The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Chipmonk on January 24, 2024, 09:44:46 am
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Hi All
In the image this was a small drainage burn, until recently you could easily step over it. The new local 'organic' farmer over the last year has removed all the hedges - not really sure why other than to try to increase the size of his field. The consequence, of what I can only see as being greed, is that there are now no natural barriers to run off so having paid 1000s for the land he is now losing huge amounts of soil - estimated over 200m3 in the picture
This does not seem to support the basic principles of organic farming and seems to make a mockery out of so called modern organic farming, which as far as I know is also concerned with protecting and enhancing the environment.
Interested in any comments on this as it does not seem to be inline with the views of SOPA or the Soil Association, sure the farmer can do what he wants on his land but ....
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It doesn't sound as if he's quite understood the principles of the Organic approach.
If he is truly 'Organic', then he will be inspected at regular intervals and his poor approach will soon be spotted. You'll soon know if he is truly 'Organic' if his fields are left to wrack and ruin, or if he uses effective 'Organic' methods to maintain a healthy farm.
We had the opposite from one of our neighbours, who complained that a lot of water was draining from our land down onto his, so we 'had better clear our drains'. Oh really? Being unable to alter the lie of our land, which is uphill of his so where would drains drain, we fenced off the offending corner and planted it up with Willow, Aspen and a mixed bag of native trees and shrubs to use up the water from a small spring in our field. From our side it's worked perfectly as the trees have grown; from his side, well he's stopped moaning and his corner is no wetter than it has been for the past 30 years :sunshine:
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The photo is quite fuzzy, but it's possible that this land was originally sphagnum peat bog, before draining. Sphagnum peat bog is an important and endangered environment which sequesters more carbon per acre than fast-growing woodland. Environmental schemes pay farmers to re-wet areas which can be reinstated.
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I'm rich!!!! ;D