Following a five-star food safety hygiene rating from West Oxfordshire District Council, the farm is now able to sell its gourmet mushrooms, all of which have been grown on spawn-inoculated substrate created from sawdust and the recycled coffee grounds from the 440,000 cups of coffee sold at Blenheim Palace every year.  

When the mushroom farm is running at full capacity, 15kg of mushrooms will be sent each week to the kitchens at Blenheim Palace, including the popular Walled Garden Pizzeria. The remaining 100kg will be sold locally through the OxFarmToFork platform and local farmers’ markets.  

OxFarmToFork is a collaborative project led by Good Food Oxfordshire that connects Oxfordshire caterers directly with local agroecological food producers. By simplifying the supply chain, this empowers producers, enhances food security, and helps institutions source sustainable, local produce that support the community and planet.  

Over 20 Oxfordshire venues, including Michelin-starred restaurants local to the Blenheim Palace, have expressed interest in buying mushrooms from the estate’s farm.

‘Final piece of the puzzle’

The mushroom farm, based in Combe, Oxfordshire, consists of three units – one for preparation of the substrate and inoculation with mushroom spawn, one for incubation, and a fruiting room.  

Roy Cox, managing director at Estates at Blenheim Palace, said: “The mushroom harvest is the final piece of the puzzle, which completes this self-sustaining circular ecosystem. It’s incredible to see mushrooms in our restaurant kitchens which have been grown using our own organic waste, and it’s another major step towards us becoming a net zero business by 2027.” 

The mushroom farm with recovery to biochar growing medium is the latest stage in the Country Estate Carbon Demonstrator Project, Blenheim Estate’s collaboration with visionary circular bioeconomy company Tumblebug.  

The Country Estate Carbon Demonstrator Project unlocks the value of Blenheim’s organic waste (food, coffee, compostable packaging, card, manure, green horticultural waste, forestry waste and sheep wool) using Tumblebug’s Ecobot machines, mushroom farm and pyrolysis technology. 

Once harvested, the spent substrate from the mushroom growing is converted to a peat-free biochar compost in the Walled Garden, using Tumblebug’s aerated static pile compost system. The compost is used to grow produce and the cycle begins again. 

Tumblebug founder and CEO, Sylvie Verinder, added: “We called the company Tumblebug, the friendly name for the dung beetle.  

“By embracing the spirit of the dung beetle, we are unlocking the value in organic waste at Blenheim – capturing carbon, growing these beautiful mushrooms, creating biochar and using it to produce peat-free compost and fertiliser – restoring soils, and building resilience in food supply chains.  

“This is a demonstrator – we hope others will come and see and adopt the model on their farms and estates.” 

Read more arable news. 

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The market for UK pulses has been declining over the past four years due to opportunities within the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) – but with the scheme closing early this year and potential cuts on the way, there’s an opportunity for growers to get land back into food production.

This was one of the take-home messages from the recent NPZ UK 2025 Field Day, which was also a celebration of 20 years of NPZ in the UK. 

“The spring bean market has been hampered by SFI options, especially legume fallow for the past 3-4 years, but if growers see opportunities to have reliable high yielding crops, with low vicine/convicine opening up new markets, hopefully we can start to bring those growers back into beans and growing food,” commented Michael Shuldham, NPZ UK commercial manager.

Visitors were shown some of the latest breeding work across OSR and pulses at NPZ’s site in Cambridgeshire this month. 

Dry springs 

For those looking for an option to mitigate some of the very dry springs we’ve seen in recent years, winter peas are an interesting option, Michael noted, and Feroe is a good example of a variety that gets podded up ahead of a potentially hot, dry May. 

The aim is to get a pea crop that’s well established and rooted before we see temperatures of 27ºC plus, when peas will abort their flowers. Getting good blight tolerance has also been a big step change in winter peas.

The Feroe at NPZ UK’s headquarters was planted in early November to avoid the disease pressure associated with drilling at the end of summer, as was advised in the early 2000s. Once established, Feroe has a frost tolerance of around -12ºC.

Michael added: “We believe lengthening rotations is the way forward, not necessarily with an SFI crop but with a food or feed crop.” While winter peas are a small market, it’s an area NPZ UK is looking to continue working on. 

LVC varieties  

Michael also emphasised the importance of low vicine/convicine (LVC) spring bean varieties for revolutionising the market – whilst the majority of beans currently go into animal feed, LVC takes out anti-nutritional factors, opening up new markets. 

