Graze Debate 2022 – Edinvale Farm

For this event, we visit Jock Gibson of Edinvale Farm. Jock produces beef which is sold through his butchery, Macbeth’s. With an owned block of 100 acres and 250 acres rented improved grass on a summer lease, Jock runs 80 suckler cows and finishes all progeny except heifer replacements. He is a member of the Pasture Fed Livestock Association and Nature Friendly Farming Network.

He is very proactive to improve soil health as this will benefit the water management on these heavy soils with increasingly erratic rainfall events. For this reason, he is adapting is grazing management and trialling herbal mixes whilst monitoring soil health indicators. He has fenced off waterways and noticed wildlife, such as barn owls and frogs, prospering as a result. Moving forward he would like to reduce housing costs by implementing deferred grazing which will further benefit wildlife and soil health.

Join us to see this all in action and discuss the environmental and productivity implications . SAC Consulting’s Lesley Wylie and Poppy Frater are facilitating discussions and SRUC Ecologist Lorna Cole providing an ecologist’s insight.

Agenda:

10.30 Arrive – refreshments

11.00 Farm walk

13.00 Lunch

13.30 Indoor discussion – an honest review of what they do and how they might do better

15.00 Close