Like many farmers, we are taking a close look at how we can maximise carbon sequestration in our soils. Also in times of ever dwindling energy supplies, we are constantly looking at way to decrease our carbon footprint. A carbon calculation is undertaken annually to monitor energy usage and the results are analyses to highlight savings that can be made. Listed below are some of the measures we are taking to reduce our carbon emissions.

Rotation.

Over the years, we have managed to make the arable enterprise more efficient by farming in 3 blocks. This has reduced the traveling times for all operations and during harvest; the combine is able to move from field to field without removing the cutter bar. Large field sizes reduce headland turning and the over use of fertilizer and sprays.

Controlled traffic farming

Over the last 2 or three years we have been purchasing machinery with the view to reducing the damage to our soil structure. We are endeavoring to use the same tramlines for all operations with the exception of combining and corn cart. Three years ago we replaced our tractor fleet and on the two largest ones, we had auto-steering fitted. This enables us to accurately carry out our cultivations and drilling passes to within a couple of centimetres each turn and we are then able to use the same tramlines year after year preventing damage to soil structure. We also use a 'Centreline' GPS light bar for any pre-emergence spraying. Once the crop has emerged, we follow the 24 metre widths through to harvest. When we replace our combine we will then consider purchasing a tracked machine. Corn cart tractors and trailers travel to and from the combine along the tramlines and since no straw is removed, there is no compaction from lorries or loaders..

Soil structure

Getting the soil structure right is so important to achieving high yielding crops.Crop residues from the back of the combine are added to applied digested sewage cake to provide an ideal source of food for earth worms. These in turn help soil structure and act as miniature top soil factories produce fertiliser for our crops. We have identified that by not compacting the soil, earth worms carry out most of the soil preparation that previously was done by financially and environmentally expensive cultivations. As well as providing all the conditions needed to promote worm activity, we have over the last 7 years been operating a low tillage form of arable farming. We sold our plough, having not used it for a number of years and have found that our crop yields have increased significantly. The benefits of minimum tillage farming have changed the way we farm and can be identified as being the single most important factor in increasing the business profitability.

We have increased
o Worm activity
o Organic matter
o Soil structure
o Drainage
o Timeliness of crop establishment
o Traveling speeds
o Crop yields

and reduced
o Labour costs
o Fuel usage
o P and K usage
o Capital machinery costs
o Repairs and wearing parts
o Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions
o Wildlife impact

Fuel performance

We record all tractor fuel usage and monitor how many litres per hour each tractor has been using on each operation. This information also helps detect leaks and theft and we are also able to flag up when tractors are due for servicing. Fuel consumption reports influence our tractor purchasing decision and our current tractor make came top in a survey of the major tractors suppliers. We are careful to plan journeys and tractors are not used as taxis. One of the benefits of using larger machinery is that harvest cut in drier conditions, saves drying costs.

Water

5 years ago the Estate had a poor water system consisting of a vast amount of iron piping. This was continually leaking and not metered. Within the first few years, the Estate’s water pipe system was replaced throughout and new 3 phase energy efficient pumps installed. These pumps are not only cheaper to run but are much more hygienic than the previous storage systems and maintain a constant pressure throughout the system. All properties are now metered and water usage is recorded quarterly to monitor for leaks and encourage the saving of water. When the spray filling station is moved next year we will be installing a number of tanks to recover roof water for filling the sprayer.

Grain drying

The barn owl temperature monitoring system has not only proved invaluable for maintaining crop quality in store but has also enabled us to selectively condition the grain bin which need blowing. Before, fans used to be used to indiscriminately cool each bin in turn and some may have not needed, therefore we have reduced our energy usage. Moisture meters are regularly calibrated against our local grain merchants in Andover, so we only to dry when necessary. Grain stirrers installed in our new drier, are a great low energy way to condition crops when used in conjunction with fans

Soil sampling

Potash and phosphates have been spread for the past 5 years at a variable rate using information from field field maps. Due to the historic removal of straw and the locations of the livestock enterprises, the soil indices were extremely variable. It became evident that there had been a total over supply of phosphates and the subsequent reduction of this product alone covered the variable rate equipment costs within the first couple of years. From the maps, we have also been spreading lime at a variable rate , and this in turn has been instrumental in increasing yields though the increased plant availability to uptake nitrogen. Over recent years we have been using ‘Soyl Sense’ a variable rate method of appling nitrogen to areas of the field that need it most. The method uses satalite imagary to identify the varing colours within the crop and to map which areas need more nitrogen to boost growth more than others. We use this on both the second and third applications of our Wheat and Oilseed Rape crops.

Electric usage and other carbon reduction measures

o As part of our new electrical rewiring, we have installed a number of PIR sensors about the main farm buildings which has reduced power wastage. Also a number of the buildings did not have roof lights, so we have installed them to give more natural light within the buildings. We have used Sodium flood lighting in areas that need good light for prolonged periods.
o The main drier is fitted with probes to control elevators and the drier will automatically shut down when empty.
o All cottages have received loft insulation and in some cases the cavities have been filled
o Our aim is to leave a green covering of weeds on any fields going into Spring Barley by using roundup as early as possible in the autumn, to allow a new crop of volunteers to grow before the winter sets in. This locks in nitrogen during this fallow period.
o During our rape drilling operation we are sub soiling the fields one year in every three to improve drainage and soil structure