Research on laying hens revealed that feeding high vicine beans at 15% of the ration resulted in reduced egg frequency and size, whereas LVC beans had no impact on egg quality or yield.

There are also important applications for human consumption, particularly in parts of the world where bean consumption is high. Around 5% of the population of North Africa is missing the G6PD enzyme which breaks down vicine and convicine, meaning eating too many unsoaked beans can be fatal – LVC varieties can mitigate this. 

READ MORE: Pea and bean crops still an option for 2025 after SFI disappointment
READ MORE: Perfect pea performance can be achieved with new growth guide

“The important thing is critical mass, getting these LVC varieties to the stage the Lynx is at – having that bulk. So that when soya is very expensive or there’s a drought in South America, we have that option of LVC beans that we can turn to,” Michael added.

Two of the key LVC varieties highlighted during the event were Maderas, which is a couple of years from market and combines low vicine with disease resistance and good yields; and Ketu, which Michael said is the one to watch – offering the first real step into changing the high vicine bean market to low vicine. 

It has a good downy mildew score, down only one point from Genius. It’s hoped that the first commercial seed crops will be available by spring 2026.

Other varieties of note were Futura – a step in the right direction for LVC with a moderate downy mildew score – and Loki, which is a high vicine spring bean variety but has a very strong rust score – a particular difficulty in the east. 

Yield isn’t everything 

Meanwhile from a yield perspective Yukon wouldn’t have made it to any list but it has a number of important attributes – a massive seed size and pale gold colour, as well as being very early, which makes peas viable for growers in the north. 

In trials it was harvested in Berwick just over two weeks earlier than the Lynx next to it. It’s also the best variety for human consumption, bar none, Michael said, and premiums can be very high. 

Marrowfat peas 

With UK breeders including NPZ having spent a number of years working on marrowfat peas, there’s recently been something of a flood of available varieties, and China striking a deal with Russia has added further challenges with cheaper Canadian peas on the market, Michael acknowledged. 

Nonetheless, NPZ UK is happy with where it sits in the market. Akooma is the first and more classic marrowfat pea variety, with the larger, squarer seed that end users value, especially in Japan’s high value snack market. 

Midori is the next variety on its way into the market, offering the higher yield and disease resistance of Takayama, whilst being a more ‘out and out’ marrowfat pea type – big seeded, square and green, with a strong growth habit. 

Once the first multiplication is complete it will go to market trialling.

Pea varieties of note

Other pea varieties of note included yellow pea Concerto, the star of the show; Bullet, an exciting variety coming through the programme with high value visual aspects and big seed size; and Butterfly, which is the brightest green pea NPZ UK has ever bred, and has an enormous seed size and is very square. 

A downside of the big seed size, however, is it pushes against the pods, resulting in a ginger stain at harvest during wet years.

Meanwhile, Carrington is a smaller green pea, especially in dry years, but it’s now the top grown pea in the market with strong disease resistance, consistency, standing ability, really high yield and good colour, Michael added. 

There are some significant markets for smaller peas and in the right conditions, Carrington is about the right size to go into any market. Pangea, meanwhile, is described by Michael as “Carrington but big seeded”. 

Lack of up-to-date guidance

As well as opportunities presented by the SFI, another issue facing field bean growers is the lack of up-to-date UK growing advice – NPZ UK cannot find evidence that the RB209 has been updated in at least 70 years.

“We know that the climate has changed, field conditions have changed, farmers’ machinery has changed, varieties have changed, yet we haven’t changed the advice in 70 years on how we actually grow these crops,” Michael said.

This prompted NPZ UK to start working with the PGRO, Yara and the University of Lincoln, with partial funding from Innovate UK, on a project to rewrite the recommendations for growers – trials are currently ongoing.

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The unprecedented global summit saw experts discuss the impact of the withdrawal of mancozeb – as the European Union’s General Court prepares to hear its renewal case on 1^st July.

The summit comprised farmers, researchers, and agriculture experts from around the globe and was hosted by the Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science in Agriculture (CERSA), supported by UPL Corporation Ltd.

In his opening remarks, UPL Corp CEO Mike Frank said the multi-site fungicide is a foundational technology for disease protection in plants.

