Herefordshire business E.C. Drummond grows?324ha?of processing potatoes, with the majority going to into the frozen chip market. Over the last 10 years, they have adapted and evolved their potato growing system to have less impact on the soil. ?
Grower Ben Drummond explains: This started with removing stone separating where possible. This was originally to do with expense but we then started to see benefits from having a less worked soil. Cover cropping was introduced at a similar time, and it became apparent that soils which had had a cover crop, worked down more easily in the spring than those without.?
We have now moved to a system of minimal passes following cover crops. This involves the establishment of a cover crop in the autumn, this is ideally grazed over the winter, if not it is mown off post December. We try and avoid the use of a herbicide for cover removal. Ideally, we then have 1-2 passes with a Sumo Trio to create a seed bed, and then plant direct into that with a AVR powered planter. Our aim is to establish everything with one powered pass.?
The business now believes regenerative principles are the foundations of future potato growing and Mr Drummond says machinery to remove weeds will be key to success. He says adoption of timely weed control with machinery matched to planting and harvesting configurations will allow reduction in the use of herbicides. ?
The SSFF funds would therefore be used to help purchase machinery to develop the area of potatoes grown under fully regenerative principles on the farm. The availability of such machinery would then allow other growers to investigate the potential of growing potatoes under regenerative principles and expand the area further as the capacity of the machine will allow for use outside of the E.C. Drummond farming business.?
