The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: Marches Farmer on May 16, 2017, 03:38:00 pm
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It appears my Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship application needs a soil analysis (despite the whole farm being permanent pasture which has had only FYM spread in the last 55 years). I asked Natural England what exactly was needed and if they had a list of approved companies, to which the reply was that they were sure I'd find someone .... Google it and you get a variety of companies with many different options. Ideas or recommendations welcome.
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We use SAC for soil analysis or SRUC as they call themselves now but in the past have used Phosyn/Lancrop at Pocklington York (www.lancrop.com (http://www.lancrop.com)). SOYL , www.soyl.co.uk (http://www.soyl.co.uk) or Soilquest, part of Agrii would all do soil analysis. A simple PH P & K sample is pretty cheap if you want more such as heavy metals the price goes up.
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When I was doing my Masters in Ecology I had the occasional private landowner asking for some soil analysis. Takes a few hours to prepare samples and run them for ICP-MS or AAS depending on what you want analysed. Maybe contact your local university and see if a willing post-grad can take up the challenge in exchange for some small recompense? It will definitely, definitely be cheaper.
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I haven't sent any soil samples for professional analysis yet, but two lab' services on my list to check out are the Forestry Commission and Mole Valley Farmers!