“It’s particularly crucial for growers managing fungal diseases in crops like bananas, soybeans, potatoes, and fruits and vegetables. It provides reliable, multi-site protection, helping prevent resistance build-up and ensuring consistent yields. 

“These conversations are vital for the future of farming and the well-being of our planet.”

Mancozeb was revoked in the EU in 2020 and in the UK in 2024.

Earlier this month it was announced that the European Court of Justice had set the renewal hearing for 1^stJuly. 

The EU High Court case cited various procedural errors, challenging the decision of the General Court, which supported the European Commission’s decision to withdraw the authorisation of Mancozeb in 2020.

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READ MORE: GB Potatoes announces new partnership to secure crop protection tools

Severe consequences

Attendees at the summit heard that since mancozeb’s withdrawal, farmers across Europe and beyond have faced increased challenges controlling fungal diseases and resistance to single-site fungicides. 

Mancozeb’s absence has significantly impacted potato, fruit, and vegetable growers who used the cost-effective tool for its multi-site action to protect against disease while managing resistance.

“We want to apply fewer pesticides to our crops, and a multi-site tool like mancozeb helps us do this,” said Catarina Pereira from Porbatata, the Portuguese Potato Association. 

“Without mancozeb, farmers are forced to use alternative products that are costlier and require higher volumes.”

Experts noted severe consequences of mancozeb’s absence, particularly regarding the management of diseases like potato blight. 

Strains resistant to carboxylic acid amide and oxathiapiprolin fungicides caused widespread devastation in regions like the Netherlands, Northern Germany, and Denmark in 2022 and 2023. 

French farmer and FEDEPOM representative Jean-Paul Deneuville commented: “Some growers lost whole crops to potato blight in 2024. Without mancozeb, farmers are applying 2–3 times more fungicides, significantly increasing costs.”

Impact on fruit growing

Fruit growers have also felt the impact. “Mancozeb was one of three tools available for apple scab management,” said Xavier Le Clanche of the Association Nationale Pommes Poires. 

“Losing mancozeb has reduced our ability to combat scab and left us with no solution against rust diseases. Growers are now faced with difficult decisions about replanting crops or shifting production entirely in some historical production areas.”

Accelerating resistance

David Cooke from the James Hutton Institute noted: “The lack of mancozeb in fungicide programs was a contributing factor to the spread of resistant strains. Reintroducing this tool can protect other products and help manage resistance.”

Delegates at the summit anticipate that the upcoming EU Court hearing will provide an opportunity to re-evaluate the 2020 decision. 

French potato producer representative Oriane Vialle-Guerin explained: “The more you limit the number of approved crop protection solutions, the more pressure you place on those remaining, and this accelerates resistance issues.”

Hope for meaningful progress 

Farmers and industry experts at the summit voiced hope for a decision that would prioritise food security and affordability across Europe. 

Portuguese representatives highlighted the positive impact of mancozeb’s reinstatement, not just for crop protection but for cost management, sustainability, and fewer pesticide applications overall.

Adrian Percy, executive director of the NC Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI) at North Carolina State University expressed optimism about the summit’s role in driving meaningful progress. 

“This dialogue on the science, real-world applications, and a path forward for mancozeb is essential. Giving farmers access to the tools they need isn’t just about farming; it’s about securing food production and sustainability for future generations.”

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The government has explained that the agreement will establish a UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary zone, slashing costs, easing pressure on food prices and eliminating routine SPS border checks for food exports and imports.

This means that checks on medium-risk fruit and vegetables (including tomatoes, grapes, plums, cherries, peaches, peppers, and more) imported from the EU will not be required – and will therefore not be brought into force this summer.

In the short term, businesses can continue importing medium-risk fruit and vegetables from the EU without the products being subject to import checks or being charged associated fees.

Defra said that the SPS agreement will make food trade with the UK’s biggest market cheaper and easier.

“Cutting excessive red tape and fees for traders exporting to and importing from the EU will strengthen supply chains and reduce prices for businesses and consumers,” its spokesperson said.

‘Simpler and more friction-free process’

Jack Ward, CEO of British Growers Association, said that the border checks removal will help to pave the way for a simpler and more friction-free process.

He added: “Many of the major fresh produce companies growing in the UK are also growing in other countries to provide continuity of supply and ensure retailer shelves are stocked with fresh produce 24/7.

