Haldenhof’ leases one 15 hectare block from some 85 individual owners, a situation not often encountered in Australia. The farm grows flower crops in amongst fruit trees and tulips and sunflowers are picked by customers. A small bar is open under the farmhouse for locals on selected nights in spring and summer.

Martinsburg Winery is located on the River Rhine at Dienheim near the city of Mainz. Achim Martin is a winemaker who produces white wines from grapes grown in amongst villages adjacent to the river. Attention to detail is required for managing the grapes within this closely-settled region, and a reduction has been achieved in the use of chemical insecticides.
A desire to produce smaller quantities of high quality wine has seen some changes to the varieties grown, but Riesling and Gewürztraminer are two of the mainstays. Achim Martin processes almost three quarters of his grapes, with the remainder sold to another processor. Direct marketing to individual clients enables Achim to limit his reliance upon outlets, and tastings held in northern cities are a component of the marketing plan.

‘Pferdeland’ is a farm of 80 hectares near the village of Grenzau, about 20 minutes from the city of Koblenz. Previously a pig farm and then a dairy, the farm has always produced grain and hay for its animals. Reflecting a change to German society in the last 20 years, it now operates principally as an agistment facility for horse owners in the city nearby. The Meyer family still grow grain and fodder on the farm but mixed feed is formulated for the horses. An indoor exercise arena provides support for a large photovoltaic array to provide power for the farm and alternative fuel sources such as rapeseed oil have been used in machinery.

The Shoenberger Hof dairy is an efficient and impressive animal production unit designed to operate with minimal environmental impact. It is located near Koblenz. A newly built cow barn with capacity for 250 milking cows and a high tech milking parlour (120 cows milked per hour) are powered by photovoltaic cells on the barn and an anaerobic digester (bio-gas production). The excess power returned to the grid provides a long term income for the family. Modifications to machinery mean fewer cultivation passes are required, and the cropping operations can now be completed in one-sixth of the time previously needed.

The Herbst dairy is located in the same area. Milking 120 cows on 180 hectares of pasture land the family uses a photovoltaic array to provide power to the dairy. No bio-gas system is in place as the slurry and wastes from the dairy are used as fertiliser on the pasture and crop areas. An annual herd average of over 10,000 litres of milk per cow is proof of a successful grazing and feeding regime.

The Weinig family run ‘Hof Hahlgarten’ a mixed organic farm 15 minutes from Koblenz. Fresh milk, cheeses and yoghurt are produced and manufactured on the farm as well as a range of meat products. Vegetables, fruit and flowers are produced and sold utilising the labour of a band of dedicated farm helpers. Proximity to a city and an awareness of the link between good diet and health have seen demand for their products grow in the last ten years. The production system on this farm is driven by composted manure being used as the key fertiliser, with strong emphasis also placed on natural pest control methods.

Insights from German Farms
* The use of renewable energy sources is more widespread than in Australia. Not only farms but private houses utilise p-v arrays for power and income.
* There are few processes on German farms that do not have an end product used by another component or activity. Crops provide grain for animals, straw for bedding and for consumption in bio-gas production. Animals provide a saleable product (milk, meat) and their wastes are used for fertiliser or fuel.
* Government support for farmers comes through the provision of income from EU money as well as from contracts for installation and purchase of power from renewable sources (wind, p-v and bio-gas).
* Density of population allows for enough consumers to support on-farm marketing. A connection between consumers, food and its source of production has been the object of the German Farmers Association in the south, where regular Farm Days are held.

Conclusions and Outcomes from the Study Tour

Following my study tour I hope to be able to achieve the outcomes listed below

* Production of a series of ‘digital stories’ or case studies of some of the farms and colleges I visited. These short stories will be able to give students an insight into production of agricultural produce under a different system in a different country

* Developing a network of teaching contacts from the colleges visited to share resources and teaching ideas in an informal community of practice.

* Developing contacts between some of my students and students in England studying at a similar level. The use of a class ‘blog’ from each college can help to establish contact between student groups.

* Developing teaching materials reflecting methods of production and use of resources such as renewable energy in farming systems in England and Germany.

* A broader use of internet-based technologies to share resources and ideas amongst Agriculture teachers within NSW.

* Developing techniques for integrating video footage and digital photography into classroom presentations.

Links for Report

· My blog of the study tour http://alanwoodseurope2010.blogspot.com/

· Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) http://www.leafuk.org/

· Aishe Barton farm, Silverton, Devon http://www.aishebarton.co.uk/

· Higher Rixdale Farm, Newton Abbot, Devon
http://www.higher-rixdale-farm.com/

· Countryside and Community Research Institute University of Gloucestershire http://www.ccri.ac.uk/

· University of Plymouth http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/

· Harper Adams University College http://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/

· Royal Agricultural College http://rac.ac.uk/

· Bicton College http://www.bicton.ac.uk/

· Otley College http://www.otleycollege.ac.uk/

· Writtle College http://www.writtle.ac.uk/

· UK Red Poll Society http://www.redpoll.org/

The Last Post ; Home again, wiser perhaps?

2010-07-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

Frost on fences and grass up to about 1 metre high: a Richmond morning at -4.8 degrees
Thick frost carpeting the yard area at Richmond TAFE
The bleak outlook on the -4.8 degree morning at Richmond

Returning home to a colder than expected mid-winter with temperatures at Richmond at an all-time record low of -4.8 degrees has been quite an adjustment, especially after making a point of telling Europeans that we have 20 degree days in winter. Weather aside, I have been asked by many people to describe what I had seen and learnt during my study trip. Unfortunately most expect you to tell them in 25 words or less (unlikely for me) and glazing of their eyes generally indicates a drop in listening intensity shortly afterwards.

To briefly summarise my thoughts I will note what took my interest as being different, better, useful or noteworthy

Awareness of alternative energy sources is much greater in both the farming community and general community in the places I visited. Wind and solar power systems are more widespread and more generally accepted that they are here. Government action to subsidise the purchase and installation of these systems has been needed, but it comes at a benefit to the country, not at a cost.
The intensity of grain farming in the places I visited was greater than that practised here. The level of inputs (fertiliser, seed, sprays) is much higher, even in areas where nitrate loss into waterways is critical, but yields of over 8 tonnes per hectare in wheat are achieved. A less inconsistent climate helps, and lower evaporation rates and more effective rainfall contribute to the outcome.
Animal production is quite similar to that practised here, allowing for the winter management of grazing animals. Growth rates are probably higher under their conditions in Europe as the provision of a balanced, grain-based diet is guaranteed under shedding in winter. Higher feed conversion ratios are expected under cooler European climates than in Australian conditions.
There seems to be a greater value placed on the business of farming by the general community in England and Germany than perhaps is exhibited in Australia. Tradition has something to do with this attitude as well as the historical threats of starvation during times of major upheaval. The acceptance of living near a farm (if you are a villager or a town inhabitant) or of farming near a village or town (if you are a farmer) is at a higher level than that I see during my travels in Australia.
Education of agriculture students at college and university level in England is relatively consistent with that in Australia. Greater emphasis on practical activities can be seen in some of the institutions I visited (Bicton College, Writtle College, Harper Adams) than in others (Royal Ag College, Otley College) but my deepest memory is of a comment made to me that agricultural education is "in a period of great churn at present". I would say that this reflects directly the position we are in at the TAFE level and the university level in our area.
The system of planning for urban development in England is considerably different to that in NSW. An offer of land for development is made by a landholder in response to an expression of interest from the council. Resumption of land for development is a practice not often undertaken.
How much of the differences I noted are due simply to the reason that England and Germany are mature societies rather than a still-growing society such as Australia I cannot determine. I'm sure if you live in a house next to a farmer's field, and your family has lived there for generations, then you are accepting of the situation.
The presence of allotments in both England and Germany are intriguing and amusing. The English allotments were established on public land (near railways and parks) as part of the 'Dig for Victory' campaign during WW2. It is reasonable to suggest that the German versions were established at the same time for a similar (if differently named) purpose. People erect sheds and flagpoles and establish a home away from home as an escape from life, work and family members. I might suggest that there will be fewer English and German flags fluttering in the breeze now than during my visit in May and June. In Australia our housing generally allowed for a garden of some sort (flowers, vegetables) in our yard rather than seeking another place to dig and scratch. Newer trends in housing might indicate a need for the provision of allotments in Australian subdivisions in the future.
My final report on my study tour will be made from a close edit of the words included in this blog. Distilling 3000 words for the report from more than 12000 already written will be a task of Herculean proportions. I would appreciate any hints, help or advice that anyone might suggest, that is if anyone is still reading or listening. Anyone, anyone......??!

Hof Hahlgarten organic farm, Fruecht

2010-06-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

The view southwards from the farm and the reed beds used to 'polish' household waste water

The key implement for weed control in maize crops without using chemicals

A re-locatable hen house

An acknowledgement of the role of Rudolf Steiner in organic agriculture in this area

An area for wildflowers and herbs

A crop of cereal rye that was over 1.6 metres tall, which allows more straw bedding to be made after the grain is harvested

Part of the 10 hectares of potatoes with the milkers in the background

The organic vegetable production area

Frau Margret Weinig, owner and manager of Hof Hahlgarten organic farm, with Lucia and Albert Zinndorf

Beef bulls destined for the on-farm processing centre

The real driver of the production system on this farm: composting manure

Hof Hahlgarten is a family-run organic farm located at Fruecht, near Lahnstein in the southern Westerwald region. The Weinig family produce a wide range of organic farm products and sell them direct from the farm shop or through a growing network of customers.

The farm is located on land that had been used by Rudolf Steiner and his farming followers in the development of bio dynamic agriculture in the early part of last century. A plaque (see photo) notes the contribution of the Steiner methods to the production of wholesome produce. The Weinig family continue the chemical-free methods on the 180 hectare property.

There is a planned rotation of crops and pasture on the property that follows the traditional method of cereal, maize, legumes, wheat then oats. Potatoes are included in the rotation as well as triticale. Vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown in a 1 hectare plot. Grain is used for animal feed as well as some being processed for flour.

The farm produces bio-milch as its primary product, some being sold through a major organic distributor Uplaender. Milk is retained at the farm and processed into cheese and yoghurt. Beef animals and pigs are fed and slaughtered and the farm has a butchery and meat processing factory which is used for production of sausages, salami and other meat products. Eggs are produced by free-range chickens housed in re-locatable sheds. These products are sold through the farm shop or by subscription to an organic box of produce.

Hof Hahlgarten utilises the volunteer work of a group of organic farming followers who 'donate' their time and work efforts to maintaining the farm. Frau Weinig indicated that chipping weeds in the flower and herb gardens was a much sought after task as opposed to working in the larger vegetable garden.

The real nutrient driver of the farming system at the farm is composted manure and straw. Regular removal of manure from the sheds and replacement of straw is practised, with an impressive pile of composted manure being readied for incorporation into the soil for the next crop planting. If insufficient straw is produced on the farm then it has to be sourced from other organic producers. The crop of cereal rye photographed above is over 1.6 metres tall, much taller than similar crops grown under conventional methods. The extra height gives a greater harvest of straw and reduces the need to buy in extra from other farms. This reflects the general ethos of the farm in one product also providing inputs for other parts of the system.

