by Jonathan Holmes | Sep 19, 2023 | Grassland Management, Soil
The £382 per hectare stewardship payment for herbal leys has beckoned many farmers with the promise of financial gain. However, this financial incentive can sometimes obscure important considerations. In this article, we explore the complexities of herbal leys in...
by Jonathan Holmes | Aug 20, 2023 | Grassland Management, Soil
‘Should Robert Rodale’s core principles for regenerative agriculture be the founding principles for the current soil health evolution?’ Jonathan Holmes visited the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania in the US in July 2023 to learn more. For the farmers and...
by Jonathan Holmes | Jan 2, 2023 | Grassland Management
Many rural areas simply don’t have the drainage infrastructure to cope with an overload of heavy rainfall. Even new-build housing estates are not designed to cope with volumes of water with many gardens left with poor drainage due to building materials, such as cement...
by Jonathan Holmes | Jun 15, 2022 | Equine management, Grassland Management
I have been fortunate enough to be working with the Galloway Stud at Woburn for the past two seasons. The stud specialises in producing foals for the bloodstock industry. The improvements in the sward function, the corresponding increase in the condition of the mares...
by Jonathan Holmes | Jan 10, 2022 | Grassland Management, Soil
Everyone tells you to grow Ryegrass, yet Cocksfoot is more cost-effective, and weather tolerant, to grow than Ryegrass. Grass is the cheapest source of energy but managing the grassland to optimise nutritional content of the grazing land, or more crucially forage,...
by Jonathan Holmes | Feb 9, 2021 | Grassland Management
Investing in grass tissue tests to find out what nutrients are, or crucially are not, available to your horses is crucial. Paying attention to the detailed management of your grass sward can help you produce healthy, happy animals. Tissue testing grass in the spring...