“Since we formally left the EU in 2020, there has been a lack of coherence from successive governments about the control measures at UK ports, which has increased the bureaucracy and cost associated with bringing seasonal fresh produce into the UK.”

Biosecurity minister Baroness Hayman pledged that the deal with the EU will make food cheaper, slash bureaucracy and remove cumbersome border controls for businesses.

“A strengthened, forward-looking partnership with the European Union will deliver for working people as part of our Plan for Change,” the minister added.

The easement of import checks on medium-risk fruit and vegetables from the EU was introduced as a temporary measure to provide businesses time to prepare for their implementation and ensure a smooth flow of essential goods across the UK border.

The easement of checks has now been extended from 1st July 2025 to 31st January 2027 as a contingency measure, following the government’s announcement that it will agree to a new SPS deal with the EU.

The details of the SPS agreement are now to be negotiated; traders must continue to comply with the UK’s Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).

Read more farm business news.

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Met Office statistics show that this year, England enjoyed its sunniest March since records began in 1910, with many individual counties also topping their sunshine duration records.

This brought prolonged periods of warmer than average temperatures, creating perfect conditions for growing asparagus and rhubarb.

The warmer weather, which continued well into April, is a welcome boost for British farmers after the wettest 18 months on record.

The British asparagus season traditionally starts in late April – many use St George’s Day on 23rd April as a marker – but the unexpected warmer weather has brought this forward. Ordinarily it only lasts for around eight weeks, but it appears many shoppers have been quick to take advantage of plentiful early supplies, Ocado said.

British farmers supported by shoppers

Sales data from Ocado shows that British rhubarb sales are up +88% year on year and sales of asparagus are up +12% month on month.

Field-grown rhubarb typically comes into season in April, lasting until September. Brits have been equally keen to stock up on this crumble favourite, with searches for ‘rhubarb’ marking an increase of +11% month on month and +19% year on year.

Martha Springham, produce trading manager at Ocado Retail, said: “The long winter provided a tough backdrop for British farmers, but their produce is among the best in the world, and it’s fantastic to see shoppers supporting them now that the sunshine is here.

“We have a wider selection of British produce than any other supermarket, so whether it’s asparagus tips for roasting or rhubarb for a favourite dessert, we’re continuing to work with our suppliers so our customers can find what they need.”

The retailer launched its Best of British aisle last year, offering more than 800 items from UK farmers and growers, making it easy and convenient for shoppers to support farmers while enjoying fresh, high-quality produce.

Chris Chinn, grower at Cobrey Farms, added: “Being able to show off the best of British is still as exciting as ever. We hope to continue the early momentum for the rest of the season with sunny weather.

“British produce quality remains very high, and seeing positive reviews on Ocado and a growing customer base makes all the effort of the whole team worthwhile.”

Read more arable news.

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The inaugural Pea Growth Guide is a comprehensive booklet, available online and in print, sharing practical insights supported by research and data. 

Designed to support growers to enhance the potential of their pea crops, the 56 pages combine PGRO’s vast experience and knowledge with the latest findings from the Pea Yield Enhancement Network (YEN).

Topics include yield determination and potential, canopy expansion and light interception, as well as husbandry.   

Dr Natalie Wong, break crop campaign manager at BASF, said: “It’s easy to get passionate about peas. Researchers estimate that peas could yield 7-8t/ha on light soils and 9-10t/ha on water retentive soils, so it is a crop with a lot of potential.   

“Thanks to organisations like PGRO and initiatives like the Pea YEN, and through our own R&D, we have increasingly gained deeper insights into how to enhance their performance in the field. This new Growth Guide puts that very latest information into the hands of growers and will hopefully help to bridge the yield gap.” 

Competitive and profitable crop

Becky Howard, PGRO research and development manager, agreed by adding: “Peas can be competitive and profitable against other arable crops in the rotation, and with the different types and markets, there is flexibility too.  

“As a home-grown protein source, both combining and vining peas, bring benefits that extend well beyond the farm gate. They are part of the solution to one of agriculture’s biggest challenges – reducing carbon emissions. 

“We want farmers to be able to grow peas successfully, and this guide will help.  It covers everything from cultivations and seed rates to nutrient management and disease control. With additional information from the YEN about yield formation, it’s relevant to both experienced growers and those that are new to the crop.” 

