An Introduction to Redwell Farm

Redwell is farmed by Roy Callandar who purchased the farm 11 years ago.  More recently Roy bought a second block of land several miles away taking the total area to 101 hectares.  Like many farmers in Angus, Roy lets ground for high-value crops including potatoes, carrots and some ground for vining peas.

The soil at Redwell is mainly fluvioglacial sands and gravels which are derived from old red sandstone.  The land has gentle to steep slopes and is classified as grade 3.2.  With 60% sand, 30% silt and 10% clay the sandy loam soil is forgiving and well suited to spring cropping.  However, the low clay content means that the soil is prone to leaching and therefore nutrient management is a key challenge.  High sand content and lower than average organic matter means that this soil is also prone to drought which was a clear issue in 2018.

As well as letting land out, Roy grows spring barley and has tried growing wheat for the first time.  Following the carrots, stubble turnips are planted and grazed through the winter to introduce some manure to assist with the breakdown of the straw residue.  Roy is considering using cover crops to protect the soil through the winter months and would also like to build the soil organic matter content through a' straw for dung' deal.

Case Study: Redwell Farm