Farming without chemicals requires greater manipulation of farming techniques than conventional farming. The control of weeds in a maize crop is essential to ensure good establishment and early growth. The family plants the maize seed deeper than would be done on a conventional farm and uses a spring tyne cultivator to remove weeds up until the plants are 15-20 cm tall. Better root development allows the maize seedling to withstand the abrasive effects of the cultivator. Other allowable inputs under the organic production codes are used at the farm including neem oil sprays to control pest problems in potatoes.

Frau Weinig indicated that the desire to produce top class organic produce came from the necessity to eat the best food available. She spoke of the difference that natural sources of food made to all people and animals, and pointed out some nearby health institutes that promoted healthy lifestyles. She has presided over a growing business that is capable of providing high class natural food products for a health-conscious community. A simple measure of food quality was shown by her observation that the cheese produced by the cows during the summer months was better tasting and lasted longer on the shelf. The cows have unrestricted access to pasture during the warm season but are housed during winter.

The sign indicating Bio-milch (organic milk)

The Herbst dairy farm

2010-06-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

Solar power panels on the cow barn at the Herbst dairy in Breitenau, Westerwald, Germany

Nadine Schwind (an Agriculture student on farm placement) and Denise Herbst

Inside the cow barn

A maize silage clamp

The farm produces milk for the 'Hochwald' dairy company

The Herbst family operates a dairy near the village of Breitenau, not far from Koblenz in Germany. The farm covers 180 hectares on a number of sites apart from the main farm, and there are 120 ha of pasture and grassland as well as 30 ha of wheat and 30 ha of maize.

Holstein-Friesian cows are used in the milking herd and a small number of Limousin beef cattle are fed. Artificial insemination is used for the older dairy cows after they are mated as heifers to H-F bulls. The herd of heifers is grazed at a section of the property about 2 kilometres from the main farm.

The cows in the dairy herd are allowed access to pasture land in the warmer months and are otherwise housed in a large, high-ceiling barn. The sheds on this farm mirror the changes in animal housing over the last 20 years with the older sheds having low ceilings and dark interiors and the newer sheds being more light and airy. The remaining beef cattle are housed in the oldest shed and it was much less pleasant to visit than the new sheds (see photograph of new shed).

Cows calve for the first time at 24-26 months and calving takes place all year round. The average cow in the herd will have around 6 lactations but the oldest resident cow at present is 15 years old, an outstanding individual. The herd production average is just above 10000 L. The diet for the cows includes silage (whole plant maize and pasture), wheat, soybean meal, spent brewers' grains and fresh pasture. The herd is milked in a 4-a-side parallel parlour which, according to Frau Herbst, needs replacing. The family is considering a system utilising 2 robotic milking stations.

The current Herbsts are the second generation to run the farm, with the original dairy commencing with 20 cows in the older sheds over 25 years ago. Any increase in herd size now is limited by the old-style milking parlour.

The mother cow beef cattle operation is being discontinued as returns from beef do not justify the labour and feed inputs.

No bio gas production is undertaken on this farm as the slurry is applied to the extensive pasture area as well as the composted straw and manure solid wastes. As is usual on farms in this area, a large photovoltaic array was in place on the roof of the cow barn.

My thanks to my guides to the farm, Denise Herbst and Nadine Schwind, a student of Agriculture at a university near Berlin, who spoke perfect English with a lilting Irish accent.

Schoenberger Hof : Dairy farming in the modern day

2010-06-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

A view of the Schoenberger-Hof dairy farm, Heilberscheid, southern Westerwald, Germany

The new high-capacity milking parlour

Maize in the foreground and winter wheat in the background

The biogas unit used to ferment slurry and wastes and maize silage

Cows feeding inside the new dairy barn

Andreas Schoenberger, Albert Zinndorf and Gerhard Schoenberger outside the new dairy barn

Inside an older dairy barn, now an area for heifers

A disc seeder capable of sowing crop or pasture seed at 6 hectares per hour

The Schoenberger family have run a dairy farm at Heilberscheid in the southern Westerwald region since 1966. Farming 260 hectares, they are currently milking 200 Holstein-Friesian cows. Having started in 1968 with 40 cows the family has improved their facilities about every 9 years building more sheds and providing better conditions for the cows. New buildings constructed in 2009 include a cow barn with 250 cow capacity and a state of the art milking parlour capable of milking 120 cows per hour.

Half of the farming land is used for cropping with rape, maize, wheat, oats and barley in the rotation. Silage and hay are cut from the remaining land area. Machinery on this farm is up with the big end of town: 2 tractors in excess of 200 hp, high capacity sowing and harvesting implements and now non-inversion tillage equipment. Andreas Schoenberger indicated that previously cultivation had been carried out fairly often and at depth with a mouldboard plough but now most paddocks are cultivated with power harrows. The topsoil across the farm is about 350 mm deep and well drained but layers below this include many smooth rocks.

The dairy cows are housed all year round, and currently production averages 9500 L per cow over a 310 day lactation. Cows are fed soybean meal, corn silage, grass silage, wheat and barley. Spent brewers' grains and rapeseed pellets also form part of the diet. Forty hectares of maize are grown each year as well as 30 ha of oilseed rape, 70 ha of wheat and 10 hectares of winter barley. Fertiliser rates are high to ensure reasonable yields in crops and pastures.

The farm has a high capacity anaerobic digestor which uses substrates such as dried manure, slurry and maize silage to produce methane which is then converted to electricity and fed into the power grid. The new cow barn is covered on the southern side with an enormous photovoltaic array which is capable of returning in excess of 9000 Euros to the farm per month in the sunny months.

The Shoenberger Hof dairy is an efficient and impressive animal production unit designed to operate efficiently and with minimal environmental impact.

Pferdeland: Meyer Family farm, Westerwald, Germany

2010-06-18T21:26:00.000-07:00

The half-timbered farm house at the Meyer family's "Pferdeland" near Grenzau

Sowing machinery (with a detachable power harrow front), hay mowers and silage choppers

Part of the mother cow crossbred herd in shedding. Note the silage and hay stored behind the pens.

Solar panels cover an area of 60 metres by 25 metres on the arena shed

An impressive equestrian arena with dust-settling fogger line in operation

The symbol of quality assurance in farm production in Rheinland-Pfalz

Pferdeland: Meyer Family farm

The Westerwald is a picturesque region of farms, villages and forests in central western Germany. It was the northern limit of Roman settlement due in part to the distance from Rome and the climatic conditions. It was the centre of my interest for a number of days, and its proximity to a number of cities such as Koblenz and an abundance of towns and villages qualifies it as a peri-urban area. The farm enterprises undertaken in the area are broad and varied, and the scale of farm investment and size differs greatly within the region.

The Meyer family farm 80 hectares of land near the town of Grenzau. Willi Meyer and two of his sons form the operational team at the farm, with the younger son Tobias getting ready to go to university to study management in agriculture. Thirty hectares are used to grow cereals with 50 hectares of grassland and pasture. Cereals grown in rotation are oilseed rape, wheat, oats, barley and occasionally peas. Ryegrass forms the perennial base of pastures.

Formerly a farm principally producing grain and pigs, the farm was a dairy for a number of years. Pig production was limited by small facilities by modern standards, and an increase in the number of privately owned pleasure horses prompted a change to an agistment facility 20 years ago. Now providing accommodation for 60 horses on a permanent basis, the farm offers a range of options for owners including various scales of care (full board, feed only, boxes or yards). Most of the owners live in towns within 10 kilometres but the density of population means most have no room for a horse at home.

Cereal grain produced on the farm is consumed by the horses and a herd of mother cows (vealer mothers). Hay and silage is produced from the grassland with a special silage product being produced for the horses. It has a lower moisture content and a different bacterial inoculant to the silage produced for the cattle. The family has a number of tractors with capacity of more than 130 hp as although small paddocks are used sometimes jobs have to be done in a short period of time due to the likelihood of poor weather. All animals on the farm are shedded during winter.

In an area that receives 750-800 mm of rainfall, soils on this farm are not as productive as others in less hilly areas. There is a scale used in German agriculture to rate the productivity potential of soil out of a possible 100 points. The farm has soils in the range of 50 to 70 points. Fertiliser is used at sowing and again in crops when they reach 100-150 mm when urea is applied. Up to 6 tonnes of wheat per hectare can be expected at this farm, and up to 8 tonnes per hectare in flatter areas with better soils.

The shedding on the farm allows for changes in the size of the cattle herd. While currently 20 cows and their offspring are in the pens, over 80 cows and followers were on the farm last year. Price changes led to a reduction in numbers, but an increase can be accommodated quickly. Calves are grown out to 700 kg plus on a diet of milled grain and silage. The herd uses a Limousin bull over Fleckvieh and crossbred cows.

Willi Meyer expressed the regrets of farmers worldwide as he discussed rising prices of fertilisers, chemicals and fuel while noting the accompanying drop in commodity prices. He also wondered at the various state and Federal German agriculture departments' responses to diseases such as Bluetongue, where a vaccine had become available for use but no one department would sanction its use. Farmers were acting to ensure correct action was being taken to control the problem but felt little support. He also regretted the position of a farmer as a price taker and compared this to the ability of others to speculate as opposed to being a producer.

The family has moved to take advantage of rebates and contracts by establishing a major photovoltaic array on the dressage arena shed. The family has also converted one of the tractors to run on rapeseed oil when tax inducements made this action economically favourable. The tax advantage in this sector has been reducing and in 2011 there will be no difference between diesel and rapeseed oil and therefore no incentive to continue the practice.

The family has contracts with a number of local villages to clear roads of snowfall during winter. It is an onerous task with starts in the colder months before 3 am. The continual spraying of salt onto cleared road surfaces behind the tractor has led to extensive surface rust on components of the tractor.

Oppenheim: A small city with some big ideas on sustainablility

2010-06-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

A view of the River Rhine and assorted transport methods from Nierstein, a village close to the city of Oppenheim
Solar panels on numerous houses in this nearby village

An impressive photovoltaic array in a field on a farm near Oppenheim

Wind power generators on the hills near Oppenheim

Green waste is mixed with this composted sewerage solid waste to provide farm fertiliser

Oppenheim on the River Rhine: Recycling and Renewables

Oppenheim is a small city on the River Rhine near Mainz, not far from Frankfurt in Germany. It boasts an impressive cathedral, the construction having started before the Reformation as a Catholic cathedral but its completion many centuries later now sees it as a Protestant cathedral, noted also for its stained glass windows. The ruins of a castle can be seen above the city and an impressive series of tunnels from the Middle Ages were unearthed immediately under the city’s marketplace sometime in the 1980s.

The most impressive feature to Oppenheim is how it recycles the products of modern living. A modern water treatment plant is located at the edge of the city’s houses near the Rhine. Liquid and solid sewerage waste is removed and the residual water treated and returned to the river. Solid wastes undergo further treatment and are then mixed with composted green waste from the nearby collection centre and further composted then sold as fertiliser for farms. The liquid wastes are anaerobically digested and the resulting methane is used to heat the city swimming pool.

Houses and buildings of all shapes, sizes and locations have been fitted with photovoltaic arrays. Private houses, some public buildings and many farm buildings, new and old, display the solar panels. The German Federal government has encouraged owners to take advantage of purchase and installation cost reductions and owners sign a contract with the government to be reimbursed for power going back to the grid for a 10 year period. The payback period for the costs of purchase and installation seems to be towards the end of the 10 years, so after that any power produced is effectively income. Some owners have invested in solar power as a form of superannuation. The biggest installation in the area is a farmer’s field of around 10 hectares which is probably the only crop that will have a guaranteed return over the next 10 years completely independent of rain or temperature.