ADAS’ analysis of the 104 crops entered into the Pea YEN between 2017 and 2023 has cast new light on plant characteristics likely to be needed to achieve high yield and quality, key limiting factors, as well as the impact of sowing dates and heat stress at flowering. These findings are described in the Pea Growth Guide. 

“Through this guide we’re able to provide fundamental information to help improve plant establishment and the control of weeds, diseases and pests. We’ve also delved into the detail of crop physiology and development and its effects on yield, so there is some very useful information which may not be on the radar of seasoned growers. 

“In short, the Pea Growth Guide crystalises and summarises the information we’ve been accumulating through the Pea YEN and is a must-read for anyone growing or thinking about growing peas,” ADAS research consultant, Dr Thomas Wilkinson, concluded. 

To get your copy of the Pea Growth Guide, visit: Perfect pea performance with new growth guide – BASF Agricultural Solutions UK. 

Read more arable news.

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“It’s a high energy forage that’s ideal for our ewes pre- and post-lambing,” he says. “We feed in situ or lifted, and feed out to sheep on grassland. It depends on the conditions.”

Robert is fortunate in having local contractors available to lift the fodder beet, which takes place every three to four weeks. “I use an old muck spreader to chop the beet a bit and spread it across the grassland – a four-tonne load will keep a group of 200 ewes going for a week.

“They love it, and by spreading the beet down the field we don’t get muddy conditions around a feed trough – and resulting foot issues. It’s a system that works well here.”

Flexible harvest

The rest of the harvest is stored in an open clamp, near the grassland, ready for feeding.

“It’s another reason why I like fodder beet,” he says. “Harvesting time is flexible, and it stores well in the ground or in a clamp. There are plenty of options with lifting and feeding, so it can fit around conditions and requirements without affecting yield or feed value.”

As well as providing high feed value from December and through winter, when grass growth is minimal, this fodder beet crop fits well into the 130ha farm’s forage rotation.

Drilling takes place from late April, and follows grass, which is ploughed and a fine seed bed prepared. A heavy application of farmyard manure is ploughed in and a 20:10:10 compound fertiliser is applied at a rate of 370kg/ha into the seedbed. As a safeguard, 2.5t/ha of lime is applied to ensure a pH of 6.5.

Working with his Agrii agronomist Oliver Cradick, Robert opts for a treated seed to maximise germination. He also recommends 2–3 post emergence fungicide treatments depending on conditions.

“It’s important to make sure pests and weeds are under control early on,” says Oliver. “It helps get the crop off to a good start. And once its germinated it will then flourish.”

Consistent variety

Robert is particular about the variety grown – the medium loam soil is perfect for fodder beet, but it’s stoney so they avoid deep-rooted varieties, instead seeking one that is clean, with consistent yields and high feed value.

His variety of choice, which has been grown at Beera farm for the past two years, is Limagrain’s Robbos. He’s bought the seed for drilling the 2025/26 crop.

This medium-rooted yellow beet has been trialled by Limagrain for 25 years with results showing consistent dry matter yields of more than 18t/ha.

The average metabolisable energy content for fodder beet varieties trialled annually by Limagrain is consistently 12.5–13 MJ/kg DM, with Robbos typically exceeding this.

As a forage crop, fodder beet is quite expensive to grow. “But it’s reliable and it meets the ewes’ requirements when other forages are limited. Otherwise, we’d have to move sheep to other grazing off the farm, or buy in feed, and this would be more costly and time-consuming.”

Ewes lamb indoors and move on to haylage and concentrates. The first group start lambing in mid-January, ending with ewe lambs in April.

Early lambs are housed and are turned out once conditions are good enough. They too will get some fodder beet to supplement their diets.

System works well

While Robert manages the farm mainly single-handed through the year, he has two vet students, and a regular lambing assistant throughout peak lambing.

A heavy reliance is placed on home grown forages, with the mainstay being grass, made up of 50ha of permanent pasture and 70ha of short-term leys currently being drilled to herbal leys under the SFI scheme.

These leys form part of the rotation with fodder beet and forage rape and, in summer, the hybrid brassica, Skyfall, which provides 2–3 rounds of grazing from July onwards.

Robert looks to finish the first crop of lambs from May onwards with most finished by September. These are mostly sold through Waitrose’s West Country Lamb scheme.

He sells around 2,000 lambs a year and buys in 250–300 replacement-ewe lambs from Hawes sheep sales every September.

