The North Wilts Arable group recently had a joint meeting with the Avon Meadow sheep group and welcomed Jake Freestone, Farm Manager of Overbury Farms to speak about zero tillage, heavy wheat yields and integrated livestock management.

Jake worked his way through the Velcourt management route before taking on the Farm Management role at Overbury Farms in Gloucestershire where combinable arable crops are grown in rotation alongside salad onions and potatoes.  In 2012 Jake embarked on a Nuffield scholarship where he looked at the possibility of growing 20t/ha in winter wheat crops in a sustainable system. The scholarship took Jake to New Zealand where he met high yielding growers and also to America where he visited zero tillage farmers.

Jake explained how these yields could theoretically be achieved through increased fertiliser usage but this is not sustainable, either financially or environmentally.  Instead Jake has explored and embraced cover crops and a zero tillage system on the Gloucestershire farm to improve soil structure, health and fertility.  One of Jakes golden rules is never to have bare soil, so the zero till drill follows directly behind the combine introducing cover crops such as vetch, phacelia, oil radish and oats. These crops help to absorb any spare nutrient and hold it.  The cover crops also help with soil structure; Jake spoke of oil radish roots that are 80cm long, breaking up old pans and also making use of nutrients buried deep in the soil.  The cover crop is sprayed off before the main crop is drilled.  This introduces organic matter back into the soil and releases nutrients.  The zero tillage also offers cost savings on cultivations and passes, Jake’s current drill manages five operations/ applications in just one pass.

Overbury Farm also has a 1200 commercial ewe flock, indoor lambing in April with ewes and lambs turned out to permanent pasture for summer grazing.  The lambs are then fattened on cover crops and stubble turnips again adding organic matter and fertility to the soil.  All lambs are sold through the May Hill sheep group and end up in Sainsburys.

For more information on integrated livestock systems and zero tillage, contact Will at williamhyde@fcgagric.com