Crops and Soils | Helping farmers in Scotland

Consultant stood in a field, looking at the camera.

Understanding Your Carbon to Nitrogen Ration

Understanding your carbon to nitrogen ration can affect your soil health, in fact it can influence nutrient cycling, residue decomposition and soil protection. To understand more, watch the…

Fife Soil & Nutrient Network: Edenwood Farms – 2nd Meeting

Join us for the second meeting of the Fife Soil & Nutrient Network. We are back at Edenwood Farms, courtesy of Mr Michael Jamie Black and Mr Ian Rankin, for…

Podcast: The Thrill of The Hill – Woodlands

For this episode, Alex Pirie is joined by David Eadie, a woodlands consultant, to discuss the potential of woodland planting and management in the upland environment.

When should a first wheat be treated as a second wheat?

With an anticipated reduction in demand due to the disruption from COVID combined with reports of quality issues leading to costly deductions and rejections, a number of malting barley growers are looking at sowing winter wheat following…

Natural enemies, their lifestyles and how to promote them

Natural enemies, their lifestyles and how to promote them A diversity of invertebrate species inhabit farmland. Some are pests, but many are beneficial providing ecosystem services that support agricultural production.…

Natural enemies, their lifestyles & how to promote them

A diversity of invertebrate species inhabit farmland. Some are pests, but many are beneficial providing ecosystem services that support agricultural production. Earthworms, springtails and millipedes break down organic matter,
ensuring nutrients are recycled back to the soil. Bumblebees, hoverflies and solitary bees are key visitors to crop flowers increasing yields in insect pollinated crops such as oilseed rape, raspberries and field beans. Then there are the wide variety of predatory and parasitic invertebrates that provide a crucial first line of defence against pests such as slugs, aphids and pollen beetles. With the range of pesticides available to farmers becoming increasingly limited, it has never been more important to promote these crucial natural enemies.

Woodland Creation & Carbon Sales (Webinar)

The idea of selling the carbon that will be captured in your new woodland is gaining traction.

With carbon funding providing finance which can allow a project to go ahead, it’s good for you, good for the carbon buyer and good for the climate. But as with any funding opportunity, there are rules and regulations.

Covid-19 recovery plan – Opportunities for Employing Staff

During the depths of lockdown, the daily routine was unchanged for farmers and crofters. However, for another section of society things were changing drastically with many finding themselves out of…

Podcast: NE Organic Discussion Group with Mary Young and David McClelland

In this podcast Malcolm Macdonald talked to SAC Nutritionist Mary Young and Norvite Technical Director David McClelland about minerals in ruminant rations. This included an overview of the major minerals…

Slurry Application & Management – Making A Splash

Scotland produces over 6.3 million tonnes of slurry annually. It is crucial that we fully understand the benefits of the various forms of slurry storage already in place on farms. The Scottish Government has opened the Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant (SACG) scheme. This is the perfect opportunity for you to hear the specifics on the use of dribble bars, trailing shoes and slurry injectors. Slurry store covers are also an eligible item on the list under the SACG scheme and we will discuss the benefits to be made from fitting one.