“We’ve developed a system that works well,” adds Robert. “We aim to be self-sufficient in forage requirements, and it can be a challenge, but having a forage like fodder beet that can ‘go with the flow’ a bit when it comes to flexibility and storage is an advantage.”

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Formed in 2010 as a joint venture between Michael Needham and David Ashton, the business farms 850ha just north of Boston. 

Having given up growing oilseed rape on his 567ha acres of heavy silt soil at Mallows Farm, Sibsey due to the crop’s increasing agronomic and financial risks, Michael now produces 283ha of hard Group 4 winter wheat, 28ha of winter linseed, 40ha of spring barley and 40ha of spring beans.

He also grows 61ha of maize as feedstock for a local anaerobic digester plant, while a further 81ha are in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

David Ashton has also stopped growing oilseed rape on his 291ha Gasks Farm, Wrangle, where cropping for the 2025 harvest comprises 103ha of first wheat and 83ha of second wheat, all Group 4s, together with 45ha of linseed which his son Phillip says is excellent for conditioning the soil and lowering slug pressures.

The farm also produces 49ha of spring beans and has 16ha of grass for its 32,000 free-range chickens.

Soils comprise mainly skirt fen and other higher organic matter types; these used to set like concrete when dry then have restricted capacity to retain water.

However, after several plough-free years their condition has improved significantly, helped by the fact that all straw and manure is retained on the farm.

A new approach

“Until 2010 we took a very conventional approach to crop establishment, either ploughing or using a Simba Solo and press initially.

These were followed by a Horsch Joker compact disc harrow to create 3–4in of tilth ahead of the drill, which improved seed to soil contact and provided a smooth surface finish to optimise the effectiveness of residual herbicides,” Michael outlines. 

“In 2010 we started with a 4m Vaderstad Rapid drill but soon decided that it did not have enough capacity to establish all our cereals on time in the autumn, so we moved to a 6m version.

“As black-grass became increasingly resistant to herbicides we had to move to more spring cropping, which comprises barley, beans and linseed, to help control the problem. 

“This allowed us to reduce our drill size back to 4m, but we added a subsoiler toolbar and still needed a 350–400hp tractor to achieve the output required.

“The subsoiler toolbar reduced our cultivations in front of the drill to just a pass or two with the Joker, but increasingly wet weather in the autumn did not suit this set up and so we looked at the alternatives.

“After speaking to a neighbour who is a long-term Claydon user, as well as agronomists and advisors, we felt that the Claydon Hybrid direct drill would provide a practical solution by eliminating many of the cultivations we had been doing, reducing establishment costs and improving timeliness.

“In 2021 we purchased a new 6m Claydon Hybrid drill equipped with 7in A shares, two additional hoppers, levelling boards and rear harrows from our local dealer, Pecks.

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“We used it behind our 315hp New Holland T7 to drill cereals, oilseed rape and cover crops that autumn, then in the spring to establish barley and beans.

“That tractor was replaced with a 340hp New Holland T7 340 which really suits the 6m drill as it has bags of power, is not too heavy and is very manoeuvrable.

“In four seasons the drill has covered 3,500ha, establishing a wide range of arable and cover crops, together with stewardship schemes.

“We have used it with the standard 7in A-share which Claydon recommend for most situations, as well as 3in spoons and knife coulters for beans. 

“The first two autumns were kind and we direct drilled everything, including wheat following maize and wheat after catch crops.

“The results were so good that we even used the Hybrid with knife coulters to establish spring beans directly.

“One year the soil was quite moist so the slots left by the coulters were a little wider than we would have liked, but one pass with our 7.5m Claydon straw harrow at a 30-degree angle to the direction of drilling did a good job of closing them up and levelling the land. We still use that approach.

“Because we were drilling wheat later, and with more summer covers and catch crops to establish, the autumn sowing window was becoming narrower, so we were stretched to get everything in the ground on time.

“The pressure on our 6m Hybrid in the autumn meant that we had to have a contractor drill our winter beans for us, which wasn’t ideal.

“After Storm Babet hit in October 2023 all the land remained very wet through to the spring, so we were unable to establish winter beans, and it was January before we drilled the last of the winter wheats on a frost.”

Second drill investment

“The knock-on effects of the severe weather made us realise that we needed more capacity to reliably get everything in the ground on time and avoid significant yield penalties,” Phillip adds.