The hills to the south of Oppenheim are dotted with many wind power generators. Erected over the last 7 years, there are over 100 windmills. Some of the older ones are already being replaced by new, more efficient generators, and like the solar panels, there is a contracted arrangement to sell power back to suppliers at a guaranteed price. The Federal government has set a target of 35% of base power from renewable sources within 5 years. While this seems large by Australian standards, it is some way behind other countries in northern Europe especially Denmark. It is possible to stand on some of these hills and have, within the one view, sight of windmills, photovoltaic arrays and a nuclear power plant. It is one of the oldest plants in this region and there has already been much debate about its intended lifespan and decommissioning. It really is the new among the formerly new.

The hills within the vineyards and cropping areas are relatively steep and inter-row cultivation in grapes and general cultivation practices for crops still take place. The grape inter-rows are cultivated on a year-about basis to allow incorporation of nutrients and also allow machinery to travel along the rows. Peas are also grown as a green manure crop between the rows. There are deep silt traps strategically placed around the hilly areas to catch any eroded soil before it has a chance to enter drains or waterways. These are regularly cleaned out and the soil is returned to farmers up the hill.

All of these features within, near to and surrounding the city add to the sustainability of the community, rural and urban.

The Martinshof Winery, Dienheim, Germany

2010-06-18T19:12:00.000-07:00

Winemaker Achim Martin outside the cellar door at Martinshof Weingut in Dienheim

Werner Wehmeier with winemaker Achim Martin

An eye-catching label on a Martinshof riesling

The Herrenberg vineyard area above the city of Oppenheim. One of these blocks produces grapes made into fine wines by Achim Martin

The Martinshof Winery, Dienheim, Germany

Achim Martin is an enthusiastic and skilled winemaker in his early thirties living in Dienheim, a town near Mainz in Germany. The family has been making wine from grapes grown alongside the River Rhine for a number of generations and Achim completed a course in winemaking at Giesenheim near Wiesbaden about 10 years ago.

Succession planning within family farms is sometimes problematic no matter which continent you happen to be on, and it has taken careful planning for Achim to take the business to where it is now. In the traditional method of succession the son learnt the business from the father in the vineyards and winery but the establishment of oenology courses in the 1970s and 80s has led to a new generation making wine along the Rhine.

The opening of different markets within the 1970s saw expansion of areas under plantings of new varieties to this part of the Rhine. The new breed of winemaker is taking some of the plantings back to more original varieties such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer and concentrating on very high quality and less quantity. Growers tend to have the choice of growing and selling on their grapes to a processor or growing and then processing their own. Achim makes wine from about 70% of his grapes currently with the remainder being sold to a high quality processor who bottles the wine for clients but the region of origin is not identified.

Vineyards are licenced in the EU with strict limits on what can be produced and where it is produced. It costs about 2.8 Euro per square metre of vineyard for the licence. The licencing scheme currently in place will end within 5 years and most winemakers are positioning themselves to ensure their viability after the change.

Achim is involved in a small community of local winemakers who assist each other especially in tasting new vintages and constructively criticising the products. Blind tastings are held to enable each vintner to objectively comment on each new vintage of a variety of grapes. Achim confessed to surprise at one such tasting when he outlined some steps to improve one wine only to find that it was one of his own.

A new method of marketing his wine takes Achim to many areas within Germany and to other European countries. Concentrating on his white wines, he has made inroads into potential markets in The Netherlands where he holds tastings and wine sessions. Within Germany he has a list of customers and each spring and summer he spends a weekend in a restaurant in a particular area and allows his clients to taste the wines he is about to release. This allows clients to choose their wines having tasted them without the need to travel. Delivery of purchased wines takes place during the following week. His wines are not sold at supermarkets or other outlets, just by mail or phone order or at the cellar door.

The 27 hectares of grapes Achim grows are located in several areas within a relatively short distance of the winery. Some of the vineyards adjoin housing areas and management of activities within the vineyards needs to be done in a way that allows general vinicultural work without causing any great difficulties to neighbours. Pheromone packets are used extensively to attract male moths rather than spraying. Some systemic fungicides are sprayed to ensure the quality of grapes at picking.

There are 2000 wine producers in the Rhine-Hessen wine growing region managing some 26000 hectares of vineyards. Achim Martin is currently placed within the top 30 producers but has an ambition to be in the top 10.

“Haldenhof”: Martin Schnerring and family

2010-06-18T02:37:00.000-07:00

Part of the dairy herd producing fresh non-pasteurised milk at Haldenhof

The 'Honesty Box' for payments for cut flowers in the fields at Haldenhof

Your correspondent with Sven Pietsch (translator), Ariane Amstutz (Press officer, B-W Farmers' Association), Florian Dangel (Secretary, B-W Farmers' Association) and Martin Schnerring of Haldenhof farm in front of an imposing summit with ruins of a fortress

The poster enticing people to "Discover the farmer in you" for an upcoming open farm day

A paddock recently cut for silage and the scenery around the Haldenhof farm

Recycled plastic floor sheeting in the layer barn

The milk and egg products available from the Haldenhof farm shop

“Haldenhof”: Martin Schnerring and family

The planning of the German sector of my trip has, due to constraints in language and the length of time away from my office, been a mixed bag. Several interesting and informative visits and meetings have been counterbalanced with a number of withdrawals and drop outs. The ‘Google Translate’ program that I have been using to send a translated version of my English message is apparently, a source of great hilarity to native German speakers, to my complete surprise. The original English message is the prompt for action, not the translated one. We live and learn.

In a stroke of good luck for me, through my clumsy message scheme I made contact with Ariane Amstutz who is the Press Officer for the Baden-Wuerttemberg region of the German Farmers’ Association. She kindly offered to take me to a dairy farm some 40 minutes from Stuttgart, as well as organising a friend to act as an interpreter (despite her near-perfect English).

I met Ariane, Florian Dangel (Secretary of the B-W Farmers’ Association) and Sven Pietsch (the interpreter) and we travelled to a village called Beuren, near Esslingen. Picture-postcard farm setting, apple and cherry orchard on the drive in to the farm, and parts of an old castle on a mountain close by. The farm is ninety hectares in total with 50 under pasture and 40ha cultivated on a rotation that includes wheat, barley, oats, maize and peas and then 3-4 years of pasture.

Martin Schnerring and his family own and manage what is essentially a number of farm businesses at Haldenhof. Principally it is a dairy farm, milking 40 cows all year round. Mainly Fleckviehs but with some Holstein-Friesians, the cows calve at or around 24 months and they are always housed. The cows are automatically milked and Martin inseminates them thereby not needing a bull on the farm. Replacement heifers are reared on the farm with surplus females and all the bull calves being sold to a fattener. Apart from high protein feeds such as soybean meal, the animals consume food produced on the farm.

The milk is sold as “fresh but not pasteurised milk”. There are 40 producers in the country with such a licence and only 7 in this state. The milk has a shelf life of 4 days, so it is a quick turnover product. Each cow is tested once a month to ensure the strictest health controls. The main outlet for the milk is the farm shop which also sells the farm eggs and noodles made from the eggs and wheat grown on the farm.

There is something special about the shop. During my 4 hour visit about 15 cars pulled up and purchased something. There is an honesty system for all products: a list of prices and sizes is on the wall, the milk is in the fridge in different sized containers, a range of noodles and open flats of eggs. Customers pack their own boxes or pay for a new carton if needed. Martin considers the compliance rate in the shop to be 100% which is terrific as the shop is open 24 hours per day. He also sells seasonal vegetables and fruit from neighbouring farms. In addition to this the family plants a number of area between fruit trees for seasonal flowers such as tulips, gladioli and sunflowers. People pick their own and again pay on the honesty system where it might be only 70% compliance but it is located up to 500 metres from the house.

Martin took over the running of the farm from his father in the early 1990s after a career in machine engineering and soon found his milk processor in bankruptcy. Rather than stop the dairy business he looked for ways to further process his farm produce to retain the greater share of the product value. Laying hens in a barn system were added in the late 1990s and the noodle making in the early 2000s. Realising that the proximity to a wealthy city like Stuttgart meant lots of disposal income and the farm shop and a home delivery service were obvious choices to maintain and grow the farm business. Customers can also subscribe to a ‘Green Box’ program where a box of milk, eggs, noodles and seasonal fruits and vegetables are home delivered regularly. More than 500 home customers are located within a 10 kilometre radius of the farm.

A small pub and beer garden are located on the lower level of the family’s house. Martin’s parents open the pub to villagers and visitors on Wednesday afternoons and it can be hired for birthdays and other celebrations. A great outlook into the orchard area and surrounding hills would ensure a pleasant time for all. Martin’s family has an interest in breeding and training horses for a wagon which is used for farm rides in the summer months.

The farm is located within a short distance of a UNESCO site of natural significance surrounding a disused army training facility. Over 7000 hectares have been included in this ‘Biosphere’ and many farm producers in the nearby 42 villages use the proximity to this site as a marketing edge in labelling their products.

Compliance with EU requirements has led to a more complete recording system of farm activities. By using a GPS unit in the tractor all activities such as spraying, ploughing, cutting and harvesting can be plotted on to an enhanced farm map on Google Earth. A click on a particular week in a calendar can lead to a series of different coloured tracks appearing on a map showing what was done in which paddock. In the last 15 years areas on the sides of hills near orchards have not been cultivated. This has enhanced the habitat provision for insects and birds and seen an improvement in the conservation value of the land.

Martin’s involvement in the Farmers’ Association now sees him as a representative of his region and someone often called upon to speak to the media. The farm will be open to the general public during a week when people in the state are being asked to “unearth the farmer inside you”. There is a preference for running education programs for schools in greater depth than just a farm visit. Martin believes that children understanding the details of farming is more important than watching cows in a barn.

Poing-Grub: Animal Nutrition Research

2010-06-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

Fleckvieh dairy cows in the feed stalls at Poing-Grub

Indivual feed bins capable of providing data for feed consumption and comparison of different diets

Maizemeal silage in a clamp at the research institute at Poing-Grub

Dr Hubert Schuster demonstrating recycled rubber matting overlay for cow beds inside a dairy stall barn
Dr Thomas Ettle, research scientist, out standing in a field of oats with your correspondent

A field of oilseed rape grown for rape cake (pelletised rapeseed)

Poing-Grub Research Institute

The Bavarian State Government has a number of agricultural research institutes throughout this, the largest state in area in Germany. These centres specialise in research specifically for agricultural producers in Bavaria.

One institute near Munich is the Bayerische Landesanstalt fuer Landwirtschaft (Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture). This centre specialises in animal research, principally nutrition. Two of the researchers at the institute, Dr Thomas Ettle and Dr Hubert Schuster agreed to meet with me and discuss the range of research projects, the institute facilities and the changes in agriculture over the last 20 years and into the future.

The institute is set in a textbook peri-urban area. Twenty minutes by train from the centre of Munich, the station and the village is surrounded by farms, with a 30 acre paddock of knee-high maize the first sight you see when getting off the train. The institute was established in the early part of last century and is set on some 150 acres.

Research into cattle nutrition is Dr Ettle’s area, with specific interest in dairy cattle and bulls for beef. The bulls in question are the offspring of dairy cows of the Fleckvieh breed (more commonly known in Australia as Simmental). Used only as a beef breed in Australia, this breed forms the basis of the dairy industry in southern Germany. Other breeds used include Brown Swiss (also known as Braunvieh) and Holstein-Friesian (the familiar black and white cow). These cows first calve at 27 to 32 months of age and their bull calves go into a feeding program to provide beef for the domestic market. Heifers are raised as replacements or enter similar feeding programs.

