Organic farming – sowing for the future

This farming year has so far proved to be very challenging for everyone.

Rapidly rising oil prices have pushed fertiliser prices sky high, causing many farmers to re-assess where they are going and how they want to farm.

One of the questions farmers are now asking is “when I can’t reduce fertiliser rates or costs any more, how can I continue to produce fodder and arable crops ?”.

Organic farming takes a rather different approach as it doesn’t rely on artificial fertilisers. Instead it uses the ability of clovers and other legume plants to extract nitrogen from the air and turn it into a source of nitrogen for growing grass swards and also arable crops.

Many farmers know the benefits of mixed grass-arable cropping rotations, but in recent times these have relied themselves on ‘bagged’ fertiliser.

The organic approach to this relies more heavily on clovers in organic swards than when they are sown conventionally. White clover swards are generally best for grazing plus some cutting and red clover for cutting plus subsequent grazing.

Arable crops fit into the rotation as break crops providing winter feed for livestock followed by re-seeding.

To encourage farmers to consider taking up organic farming, the new Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) conversion grant will open for applications between 1September and 31October 2008.

This is only a short window for applications and farmers who wish to avail of this Scheme will need to know the techniques used in organic farming. They will also need to understand how to go through the registration and certification process necessary to be allowed to sell organic produce and to be eligible for the OFS.

The Organic Development Advisers at Greenmount Campus in Antrim regularly deliver a two day short course to provide just this information.

Interest in the OFS is expected to be high, so two sets of dates for the course have been arranged during September.

The dates are Tuesdays 2 and 9 September with a second delivery on 23 and 30 September.

If you are interested in attending and finding out more about organic farming, book a place by ringing Adrian Saunders on 028 9442 6765.

Alternatively, send an email to adrian.saunders@dardni.gov.uk

Details can be found on webpage www.ruralni.gov.uk/organic/introductory.htm

Manus McHenry explains the importance of clover on the Greenmount Organic Unit