“Our original idea was to supplement the 6m Claydon Hybrid with a second-hand 3m Claydon Hybrid, but because the Rural Payments Agency’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund grants would cover 60% of the cost, in spring 2024 we ordered a new 3m Claydon Evolution, with front discs and 7in A-shares.

“It arrived in July and by December had been used behind our 215hp John Deere 6215R to drill 8ha of catch crop, 186ha of winter wheat and 93ha of cover crops at Wrangle.  

“We use the Hybrid and Evolution for everything. Their low operating costs keep our overall establishment costs low and after years of not ploughing the condition of soils across the two farms has improved greatly.

“Claydon drills are simple in terms of concept, their design is very practical, they are easy to calibrate, and there is a significant fuel saving.

“Maintenance costs are extremely low and the generally non-abrasive nature of the soils on both farms means that the Hybrid is still on its original leading tines after 3,500ha.

“Almost any drill will operate when soils are dry, but in our experience only the Claydons will work successfully in difficult conditions.

“They cope very well with surface trash and take out wheelings from the previous season’s activities, making them very adaptable.

“They also work well in wet conditions, which can tempt you to go drilling when you shouldn’t. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean to say that you should, so restraint is needed.

“Partly due to slug pressures, partly because of later drilling and partly because seed placement with a tine-type drill is not quite as accurate as one which uses a disc coulter arrangement, we tend to use slightly higher seed rates.

“A robust 400/m2 helps to offset later drilling and we generally follow with a heavy stack of pre-emergence chemistry.

“It’s difficult to compare our two drills directly due to their different tine configurations presently, but with the 3m Evolution drilling up to 19ha a day and the 6m Hybrid up to 32ha we are now able to get all crops in the ground on time.

“Both offer so many options that we are spoilt for choice and are still learning how to get the best from them. The only thing they don’t do is consolidate the soil after the seed is in the ground, so where possible we Cambridge roll after drilling if we feel it is the right thing to do.”

Everything direct drilled

The 2024 harvest at Gasks Farm, Wrangle began on 20th July when the final crop of oilseed rape was combined and finished with spring beans on 17th September at Sibsey.

With cereal straw fetching high prices all of it was baled by a contractor and sold, albeit with large swathes missing due to the flooding from Storm Babet back in October 2023. 

“After Storm Babet, we had a small opportunity to drill some more winter wheat on the January frost in 2024, but the results were variable.

“Our farms were incredibly wet and the subsequent rainfall until harvest meant these once ponded areas needed serious restructuring – more than any plant root or seed drill could provide,” Phillip outlines.

“Following the 2024 harvest at Wrangle we subsoiled everything except where the linseed had been sown back in the spring. At Sibsey Mike took a similar approach but also ploughed some land.

“The four inches of water that fell in September, at the beginning of the autumn drilling campaign, highlighted the unpredictable nature of the weather we are having to farm with and around.

“However, due to the soil restructuring which we had carried out the water drained through the soil profile, which allowed us to execute our autumn drilling programme unhindered by waterlogging.

“Having dropped oilseed rape this season there was no need to change back to the A-share in the autumn and the Hybrid was used with Claydon’s Twin Tine kit which we originally bought for drilling spring barley.

“It works very well and allowed us to go straight in behind the subsoiler, but we have also used it after a Horsch Joker and Kverneland DTX.”

Going forward, Michael and Phillip are keen to minimise the need for remedial work on their soils and have no plans to plough again. The Claydon drills are a key part of Hobhole Farming’s system and the tine/coulter options available make them the most versatile drills on the market.

With a few simple, quick modifications they can be used for conventional sowing, low-disturbance establishment, and zero-till seeding, with or without fertiliser placement between or in the seeded rows. 

A holistic approach to crop establishment, the Claydon Opti-Till System delivers consistently good, high-yielding crops at low cost for maximum profitability.

The majority of Claydon drills leave the factory with the company’s ground-breaking leading tines and standard 7in or 5in A-shares fitted to the seeding tines.

These do an excellent job of establishing any crop that can be air-sown in most soils or conditions and the area between the rows can be kept clean using the Claydon TerraBlade inter-row hoe. 

“As farmers we instinctively want to grow crops to feed the nation, but pure economics will drive what we do going forward and how we do it,” Phillip states. “Our main income is from wheat, so it’s all about growing the crop as cheaply as possible and using effective break crops.