Sophisticated identification tags allow for individual feed consumption to be calculated and then this can be related to milk production in cows or weight gain in the bull calves. Different feed components, balances and blends can be trialled and evaluated, as well as feed values for different feedstuffs. This is first calculated by digestion trials using rams then converted using standards to values for different classes of livestock. The room with 16 rams standing in metabolisable energy chambers was a real sight. Dr Ettle is currently working on a project to determine the value of lucerne as a component of grazed paddocks, silage and as a protein supplement. Substituting some lucerne for grass on dairy farms may make fertiliser requirements drop as nitrogen is replaced in the soil. His research is taken to farmers through field days and demonstrations as the Extension component of the department has been handed over to private industry.

Dairy farms here in southern Bavaria average about 30-35 cows on around 35-40 hectares. Most cows are mated using artificial insemination with no bulls noticeable during my time here. Another project in place is a long term study to determine if the lifetime production of a dairy cow is affected by calving at 2 years compared to calving at 2.5 to 3 years. Growth and consumption of food in the pre-calving period will be evaluated against the milk production over 3 calvings. Seven years is the project’s expected trial period.

Many changes have been made to dairy and beef farming in Bavaria in the last few years. Cow beds (recycled rubber matting for resting cows), automatic milking machinery (a real spin-out when you first see it), treatment of slurries and their application onto paddocks and the design of housing that allows more air movement to prevent respiratory diseases are relatively hot topics in this part of the world.
Research on different silage substrates and blends, moisture content and storage conditions also take place here. An interesting research area is that of “Futter” management, which is pasture manipulation, nutrition and management. One researcher takes regular dry matter samples from selected pasture mixes then his recommendation is put out over the radio, during the equivalent of the Country Hour, as to whether you should cut today or leave it standing for a couple of days. It is a ratings winner in the dairy scene over here.

Stand-out features different to production in Australia were the growing of oilseed rape for animal feed as a crushed cake (what we would call pellets), with no oil extraction and the weight gain targets for their bulls, which is an average of 750kg live weight at about 22 months. It is really about feeding the animal to its growth potential. Carcasses of the beef animals enter a grading scheme similar to our own with muscling scored against an EUROPA scale (E being the most muscular, down to A being the least) and fat scored against a numbered scale similar to our own.

Writtle College: A piece of home away from home

2010-06-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Nigel, Simon and Rebecca in a glasshouse at Writtle College. Australian technical teachers should make note of the relaxed attitude to the correct workplace footwear in the UK!
Your wistful correspondent looking at the soon-to-be-sold Writtle College Red Polls
An extremely large variegated thistle in a habitat garden.
Some of the college's Mules ewes with Texcel cross lambs at foot
A sign of the changing times in the feeding shed at Writtle College with Euro-cross cattle in residence
Rebecca Harris, Animal Production lecturer

Writtle College: A piece of home away from home

Writtle College is located within 3 kilometres of the major city of Chelmsford in Essex. The rural nature of the campus could not be guessed until you enter the village then the college. It has become, in the shakeout of post-secondary education, a partner of the University of Essex, the main campus of the university being located at Colchester [home to the parents of Lucy King, Cert 3 Agriculture, Richmond TAFE, 2010].

The college offers a similar array of courses to Richmond College, with the strong sections being Agriculture, Horticulture, Equine Studies and Animal Studies. Originally it was known as a centre for agriculture studies, but trends in enrolments and costs of course offerings has seen a change in the past 10 years or so. The now Secretary of the UK Red Poll Society, Ray Bowler, was previously employed as dairyman then farm and estate manager of Writtle College, but has moved on in the past few years as directions at the college have changed. There is no longer a dairy herd at the college, and numerous other changes have led to the Red Poll herd also being no longer required.

The college has a number of sites mainly adjacent to the village of Writtle. One gloriously-named section is called Cow Watering Lane, and it is the main site of the agricultural facilities. [There are reminders of Piggery Lane in this.] There are sheds for pig production, cattle feeding and sheds for sheep. Equine facilities are also located in this area. Full cycles of pig production are managed by the staff with the additional help of students at different levels of study throughout the cycles. From my previous posts, the education of students at the technical and undergraduate level in the UK is less well defined than in NSW. Further Education here takes students up to Foundation Degree level (roughly equivalent to our Diploma qualifications) but students can then convert their foundation studies to First Degrees with an extra year of study. [Those reading this from the UK who are involved in Further and Higher Education may wish to comment as to whether or not I have the correct end of the stick at this point.]

Students in the different courses are responsible for a different set of activities and therefore competencies (in our TAFEspeak), and in the main the lecturers keep to their specific courses. The demise of the Red Poll herd is partly due, I believe, to a change in direction of performance recording for beef cattle at the college (a Higher Education initiative) and now animals with a strong Euro-cross profile (Belgian Blue crosses) have replaced the breeding herd. These animals will be bought in and then complete the production process by being slaughtered at 22 to 24 months of age. An indication of the changes in handling of the cattle is shown by the photograph of a sign indicating that a particular heifer kicks, an unnecessary sign when Red Polls were in the feed sheds.

The farm facilities were very good, with pasture area, cropping areas, a warm season grazing area for the cattle and sheep (again the favoured cross-breeds in this part of the world, known as mules because I don’t think anyone can remember which breeds are in them). The ewes and lambs and the Belgian Blue crosses were having a great time in the sun and enjoying the 28 degrees of warmth. The cattle are used by the agriculture students as a regular part of their training but also are handled and treated by the Animal Care students (a similar range of courses to ours, from animal facility worker through to veterinary nurse with other streams in between). The capabilities of the Animal Care students were at times questionable, according to some staff members, as they were only involved with farm animals for a short part of their course.

The strength of the college, for my money, lies in the value of its teachers. I had the pleasure to spend some time with Rebecca Harris, Animal Production lecturer, Simon Grundy, a Horticulture Hard Landscape lecturer (brickwork, stonework and construction) and Nigel (surname restricted to protect the innocent), also a Hort teacher in plants and garden design. An afternoon in the sun being shown around the facilities and then having an opportunity to discuss the ins and outs of our representative organisations has led me to believe that we essentially deal with the same issues even though we are so far apart. Restructures, course reaccreditations, funding changes, student attitudes and performance: all issues that Ag and Hort teachers at Richmond College will have dealt with and will deal with in the future. It was refreshing and equally concerning to hear that some course outcomes had been revised to meet minimal industry standards with little consultation with the teaching staff involved. There is also talk of degree courses being delivered within 2 years at a significant loss of face-to-face teaching but fees charged increasing. The management of the teaching of these courses by the lecturers involved could be enhanced by setting up an exchange of ideas from each of our countries as we both have plenty to learn from each other.

A short tour through the Hort teaching areas showed that much of our course areas are similar, with workshops and garden areas being reminiscent of those at Richmond. A rock-climbing wall had been installed in one section of the workshop as a practice area for outdoor recreation students, but Simon was relieved as its removal will allow more floor space for his students. Exotic plants over here include some that would be questioned by Richmond Hort teachers, and all the Ag teachers would rail at the inclusion of variegated thistle in a planted garden area. It apparently is a good source of pollen for native insects and also provides a suitable habitat for small birds. I just felt like kicking it out, but I remembered that I was a guest at the college.

My deepest thanks go to Becs, the animal studies lecturer for her time during an obviously busy period towards the end of term. She took time to photograph me in amongst the last of the Red Poll heifers at the college, and it was quite a moment for me. She also introduced me to the obviously English method of driving a car some distance with the handbrake engaged. I can’t wait to put this new skill into action. Simon and Nigel gave their time freely as well as their thoughts, and I greatly appreciated the frankness of all three teachers. The thought of a teacher exchange program was discussed and should be taken further. We can all learn from each other’s travels. Once again it was both refreshing but disappointing that we have so much in common so far from each other. This was a great experience for me on a hot and sunny afternoon.

Otley College:Very much like Richmond College, really.

2010-06-08T23:41:00.000-07:00

Neil Ridley, Otley College

Part of the teaching facilities at Otley College, an area previously used for housing animals in winter

Pigs are part of the Animal Care at Otley. Can't see this happening in Animal Care at Richmond.

The famous Otley College Black Bull

Otley College in east Suffolk has a lot in common with Richmond College. Foundation Studies (Basic Ed), Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Care and Equine Studies on the same campus, along with Business and IT. It is about 25 minutes from Ipswich, the main city in these parts, and most students are bussed in from Ipswich each day. It is a very pleasant rural setting.

Neil Ridley, Ag lecturer, who has moved into an Outreach role in the TAFENSW model, organises courses for groups of students from beginners through to practising farmers looking to boost skills in particular areas. Neil was a very strong contact from my preliminary planning stages and offered help to me upon my arrival in the UK. He is somewhat of an further educational (FE) warrior, having been at Otley sincce the early 1990s and having had to survive a number of rebadgings, course redesigns, funding cutbacks and policy and management makeovers. We had a large amount of common ground to cover.

Neil outlined the changes in agricultural education at the FE level over the past 15 years. The Sector Skills Council for land-based studies, which marries together industry requirements and training outcomes, oversaw the general move from practical training to more academic, classroom-based activities. Prior to 2007 colleges were given a 10% bonus for agricultural training across the college, but this was reduced and then stopped altogether. This has led to a shakeout in agricultural training with some noted colleges in the country stopping training programs and one in Devon being sold for development. A broad collective of land-based colleges, Landex, has been formed by the remaining colleges to provide a mouthpiece and to lobby on behalf of the sector. Otley College no longer uses its own pigs, cattle or sheep to train its students, but relies upon links with co-operating farms for access. Equine Studies at the college has animals resident on the campus and first-grade facilities for teaching horse courses.

Neil has input into the delivery of Agriskills programs which can provide both management and vocational skills for students and farmers. The range of courses that might be delivered is varied, from grazing management to efficient water use through to a short course on sausage making for farmers attempting to value-add to their farm produce. His section at the college has begun developing stronger links with schools in the area to provide a career path for those with an interest in farming. The disconnect between children of all ages and the production of their food was a notion I came across a number of times in the UK. Education of children, their teachers and the public is a big deal here.

Neil was able to outline the changes in student activities over the past 20 years, with both positives and negatives discussed. While students now study the broader processes involved in food production with emphasis on sustainability and management of the environment (across all courses) he noted that the equivalent face-to-face hours in 1991 were about 1000 hours for a 2 or 3 year full-time course whereas today those students have just over 300 hours with the balance in self-paced and directed learning. He was concerned that the teaching sections deliver less "pastoral care" (in all senses) to the students, whose time in studying is directed more towards the internet and development of self-reliance.

In a short time I developed a strong liking for Neil and his practical philosophy relating to the way agriculture could be best taught to students. He has since forwarded on some research and discussion papers which I will link to either this blog or the formal report at the conclusion of my study tour.

Finding my way in Germany

2010-06-08T01:04:00.000-07:00

The Salzach River flowly quickly with the spring thaw surge, Salzburg

Another candidate for the lowest maintenance cow of Europe

Bergen, Bavaria, about the most picturesque setting for any village I have ever seen

Followers may have found little new to read these last few days. My posts for Otley College and Writtle College have been delayed by lack of a suitable internet connection for any length of time. However, after I get to Stuttgart I should be able to bring everything up to date.

