Could Organic Production work for you? Find out with our visit to Drumcarro Farm near St. Andrews.
Farming organically offers an alternative outlet market which is less dependant on commodity prices. Drumcarro Farm has been farmed organically for 13 years, making it one of the longest established organic businesses in the area.
This event offers a rare opportunity to see how host, Hugh Gillan, has successfully managed the organic sheep and arable enterprises whilst diversifying into renewable energy, livery and holiday accommodation, as well as offering caravan storage.
Our guest speakers at this event include Roger Baird – Director at WN Lindsay independent grain merchants & Henry Creissen – Researcher & lecturer in Crop Protection, SRUC.
With a packed itinerary for the event, we will cover a range of topics including:
- Organic Grain Markets – including an overview of the current market and a look to the outlook for next year
- Crops – Pest and disease control in organic systems can be managed through careful crop rotations and we’ll discuss how to put this into practice; we’ll also discuss growing winter wheat, with a focus on variety choice & weed control
- Soil Health – soil analysis is important for every business and we’ll discuss the importance of understanding the physical, nutrient and general health of your greatest farm asset
- Livestock – With an established sheep flock on the farm, we’ll look at ways to improve breeding performance and finishing lambs for market
- Grassland – Maximising production from grass requires good pasture management right from the reseeding stage – we’ll consider ways to ensure effective grassland establishment, annual weed control, and how to tackle docks in an organic system
- Diversification – Drumcarro Farm has expanded the traditional business to include other alternative income streams through considered diversification projects. Find out how these have integrated into the business and whether or not diversifying could be an option for your situation?
To book a place: https://www.fas.scot/events/event/organic-production-farm-visit-st-andrews/