“It’s essential to keep costs under tight control and the Claydon system provides obvious benefits in that respect.“

As our soils have improved through direct drilling, so have the results from using the Claydon system. Even though we could have managed to establish everything this autumn with our 6m Hybrid, we have used it alongside our 3m Evolution and certainly don’t regret having two drills.

The last few years have highlighted that you can never know what weather challenges you will face, so it gives us the peace of mind to know that we will always be on top of the work.”

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Using two biostimulants, Sirius and Pluton, the trial showed similar marketable yields to the use of the common fungicide SL567A.  

Orion’s research and development agronomist Kate Williams explained: “This trial demonstrates that biostimulants have a key role to play in the fight against cavity spot.  

“Pluton is a liquid plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Sirius is a silicon biostimulant that helps the plant take up more nutrients, strengthening it against cavity spot. An increase in calcium levels in the developing roots is particularly key.” 

 AHDB figures suggest that between 15 and 20 percent of carrot crops can be rejected by buyers as a result of the soil-borne Pythium disease, which can penetrate early in the crop-growing season and enlarge as the roots develop.  

The trial demonstrated that applications of Sirius at a rate of 0.5l/ha and Pluton at 0.5l/ha, applied at drilling, 1-2 true leaf, and 3-4 true leaf stages, produced similar results to SL567A at 1.3l/ha applied at 3-5 true leaf stage. 

“The combination of Sirius and Pluton reduced the occurrence of cavity spot lesions, improved crop uniformity and produced a higher marketable yield,” Ms Williams added.  

The average plot yield in the trial showed an untreated crop yield of 4.24 kilos. This was improved to 5.23 kilos by the use of SL567A in the control, but a yield of 5.33 kilos was achieved with the biostimulants.  

The rate of infection was halved by the use of the biostimulants, and 96% of the treated crop showed no sign of the cavity spot. 

“The devastating effect of cavity spot has been exacerbated by the recent wet growing conditions that have given rise to the Pythium violae and Pythium sulcatum fungal diseases. Using biostimulants from drilling until later leaf stages strengthens the plant against latent soil pathogens, as well as other stresses, providing higher yields for growers,” the expert concluded. 

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Some land earmarked for the SFI may now be put to other crops, and some growers will be considering pulses as, in an average year, the returns would be greater than a typical SFI option. 
 
Roger Vickers, PGRO’s CEO, said: “In most cases 2025 cropping decisions have already been made and won’t change now, but there will be some who didn’t get an SFI application in before the surprise closure and may have flexibility for peas and beans to deliver income and environmental benefits this year.

“We advise that beans should be drilled before the end of March, so there is time, and peas need to go in as early as the land will permit, but ideally before mid-April.” 

READ MORE: Farmers ‘betrayed again’ as Defra stops SFI applications

READ MORE: Industry calls for interim farm support scheme following SFI chaos

Delivering ‘even greater environmental outcomes’

Recent AHDB work examined whether certain SFI actions were favourable alternatives to break crops such as beans. 
 
Looking at winter beans, it suggested that even a modest yield of 1.8t/ha would still match the financial returns of an SFI legume fallow. 
 
“A higher yield than this would out-perform this particular SFI option, and you get all the benefits that a pulse crop brings too. 

“Being highly symbiotic with soil microflora, pulse crops increase biodiversity, resulting in an enhanced and more fertile soil condition. Beans require no supplementary nitrogen and ensure that subsequent crops perform better after pulses have been grown. 
 
“In many ways, beans deliver even greater environmental outcomes than the SFI options farmers were applying for,” Mr Vickers added. 
 
For late-drilled pulses, the PGRO advises that results are improved when seed is sown conventionally. For those adopting minimal soil disturbance techniques, it is important to ensure compaction below the seed is avoided. The sowing depth is also a serious consideration. Seed should be covered by a minimum of 3cm of settled soil where pre-emergence herbicides are used. 
 
Drilling beans later in April would delay harvest and may result in summer drought stress at flowering. 
 
The optimum plant density for spring beans is 45-55 plants per square metre established. 
 
Marrowfat peas should be sown to give a planting density of 65-70 plants per m², and large blues and white peas 80-90 plants per m². 
 
Mr Vickers added that the PGRO team is on hand to answer questions about pulse production for any grower who is keen to learn more. Advice can also be found at www.pgro.org 

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