The photos at the start are just to whet your appetite for the scenery around southern Bavaria.

A note on the weather: about 25-28 degrees, 60-70% humidity and generally sweaty, bordering on uncomfortable. There was an absolute belter of a thunderstorm here at 12.30 the other night but not one ounce of evidence (water laying in drains, leaves on the ground etc) in the morning. Perhaps there are people employed to clean everything up?

More Random Thoughts: The English and food; a consumer's viewpoint

2010-06-05T12:53:00.001-07:00

It was always going to happen. After having eaten my own body weight in full English breakfasts these last 3 weeks, some thought regurgitation is due. It is as follows

Menu composition and embellishment is the same here as at home. It follows the familiar 'frothing at the mouth' style long favoured by disciples of poor cooking. You are bound by law here to include at least 2 of these phrases per line of menu "hand picked" "farm reared" "carefully selected" and fully ripened".
Spelling errors are mandatory, and if the thought process stalls, you must insert an undeserved apostrophe. One menu today told me I could have a half serve of any of the sandwiches listed 'bellow'. Even with my ear really close to the plate I couldn't hear anything.
The decoration of the outside of main course plates continues apace. Is it sawdust, talcum powder, chef's dandruff or termite frass?
The delight of anything remotely exotic is practised here. If the wine is faintly red and perhaps Spanish it is Rioja and if it clearly isn't then it may be presented as having been stored on the same shelves as the Rioja so as to gain a vicarious benefit in taste. Could a native French speaker determine the provenance of a particular wine by its label or could perhaps the locality be a dodgy outer suburb of Marseille? A wine on the list the other night was from the noted Australian vineyard "Wooloomooloo". Can someone tell me if John Laws has a few rogue vines in pots on the finger wharf of has Russell Crowe started yet another new venture?
Does it make me enjoy my rasher of bacon any better when I know that the pig's back was scratched just prior to its slaughter by two volunteers from the local village's Under 15 Girls' Hockey team?
Is my steak genetically more tender because it came from the West Country of England or do all meat wagons secretly pass through a pulveriser just before Swindon on the M4?
What is the dividing line between prawns, shrimp and scampi? Why is it necessary to list "prawns" separately from "prawns in shells"?Is it possible that some people have an allergy to removing prawns from their shell as well as eating prawns?
Do organic, free-range eggs develop strategies to maintain their distinctively special flavour when they are cracked into a frying pan of fat at about 450 degrees Farenheit? Is there any method for maintaining the separation of the organic, free-range egg from the nearby barn-raised, open-sided shedding and access to fresh air egg that an apprentice chef can use?
When we drink semi-skimmed milk is it really just society's acceptance of inadequate training within food processing industries? Does someone actually skim just half of the surface area of the vessel or do they skim exactly half the thickness of cream across the whole surface?
Is "wild trout" merely a description of environmental conditions or is it really indicative of a fish with, shall we say, issues? Is there perhaps a "scale" of disorders against which the degree of wildness can be measured?
When you eat meat from a rare breed of animal are you actively contributing to extinction on this planet? If you prefer your steak lightly cooked then could it be extraordinarily rare beef?
Can records detect if a full English breakfast has only included baked beans since Shane Warne played county cricket with Hampshire?

Well, I'm off to put the nuclear spellcheck on now so that I'm not hoist on my own petard. Garcon, save that last piece of fried bread and black pudding for me!!

East Anglia: A big reminder of home

2010-06-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

Essex County flag
Norfolk County flag
Suffolk County symbol
A heavyweight minimum-disturbance soil conditioner
Sugar beets about halfway through their growing period
An idea of the broad, flat landscapes of Norfolk
A Norfolk windmill, an old alternative energy source (not an original photo, I stole it)

It is sometimes reassuring to find a little bit of home in a distant part of the world. East Anglia, which is the regional name for the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, has any number of reminders of agriculture in New South Wales. Irrigators, shallow soil, moisture retention equipment and practices; all are mirrors of production markers at home. Another odd point is a plant known here as ragwort, a Senecio species with yellow daisy flowers, that causes liver poisoning in cattle and horses and responds to rain more quickly than pasture species and is capable of invading paddocks. Anyone smell our fireweed here?

Some areas receive as little as 20 inches (800 mLs) per year, and nowhere has received anywhere near average rainfall this year. Pastures are flagging for want of reasonable rain, silage making has been delayed and vegetable crops sit waiting for rain or irrigation. Three days this week have been above 27 degrees and not a cloud in sight. The farmers and horticulturalists I have spoken to enjoy the sunny days but dread the thought of what lies ahead. Rain is predicted for the next few days but who knows what might happen.

There have been a number of vineyards established in these eastern counties in the last 10 years or so, and I can approve of some of their product. Let us not get too far ahead in our global warming thoughts as I was reminded that the Romans (and what did they ever do for us , Reg?) produced wine as far north as Yorkshire back in the day. A horticulture teacher told me that their plants in identification classes have gradually changed to include some things that were only protected area (glasshouse) crops like button squash, which can now almost be grown outdoors albeit with some early frost protection.

This is also an area noted for the production of sugar beet and a large processing plant has been established in Norfolk. This plant has recently undergone modifications to capture almost all of the waste from the beets from anaerobic digestion for gas recovery and electricity production, and has developed a method of setting aside soil attached to the plants roots, previously wasted, for use in horticultural potting mixes. A plant originally derided for its wastefulness is now well up the efficiency ladder.

Summing up, East Anglia's agricultural struggles mirror those we understand in Australia. The green and pleasant land in one's mind's eye that we assume to be England is less obvious to me in this region. To balance the equation for any of my English blog readers, the drive from Needham Market through Hadliegh to Sudbury ranks with any other I have road route that I have undertaken on this or other visits to England. It is scenic and almost wistful, and I have been reminded that this part of England was the home and inspiration to many noted English artists including Constable and Gainsborough. I can also put the Anchor Inn at Nayland, Suffolk in the list of pubs to eat and drink in before you shuffle off. On the banks of the River Stour (so, only just in Suffolk) it has good food with beef, pork and lamb from the accompanying farm as well as the freshest of vegetables. Suffolk Punch horses and Suffolk sheep graze in the paddocks and you can walk among them between pints. The horses are a significant sight as the pub has a stylish wagon which was pulled by the horses at the Suffolk Show. Add this place to your list, and thank Brian and Janet King for an inspired choice of venue.

The Suffolk Show: The Suffolk Trinity; Red Polls, Suffolk Sheep and the Suffolk Punch Heavy Horses

2010-06-05T00:36:00.000-07:00

British paratroopers hit the main arena
Some substantial gear and equipment was on display
Ray Bowler (Red Poll UK secretary), Richard and Virginia Dawes (Red Poll breeders from Olney) and Diana Flack, field officer for the Red Poll breed in the Red Poll tent
An English Red Poll bull with an Australian sire (Eurimbla Gladstone).
The cow in the centre of this shot hails from the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk and the exhibitor was listed in the program as "HM The Queen". It was placed third in the class.
A sign that seemed to sum up the dual British obsession with regulations and paradoxes
Plenty of native-bred Hereford cattle on display
A British Blue heifer showing extreme muscling
A fine example of a Suffolk Punch heavy horse, and quite a reasonable example of a bowler hat

The Suffolk Show is held over 2 days in the beginning of June each year. This year saw almost perfect weather conditions, clear skies, 25 degrees and lots of sun. Being school holidays (half term) crowds were plentiful and noisy.

Suffolk County is the home to their Trinity: Red Poll cattle, Suffolk sheep and the Suffolk Punch heavy horse. All originate in the county and all have gone on to find significant places within their species on other continents. [My work colleague, Richard Wilkinson, is perhaps unknowingly on his way to completing the trifecta of the Trinity as he has Red Polls, Suffolk sheep and is showing an increased interest in horses!]

There were over 50 head of Red Poll cattle in the 500 plus animals exhibited at the show. Horse entries this year were over 1700, so UK shows mirror much of what happens at home. The Grand Parade is traditionally led by the heavy horse contingent and a great sight it makes.

Red Poll exhibitors at the show included Writtle College which is located in nearby Chelmsford in Essex. Students at the college prepared their Red Poll heifers for the last time this year, as management decisions have seen the Red Poll herd dispersed, with the show heifers the last to be sold. However, the breeding herd has been replaced by groups of Euro-cross steers and heifers to be used in nutritional, husbandry and management trials. More about Writtle College and the teaching staff in a later blog post.

The Queen's Red Poll cow, exhibited by Tony and Ann Barnett from the Sandringham Estate was placed third out of 6 in the mature cow class, prompting a ringside wag to suggest that the judge ran the risk of a few days in the Tower of London as payback for a lowly third.

The smells, sights and activities associated with showing cattle are similar all over the world, I guess. Animals bounding out of control, stewards attempting to organise exhibitors in a manner similar to herding cats, judges telling of their decisions by digging deep into the book of showring cliches, and a feeling that only one exhibitor in each breed would be satisfied with the events of the day.

Many fewer carnival rides, no showbag halls, lots of shooting jackets and flat caps for sale, wellington boots (almost all green in colour), and the by now familar bowler hats. I think we will stick by our Akubras and Stetsons rather than travel down the bowler road.

The British Army parachuting display team dropped in out of Apache helicopters as the main ring attraction. In something symbolic of the overall financial state of the UK, they actually run days for tandem skydives with the troupe, videoed and presented, in order to help finance their corps.

A weekend at Great Yarmouth: more power to your arm

2010-06-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

Cattle grazing marsh pastures near Haddiscoe, Norfolk. Note the cut drains to allow pasture areas to recover from inundation of tidal water
The Golden Mile at Great Yarmouth, one of its attractions (?!)
The wind farm at Scroby Sands 2 miles off the seafront at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

A weekend at an English seaside resort is something out of the nudge-nudge, wink-wink school of comedy. I planned to update my computer work, blog and photos but questionable wi-fi restricted that idea. The Norfolk sea coast is open and windswept and when the sun is out it is a great place to be, at least that is what people told me.

The impressive thing about agriculture in Norfolk is how much it resembles Australian conditions. Big travelling irrigators abound and regular windbreaks and drained coastal pastures are similar to acid-sulphate affected areas of NSW south and north coast. It is an area known for vegetable crops such as carrots, potatoes and onions, with cattle grazing the normal activity on the marsh pastures in the Broads (areas near marshes). The most striking feature is the absolute flatness of the landscape.

The presence of 30 wind generators in the middle distance off the seafront at Great Yarmouth is both surprising and reassuring. Located 2 miles off shore, the Scroby Sands wind farm has been operating since 2004, and can supply all power needs for the houses at Great Yarmouth. It is sited on a permanent sand bank and was one of the first farms established to supply base load power for the British grid. Owned and operated by a German company, E-ON, it could now be supplying considerably more power due to improvements in technology and efficiency. Many more sites are being established and developed further from the shore to overcome opposition to the mills.

I'm not sure how someone on an environmental education scholarship study tour could justify a weekend in Great Yarmouth unless they knew of the presence of alternative power sources close to their hotel. It is refreshing to see the "mainstreaming" of these sources.

