Welcome to Hall Farm Metton

• 255.6 ha • Tenant of the National Trust • Some owned since 1997 • Other land on FBT • 20 ha of grass sucklers /store cattle • Countryside Stewardship since 1993 • ELS since 2010

Background

• Large area of potatoes up until 2005

• Contract farming 2006 – 2010

• Took the farm back Autumn 2010 – wet Autumn, Summer drought!

• Perfect Autumn 2011,

wet Spring/Summer 2012

Spring 1970

• Own machinery, share a combine with our neighbour

• No staff, casual help at harvest • Rotation – aim: –Sugar beet –Wheat/spring barley –Winter barley –Oil seed rape/potatoes(20ha

annually) –Winter wheat

Challenges

• Weather – too wet, too dry!

• Timing

• Compaction

• Resources – labour and machinery

• Soils – variability

• Fields – size, shape, slope

Challenges

• Straw

• Weeds – volunteer potatoes and cereals

• Slugs!

• Pigeons, game birds, skylarks

• Organic matter

Positives

• Easy working soils

• Weather

• Irrigation

• Good choice of crop options

• We enjoy doing it!