"Whittington Lodge Farm has predominately thin Cotswold Brash soils on 280ha, mostly over 800 feet in altitude. The cultivated half of the farm was in a continuous arable system, but average yields meant it was only marginally viable and blackgrass was creeping in.
In 2015, it was decided to undergo organic conversion on all the arable area to combine with the fully organic grassland. Herb-rich leys were introduced into the rotation to build fertility for the organic cereals. They are grazed by an existing and expanded suckler herd of native Hereford cows and calves."
Grazing a herb-rich ley. Image: Ian Boyd
In this new case study, farmer Ian Boyd has shared his experiences of incorporating herb-rich leys, and the benefits he seen in both his arable and pasture-fed livestock enterprises.
Read Ian's case study on Farm Wildlife to find out more about his approach and why it's been so successful, as well as Ian's advice for any other farmers considering the same approach.