Uggeshall: Red Polls on their home turf

2010-06-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

.Giles and June Crisp applying the calming back-scratching technique demanded by these extraordinarily quiet Red Poll cows.
Lavenham Sir Galahad, with heifers on salt marshes near Uggeshall. Semen from this bull can be imported into Australia. An impressive individual up close.
A prospective herd sire at 9 months of age
An improvised windbreak of big bales of hay protecting an over-winter feeding area
Giles Crisp inspecting a field of pasture (ley) ready to cut for silage
19 month old heifer Uggeshall Yearn, subject of a competitive 5 pound bet

I spent a very enjoyable 2 days at the home of Giles and June Crisp at Uggeshall House, near Beccles, about 5 miles from the North Sea in East Suffolk. Home to the Uggeshall Red Poll herd, the farm has a very productive 150 acres supporting around 38 breeding cows plus followers and replacements.

Uggeshall receives about 18 inches of rainfall annually. Make no mistake, 18 inches in old money, dry by Australian standards. Roll that in with the fact that there has been a distinct drought in the region and it is in need of rain. Relatively shallow soils, some clay based and some sandy, mirror familiar Australian conditions. A cold and prolonged winter has led to slow pasture growth this spring and there was little carry-over feed from the winter.

Calves are born in groups in spring, summer and autumn. Heifers are mated at 24-27 months to calve at about 3 years of age. Birth weights are in the range of 35-42 kg and the high supervision level means that few births are not observed. An experienced cowman, Tony Neville, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the herd with assistance from former dairyman Peter Wilson. Peter engaged Giles in a bet about the quality of the on-farm heifers compared to the unseen, yet to be judged, winner of the under 22 months heifer at the Suffolk Show. As the adjudicator, I declared the heifer on the farm to be superior. Giles is therefore 5 pounds out of pocket.

Heifers are often sold as replacement breeders if not required in the herd but sometimes find their way to the butchers' shop, which is the fate of the steers. Meat is sold from the farm gate at something of a premium on high street prices. Age at slaughter is 22 months and above. Some effort has been put in by the Crisps and other Red Poll breeders to establish a breed-specific product but continuity and regularity of supply have been difficult to overcome.

Crops grown include winter wheat and oats as well as maize and oilseed rape in some years. Sugar beet for human consumption is a very popular cash crop in the region, with a local destination for the processing of the beets. Strong emphasis on minimum soil disturbance requires direct drilling equipment for most sowing jobs. Retention of soil moisture is as important in East Anglia as it is in Australia, as is weed control. It is interesting that people in East Anglia discuss the weather and its effects at least as much as Australians.

These Red Polls were amongst the quietest I have ever seen, even show cows. They walked up to the Crisps in the fields and presented their backs for scratching by hand or with a field crook. One butted into my back as a response to me walking past without offering a relaxing pat. This applies to almost all animals not just previously shown cows.

Semen from an Australian bull, Eurimbla Gladstone (owned by Ian and Jill Coghlan), was imported to the UK by Giles and another breeder Richard Dawes. Offspring of this bull were clearly identifiable by a slightly lighter coat colour and the presence of dapples in the coat. A noticeable increase in size and capacity has led to significant improvements in the herd, a point acknowledged by both Giles and Richard. Gladstone, coincidentally, was prepared by students of Richmond TAFE for the Royal Easter Show in 1999.

We travelled some 5 miles to check on the development of a bull, Lavenham Sir Galahad, owned by Giles. This bull was grazing salt marsh fields near the noted Cathedral of the Salt Marshes at Blythburgh. Semen from this bull is approved for export to Australia and NZ, and after his time at a licenced AI centre in Devon he is back among the heifers in Suffolk. He is an impressive bull with a strong hindquarter and spine and good feet and movement.

The Crisps extended a warm hand of friendship to me and made me feel extraordinarily welcome in a short space of time. The 2011 Red Poll World Congress will be held in the UK and a visit will be made to the Uggeshall herd as well as the Suffolk Show (see next blog entry). I am sure visitors will come away with feelings and memories similar to mine.

Newsflash: Contact made with Lucy King's parents

2010-06-03T00:27:00.000-07:00

Brian and Janet King outside the NFU lunch tent, the Suffolk Show near Ipswich

At the Suffolk Show on Wednesday I had the pleasure of meeting Janet and Brian King, the parents of one of our current Certificate 3 full-time students, Lucy King. Hailing from near Colchester, Janet and Brian get to the show every few years to keep up to date with agricultural matters and to enjoy the sunshine. Brian has a family background in both agriculture and horticulture, and we met near the judging ring for the Red Poll cattle.
We had a pleasant lunch in the NFU tent (the family's insurances are still with the National Farmers' Union) and I was able to inform them of Lucy's progress through her course. We did manage a small chuckle in recalling Lucy's incident with a Poll Hereford steer as part of the training for steers at the UWS yards.
A delightful couple and I was very glad to have met them.

Broadwell Manor: Dairy, Sheep and Arable Farming

2010-05-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

David Jenkinson outside the feeding sheds, Broadwell Manor Farm
Silage pit covered with plastic and tyres, but a new recycled rubber mat will soon replace tyres
High capacity slurry tank and collection area behind the dairy milking parlour
Examining root growth on seedlings of spring sown wheat
A crop of winter wheat (sown in autumn 2009) plus trusty dog
A minimum disturbance disc seeder used for crops and pastures

Broadwell Manor Farm covers nearly 1300 acres near Lechlade in Gloucestershire. Part of the farm covers an old WW2 airfield with the control tower and runways still visible, though not very productive for agriculture. In an area noted for the home of the headwaters of the River Thames and a fly fishing mecca due to its abundance of suitable gravel lakes, the farm is located between three small villages. Milking 120-150 cows year round, it produces milk for the company that supplies Sainsburys supermarkets.

The farm uses the grain produced by its cropping activities to feed the dairy cows. Maize, winter wheat (sown in autumn), winter barley, winter oilseed rape and spring wheat add either to the protein and energy needs of the cows or their fibre or bedding requirements. Some grain can be sold on for milling but most is retained. Silage clamps or pits are filled and used annually and the farm is moving to replace the plastic and tyre covers with recycled rubber holey matting. This matting is made from shredded tyres and waste rubber and is heavy but inert. There is a careful rotation of the different crops in order to meet nutritional needs of the cows and efficiently use the arable area. Fertilisers, including treated human sewage waste, are incorporated into the soil at regular intervals.

Black-faced "mule" sheep ( a crossbred prime lamb mother) are run as an additional livestock activity. The sheep produce a high percentage of twins which are aimed for the 20-22kg market. The ewes lamb in February and whilst the lambs don't make the lucrative early lamb prices, management of mating (in autumn months) is considerably easier. Early lambs are conceived in summer months when the natural fertility of the ewe is lower than in autumn. Photo periodicty at work again. The sheep are used to clean up paddocks in preparation for sowing, as weed control agents and to graze land unsuitable or too remote for the dairy herd. A late start to spring and continued dry weather has meant that David has less available grazing land for the sheep than would normally be the case.

The farm is a LEAF demonstration farm, opening up for Farm Sunday in June when townsfolk and people who seldom walk onto a farm are openly invited to have a closer look at agriculture. David expects tens to hundreds of people to walk through the dairy yards and have a tractor and trailer ride and to get a better idea of the process of producing milk. He had a number of stories of previous farm visits by schoolchildren including one young boy asking him where the milk powder was fed to the cows to get the milk.

The farm management strategy has been to retain and maintain the hedgerows and wooded areas to encourage populations of birds, bugs and predators. Crop margins are preserved and an area of cleared space near hedgerows provides the owners with a game bird area each shooting season.

David was a helpful host, understated but determined to provide the correct growing environment for the animals, crops and pastures under his management. The farm co-existed with neighbouring houses and residents and seemed to be producing milk, lamb and crops efficiently and effectively.

The Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester

2010-05-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

I met with 2 lecturers in Sustainable Agriculture at the Royal Ag College, Dr John Conway and Dr Richard Baines. John's expertise is in the area of soils and their management, while Richard is a specialist in food chains, supply and Quality Assurance programs. He had previously been to Perth, WA in 2000 to study Cattlecare and Flockcare systems.

These 2 fellows co-ordinate the post-graduate studies in Sustainable Agriculture which is nested within the International Rural Development course, with students of many and varied backgrounds enrolled. It is run over a year full-time (October-June) or 2 years part-time. It is delivered using something of a community of practice method where the students are encouraged to join in the process of learning, and by using case studies and examples from many countries and regions.

The sustainability of development of agricultural and tourism developments in Asian and African countries, and many other world regions, is at the core of the course. Streams of study include natural resource development, sutainable agricultural systems, organic agriculture, climate change and development and sustainable rural tourism. Students are encouraged to undertake in-depth case studies across the broad range of electives within the course thereby understanding the factors affecting other participants. Students undertake research projects as well as presentations and exams.

The course links in with visited farms by basing some study areas on the Integrated Farm Management principles of Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF). The college is itself undertaking regular environmental analysis of its procedures and activities and this process in some ways mirrors what the students study.

Environmental considerations at the college include the use of alternative energy supplies and investigations into anaerobic digestion (AD). Mention was made of an alternative method being trialled at a German institute which utilises a system related to the environment within a cow's rumen to produce energy from waste material. The lecturers were hopeful that the future could see a parallel trial using existing AD technology against this "next generation" method.

Harper Adams University College

2010-05-28T23:45:00.001-07:00

Dr Martin Hare outside some of the elegant buildings at Harper Adams

A winter wheat variety trial in the fields at Harper Adams

The indoor soil barn, an area for teaching and research, including 4 WD operations
The new dairy buildings at Harper Adams

If the layers of post-school education in Australia seem a little confusing, then the complicated English higher education system beats it into a cocked hat. Universities, university colleges, colleges, further education colleges and regional colleges all fit into this sector. Universities can confer their own degrees as can university colleges, but colleges have to have their degree programs overseen by a university. Confederations and affiliations abound. University colleges are stand-alone institutions, but lack the number of enrolled students to become a university. All sorted.

Harper Adams University College is an agriculture-centred college at Newport in Shropshire, north of Birmingham. Located quite near Wales, it is a marvellous setting for a learning institution. Old stately buildings, now mostly offices, are at the centre of the campus and it is surrounded by over 200 acres of farm land.

Dr Martin Hare, Senior Lecturer in Crop Protection, outlined the background to their Ag programs and took me on a walking tour of the campus. The bulk of land and activities are under the direct control of the farm manager who has a commercial agenda (run as a farm business). Research and student involvement in farm activities are negotiated between the academic and farm management groups. Arable (cropping) areas are utilised to produce inputs for the dairy, pig and poultry production units. A new dairy milking parlour and feed stall shed were opened last year and a regional Food Academy for food technology research and development was opened this year. Manufacturers and processors can bring new ideas or problems to the academy and have lab space and assistance to solve any issues.

A leader in adoption of new technology, the college has begun to incorporate alternative energy and building components in all new buildings. Solar panels (photo-voltaic cells here) have been retrofitted to student accommodation, a new student services building is utilising water recycling systems. A large boiler unit has been constructed which uses green and farm waste as energy sources, and this will supply the heating needs of more than half the campus. An anaerobic digestion system is planned for construction to utilise slurry and perhaps outside wastes from the surrounding area.

I had a meeting with Emma Pierce-Jenkins, a lecturer in Planning who teaches in the Land Economy courses (estate agents, land managers, environmental planning). She outlined the processes that councils go through to identify likely areas for urban development and how landholders or their agents propose their units of land for development. Councils then sort through proposals and discard them based on criteria such as the suitability of land for farming (the term "best and most versatile land" dominates development discussions about farming land so that very good farm land is harder to develop), the need for housing, the supply of services, and social issues. It is a requirement that a mix of housing be planned (different sizes, different prices, different classes of owners or tenants) and that any development is based on redevelopment of old sites (brownfield) 60%, and new greenfield areas 40%. This stops the centres of older settlements being left abandoned or isolated.

Other issues for farm landholders include the rights of public footpaths (already long established here) in areas of moors, heaths and upland areas and along a coastal marine path. There are some restrictions on who can access the rights of way, with which companion animals and when, but there are real issues of liability for livestock owners especially in the connection of calving cows with walkers with dogs or horse riders. The density of population here means that access to areas of public recreation are desired by many interest groups, I think to a point beyond which the general public in Australia would not tolerate.

The dairy sheds were being filmed by a Welsh television crew and the former principal of the college was being interviewed in Welsh. It is confronting to be in an English-speaking country and witness an interview where you have no knowledge of what is being said. That's ahead for me in Germany in a week or so.

There is a strong move to place full-time students on farm for a work-based placement during their second or third year. The work is paid and in some cases undertaken on overseas farms or industries. Students often go on to employment with the same workplace sponsor, and it enhances the link between the college and industry. We can learn from this for our Certificate 4 and Diploma students at Richmond TAFE.

The college also undertakes applied research for different companies and industry groups. this is co-ordinated through the farm manager for open field trials or they are conducted in specific trial areas. Issues such as wheat variety trials and the establishment of beetle banks for predator habitat have or are being studied at the college in this manner. The college adds value to its produce by using farm produced goods through the student and staff cafeterias. I can vouch for the tenderness and taste of its beef at an excellent lunch.

Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire

2010-05-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

The concept of describing the countryside is a little foreign to me. The bush I can describe, the city and the suburbs as well, and I could probably give someone else an idea of what I thought the outback was like. In England there are any number of descriptions of what the countryside is and what it means to people. The Agriculture UK website contains the following description

“Blessed with a temperate climate that favours both agriculture and forestry, the countryside has been shaped by our predecessors’ need for food, materials, energy and recreation. Today the same criteria remain, with agriculture the dominant use.

Around 18.7 million hectares of the UK are classified as agricultural land - over 70% of the total land area. Crops, grassland and woodland mix with other land uses to create a spectacularly rich matrix of habitats and features that are the sum of 6000 years worth of man’s activity. It’s a countryside that captures the imagination with its diversity – but one that is nonetheless deeply productive.

And just as the features of the countryside were fashioned by our farming ancestors over many generations, so today it is farmers who spend hundreds of hours of unpaid time in its maintenance. Conservatively this work has been assessed as being worth around £500 million per annum. But often, just as valuable is what is not done. Old barns and sheds may look unsightly and derelict but they provide happy homes for barn owls and swallows – leaving them undeveloped carries a high opportunity cost.”

So, really, anywhere not in a town or city can be included in the countryside. The University of Gloucestershire at Cheltenham has established the Countryside and Community Research Institute on the Park Campus site. At some time the site was to become an exotic zoological garden, and one pathway is still called the Elephant Walk. A small lake is said to have been created in the shape of the continent of Africa, but it is not clear to this observer.

The institute plays a significant role in a research cluster of related academic organisations in the central south west region of England. Researchers are involved in projects across abroad spectrum of rural policy matters, social and economic interests, planning issues, managing change in agricultural communities, food supply and food chains, and landscape and nature. My principal contact during my time visiting the Institute was Dr Chris Short who has particular interests in rural development policy and in the issues related to management of lands in common.

I was invited to present a seminar as part of the regular sharing of information within the Institute. My brief was to outline my interests, my reasons for undertaking this study trip, and the issues related to peri-urban agriculture in Australia in general and around Richmond in particular. I was warmly received and supported by the researchers and post-graduate students in attendance. I was also able to attend another seminar on devlopments in the management of the Severn estuary which is reported to have the second highest tidal difference in the world at nearly 17.4 metres.

Given a workspace in Business Manager Chris Rayfield’s office, I was able to organise components of my information into something approaching coherence. My thanks go to the staff of the Institute for their provision of space and a welcome to use it. If it wasn’t so expensive, it would be a great place to study for a Masters.

Some Random Thoughts

2010-05-27T03:51:00.000-07:00

Having been away for about a third of my trip, I feel that I should include you, the reader, in some thoughts I have had.

English car parks are designed for the size of small, compact European cars. Then they take away about 4 inches either side and paint lines. The result is that a slim, healthy chap like me cannot get out of any car in a car park without taking a chunk out of the nearest object be it a car, post, wall or all three
Photo periodicity is alive and well in the UK. Having arrived from Australia during our autumn (shorter day length, no daylight saving) with the sun rising just before 7 am, I am confronted with effective daylight here now from 4.30 am (really 3.30 am) until almost 9 pm. The evening is just great, but how do you go back to sleep at 5 am when your eyes tell you that it is 7am?
Drivers here are polite to the point of self-defeat. People wave you ahead of them out of right-turn lanes, when resuming the roadway after parking and sometimes ahead of you at roundabouts. You can feel the urge to charge ahead fall away after a few days on the road.
Motorways here are a new challenge. I drove to Newport in Shropshire yesterday past the main roads for Birmingham, and there were sometimes 4 lanes of traffic heading in the same direction. No horn honking, no rude fingers, and big roadside services with 4 or 5 food and drink outlets all served with free wi-fi connection. Coffee is a little ordinary, but the connectivity is fine.
Single lane, hedged country lanes are for the locals. I am in a state of absolute concern bordering on panic (here are the bricks again) when I realise that I'm the first car in a line. It is better to follow someone than lead apparently (sounds like Salsa dancing again).
To get your Navman into a spin, drive across a car ferry. It happened in Fowey in Cornwall the other day, and the machine could not get any sense of where it was. I turned down the 'Do a U-turn whenever possible' noise after a while.
Cask ales taste significantly better when the ambient temperature is below 20 degrees C. It takes a game drinker to approach one when the mercury rises above 25
Losing a Twenty-20 world cup final match can be easily offset by an Australian winning a Formula One race in Europe. You get to keep an Australian winning the World Snooker championship up your sleeve to trump something else with later on.
The English agricultural concept of 'Sustainable Practices' is significantly different from my concept, but I'm not sure yet who is corrrect or otherwise

Diversification and change: Phil and Julie Trump

2010-05-27T02:29:00.000-07:00

Farm buildings at Higher Rixdale Farm, near Newton Abbot, Devon

Barns used for over-wintering of livestock at Till House Farm

Phil Trump amongst a group of Friesian steers

Part of a legume-rich pasture to be made into silage

Crossbred cow with Charolais-cross calf at foot

Phil and Julie Trump operate a farm-based bed and breakfast and farm stay cottage business at Higher Rixdale Farm, near Newton Abbot, Devon. this farm is 105 acres in size and is located in an area of upland heath, a threatened land area ecosystem. Attached to their house are 2 B and B rooms and in the same group of buildings there are 2 self-contained cottages which can house up to 14 people. The Trumps have been on this farm for just on 2 years as part of a diversification strategy which was put into place when their other landholding (15 miles away) was subject to development. Till House Farm is located near Rockbeare, a village adjacent to the zone around the relatively new Exeter Airport, and has been the subject of planning changes for the last 5 years. The family were dairy farmers at Till House, milking over 200 cows on a seasonal basis for the fresh milk market. The development of that part of the farm included in the new zoning has been placed on hold due to the difficult financial situation in the UK. The dairy would have needed significant investment in infrastructure to continue at or above the then current level of production, so dairying was discontinued.

Livestock at Higher Rixdale include a 30 cow Red Ruby Devon suckler herd, calving in March and April, and February-lambing sheep. The Devon cattle are a significant component in the managed conservation of the high-value upland heath areas, and are required to be grazed through winter on specific pasture areas to help manage weeds and manipulate the growth of desirable species. Soils are based on peat and sand through to areas of flint but it is well drained.

Phil's dairying background did not prepare him for sheep handling and management and commented that "sheep in England have 2 ambitions: to get out and to die. If they can do both at the same time then they are well pleased". However with the help of a dog, the mustering and moving tasks are more easily completed.

Till House Farm is 250 acres of mixed clay soils. Crops such as oats, barley and wheat are grown for on farm consumption as grain or silage (whole-crop) and oilseed rape is grown for sale. Maize is also part of the rotation of crops, but its high inputs for high return is not required as often under the beef fattening system that has replaced the dairying. Grains are stored on farm and then rolled or crimped for feeding to mostly Friesian steers and bullocks. Animals are grazed in paddocks from late April-early May until late in November. Management of the straw under the animals' feet in the winter months has become a key issue in this Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). The amount of nitrate applied to fields, the storage prior to spreading and the method of spreading are big items for any farmer in this country. Phil has a series of ponds for storage after separation of solids from liquids and a weeping wall system to further filter the nutrient-rich slurry. Application to pastures must be at a rate that will not allow any excess nitrate to enter ground or surface water systems.

Steer calves are purchased at any age (minimum 12 weeks) from a number of adjacent farms, including an immediate neighbour who is an organic dairy farmer. Cattle here have 'passports' like a chequebook, which must accompany them when they transfer from one owner to another. It is a little like a hard copy system of the NLIS scheme in NSW. Penalties apply for unaccompanied or unsigned animals. The calves are grown out over a period up to 20 months on pasture feed and supplementary grain. Animals are processed at nearby St Mirren at up to 420 kg carcass weight. Prices per beast of over £1000 can be achieved, although the cost of production is high by Australian standards. Phil applies strict temperament policies and will not retain breeding females unless they are quiet. The close proximity to a large group of 400kg animals (56 steers) while holding a feed bag is an exciting aspect to inspecting the livestock.

The suckler cow herd at Till House Farm is a mixed group of Friesian cross cows with some Devons, and these are mated to a Charolais bull. Some Devon heifers from Rixdale join with this group and these are artificially inseminated to selected Devon bulls. Calves from this herd enter the feeding program and some heifers are retained as replacements. The retention of a suckler herd is a point questioned by members of the management team as some see it as feeding twice the numbers for the same kg of sale beef (prefer to buy in feeders) while others are welded on to the continuaton of breeding calves. The occurence of Bovine Tuberculosis at Till House has meant that the farm is in a period of restriction, as animals can not be sent to a farm of higher status (no positive tests) but can still be sent for slaughter or traded between farms of similar status. Females can move from Rixdale (no positives) to Till House but not back again until 2 clear whole-herd blood tests have been taken. There is to be at least 60 days between these tests.

I had a wonderful stay at Higher Rixdale Farm, including a 1 mile walk (each way) to the pub along a hedged single country lane with a couple of dead badgers along the way to add that local flavour. Great hosts and a comfortable stay. I really have to wholeheartedly thank Phil Trump for his kind offer for me to spend most of Sunday with him at Till House Farm. It was an unexpected pleasure to share his time, thoughts and lunch. Unforgettable.

The Farm Shop Phenomenon

2010-05-27T01:34:00.000-07:00

Could this be the breed of cattle needed at Richmond TAFE? Occombe Farm's 'Willow'

One of the informative noticeboards at Occombe Farm, an organic farm shop

Part of the dairy cow group at Taverner's 'Orange Elephant' farm shop, Kennford near Exeter

The Farm Shop at Darts Farm, near Exeter, Devon

England has seen a surge in the number of farm shop outlets over the past 20 years. Growing from a single roadside stall offering fresh-picked produce, some shops are now complex retail outlets competing with high streets and supermarkets.

Darts Farm at Topsham began life as a vegetable farm and was a centre for the supply of farm inputs including chemicals. The farm still produces fresh vegetables for sale but now has a new complex of shops including fresh produce, a butchery, delicatessen, small supermarket and a cafe and restaurant. Additionally, a kitchen and Aga cooker shop, a Pilates and health studio, a fishing shop with cafe attached and a camping and outdoors centre complete the complex which is now in a semi-suburban area. This is up at the top level of farm shops: close to a large city, on the fringe of an area noted for its recreational value and catering to a relatively high socio-economic group (judging by the make of cars in the car park). Prices for vegetables were slightly higher per kg, and the source of the produce was noted on each display. Local sources were highlighted and links to producers were given.

Taverner's 'Orange Elephant' farm shop is located about 15 minutes drive from Exeter. In a rural setting, the shop is located in amongst dairy and farm buildings. Operating for more than 12 years, the farm shop started out selling pork and eggs produced on the farm. Foot and mouth disease meant no more pigs so a dairy herd was established along with a beef suckler cow herd. The shop contains fresh fruit and vegetable section, jams, preserves and honey, and a butchery selling meat from the farm. The animals are processed at Ashburton (about 20 miles away) and other meat products are sourced from local suppliers. The Orange Elephant name derives from the South Devon cattle found in the area: noted as dual-purpose (dairy/beef) animals, they are an orange colour and are a large framed animal (see photo). Taverners are reintroducing crossbred South Devon/ Friesian cows into their milking herd, and as such are standing away from the other local dairy herds. Some of the milk from the dairy is processed into ice cream at the farm and visitors can view parts of the process while at the shop.

John, the butcher at the shop, indicated that the aim was to maintain the customer's interest beyond the novelty of the shop. Retention of the customer was linked to high quality produce, fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables and the expectation that some items were not available outside the season as opposed to the importation of goods by supermarkets. The product range is now over 5 times larger than that offered 10 years ago. There was a high standard expected of the food products sourced from outside the farm as the reputation of the shop was on the line with every item. Local district suppliers and Devon-based producers were sought for the outside lines and each product's source farm was identified.

Future plans include a walk amongst the cows in their summer fields and observation areas in the milking parlour for visitors.

Occombe Organic Farm Shop is between the seaside towns of Torquay (what would you expect to see from a Torquay hotel window?) and Paignton in south Devon. Run under organic principles, the farm includes livestock (cows, sheep, chickens) as well as community vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. The product range in the shop is almost strictly organic, with suppliers and their location easily identified. Some sources are in overseas countries as the range of products is extensive. A fully fitted cafe and restaurant are attached to the shop with outdoor area for seating and children's playing areas.

The farm has a nature and farm walk where you head off on a trail through paddocks, sorry, fields, and into woodland and natural areas. Well signposted and with well-closing gates it is about 20-30 minutes of peaceful rambling.

The farm has a keen eye on community involvement with regular planting days and workshops for farm crafts.

Bicton College: The same as us, but different

2010-05-25T07:34:00.000-07:00

Crossbred yearlings in the feed barn

Jon Bond near some shedding constructed over 200 years ago.

Part of the Red Ruby Devon suckler cow herd in driveway paddocks.

I had the opportunity to visit Bicton College, near Exmouth, on Friday 21st May. Jon Bond is the newly-appointed academic head of Agriculture at the college, a practising farmer with many years of experience in farm and estate management in the local area. Jon showed me through the teaching and learning areas and around the farm's practical teaching areas.

The college offers the equivalent of Certificate 2, 3 and 4 in Agriculture as well as a stream in Ag engineering and mechanics. First degrees in agriculture and higher (honours level) study can also be undertaken. The same site offers Horticulture to similar levels and has a major investment in Equine studies through to degree level. An Olympic standard dressage arena forms a central part of the equine complex. The ag section is responsible for training students studying aspects of 'Countryside' which is equivalent to our parks and rangers as a lot of restoration and regeneration work takes place on farms and estates.

There is a large emphasis on practical training for students and the general farming community: I stood and watched as a farmer was re-accredited for his chemical application certificate. Students in agriculture undertake an on-farm component of either 2 weeks out of 4 for 1 year or the middle year of 3 years of study placed on a farm.

The college operates a dairy of about 150 cows Ayrshire x (Jersey x Holstein/Friesian) and uses beef-cross calves from this herd to feed and fatten. They also run a suckler (vealer) herd of Red Ruby Devons (see photo) on a site of over 300 acres. They run Texel-cross sheep with some Blue-face Leicester rams used as well.

The campus and the courses felt to me like an amalgamation of Richmond TAFE and the adjoining University of Western Sydney Hawkesbury. 1500 students in all courses, with about half living in halls of residence or self-contained units on campus. The driveway was lined with monkey puzzle trees which are relatives of our Bunya and Norfolk Island pines. It was a very familiar sight. There is an extensive botanic gardens next door which had previously been part of the original Clifton Estate but was separated due to some long-past family issue.

The college has begun the process of applying for 'Green' funding to create an environmental training centre where alternative energy sources are configured and adapted to on-farm use. Materials for construction and insulation of the centre are to be able to be changed and modified so that students of agriculture and construction can benefit from the process. Management of slurry wastes and excess water and possible further treatment will be considered. This sounds familiar, right?

It was a great insight for me into the operation of an educational facility with adequate physical resources backed up with a practical teaching program that Jon hopes will deliver students with industry-ready competence.

The Devon County Show: Bowler hats are back in style!

2010-05-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

I spent Thursday of last week at the Devon County Show near Exeter. Many similarities between our Royal Easter Show but a big change in choice of hat for judges and stewards (see photos). By far the biggest representation was in the Red Ruby Devon ring for beef cattle with the judge having 24 junior bulls to sort out. South Devon, a few Shorthorns, lots of Dexters but much smaller individuals than ours, and a group of British Blue, British Charolais, British Simmental and plenty of British Limousin. These all looked similar to their French and Belgian equivalents with extremes in type (muscling, size) being favoured.

A wide range of sheep breeds on display with many obscure pure breeds such as Blue-faced Leiccesters and Shetlands. Three days of the show with judging of breeds on the first day, interbreeds and champions on the second day and grand parades of all exhibits on the Saturday and Sunday.

The broader trade displays are very similar to ours: power companies, telcos, massage chairs, private schools. Great information for farmers in the areas of alternative power sources, anaerobic digestors and water filtration plants for farms or for larger schemes. I could have talked slurry all day with the anaerobic representative, but when there are 80 local beers and ciders in casks in the local beer tent, needs must.

There were many single-focus groups hanging their shingle out for a response: the countryside groups (hunting, shooting and fishing), bird preservers, ramblers and walking groups and the cuddly-animal huggers. I did, although, move on to something else when the falconer, mounted on a 'farty' white horse, watched in amazement as his second expensive falcon disappeared out of sight. I'm sure they came back eventually.

Badgers are big news over here, as they are protected as well as vectors in the spread of bovine tuberculosis which if your animals test positive for it means you are under an enforced quarantine for a period of time. The general public don't like seeing badgers killed, but the disease problem is minimised by reducing the badger numbers. A simple connection really.

I talked to some cattle breeders and some sheep people and they seemed to agree that you needed a marketing edge to get your product out into the buying public. People sell boxes of their own 'branded' meat, they process their own milk into cheese or ice cream or they sell through a single outlet like a farm shop. Value adding to farm produce is a very big deal.

Plymouth University: The Intersection of Geography and Agriculture

2010-05-25T05:56:00.000-07:00

I spent one and a half days at the University of Plymouth, Geography Department, talking with academics and researchers about the planning issues in near-urban agricultural communities. Prof Geoff Wilson has developed descriptions of farmers as 'productionists' (concerned with growing more, quicker) through to multifunctional farmers (concerned and involved with many aspects of farming including environmental management through to farm development). Dr Richard Yarwood helped me tounderstand the planning processes at work in south western England, and outlined the conflict between the need for affordable housing and the lack of available land. Several new developments near Plymouth are 'infill' sites between older developed sites and a rejuvenation of land near dock sites to provide new residential opportunities. Many of the staff I met had either studied or undertaken projects in Australia or New Zealand and were able to help me put the contrasts between the Australain experiences and those in the UK.

On The Farm: What do the British do?

2010-05-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

The impressive farm house and buildings at Aishe Barton
Andrew Baker checking calving cows
Winter sown barley in head
Red Ruby Devon cows and calves

The business end of the trip has started. Picked up a sporty, bright red, brand new Astra 2.0l diesel yesterday in Exeter. The Navman and I had some issues finding the village of Silverton but I don't remember typing in "find all tiny country lanes" as a directive. Tractors, sprayers, silage carts all coming the other way at speed in an absolute miniscule space. Reverse is almost the new forward.

The farm at Silverton, in the middle Exe river valley is 660 acres, about half cropped and the rest either for a herd of Devon cattle (what else in this county) and Dorper sheep (self-shearing or maybe just untidy individuals) with a lot of country set aside for woodlots, regeneration areas for food for birds and animals. The farmer, Andrew Baker, is part of the LEAF organisation (Linking Environment and Farming) which educates the public through a series of Farm Open days and visits. He is passionate about the way he and his assistant farm the country, and coming from a non-farm background (engineering) looked for the most appropriate methods rather than just carry on with tradition.
He has established an amazing length of hedgerows (over 13km) on the fence lines to encourage insects and resident birds for pest control during cropping phases, and pointed out over 20 different bird species during our drive. Crop margins of over 2 metres are left inside every cropped paddock and maintained to give grasses a chance to grow without the effect of sprays and it allows birds to have a shorter hunting zone outside of the crop.
He has a 25 metre tall wind generator on top of a hill and I really would like to see more of these in Australian paddocks. He did mention at one stage that the noise of the vanes moving was "the sound of money".
What we call canola is still known as oilseed rape here, and it is outstanding in its yellow flowers at the moment. Wheat is not yet in head, but barley is fully in head and oats still in the leafy stages. Most cereal grain grown on the farm is retained then put through a roller to provide feed for shedded livestock in winter. The cows are particularly quiet as they are around people big time when they are in the barns over winter. The sheeps ran up to him when he whistled, and they use quiet ones to help load the others into trailers for movement between paddocks.
The farm is in 8 different blocks within 3 miles of the house except a hay paddock on the river about 5 miles away.
The house has, reputedly, the longest thatched roof in Devon and due to the fact that there is a barn attached to one end, it is supposed to be the largest semi-detached dwelling in southern England (it were never proven!).
I will attach some photos of the farm
Cheers
Alan

In the UK and ready to start

2010-05-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday 16th May
I arrived this morning after about 24 hours of flying broken by 2 hours in the Singapore terminal. Very little sleep.
About 7 degrees Celcius in London, overcast but warming through the day.
FA Cup day so lots of Chelsea supporters from early on, then a few around the pubs to celebrate an underwhelming 1-0 win.
Off to Exmouth tomorrow and then a hire car and off to speak with the first farmer on Monday.
Cheers
Alan

Just About to Leave

2010-05-13T06:58:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to leave, flight out at 3.15pm Friday to Singapore then on to London.