'Ecology and management on a newly converted organic farm': BES visit to
Lord Melchett's Courtyard Farm 25 June 2003
Draft Timetable
10.15am onwards
Arrival and parking - Gather outside the farm office or in the main
presentation room if weather bad.
10.30am
Introduction to Courtyard Farm by either Mike O'Leary (farm manager) or Lord
Melchett.
Broad subject areas will include:
* The impact of conversion to organic when compared to previous
sympathetic management on wildlife.
* The reason for this.
* Benefits (or not) of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme
Ashley Murray of EN should also be on hand to describe some of the
monitoring work he has carried out on the farm.
11.30am
Walk the farm covering the following subjects
* Biodiversity of the farmyard, grassland, grain availability etc.
* Establishment of diverse grass swards (BAP grade?)
* Stubble management for wintering farmland birds (wheat versus
barley?)
* Seed mixes. Which mixes for which objective? (clover leys and bumble
bees)
* Hedge establishment and management(hemp mulch)
* Margin establishment and management
* Organic livestock systems
1.30pm - 2.30pm
Lunch at the farm
2.30pm Onwards
Open discussion of the subjects covered.
4pm
Close
Catering
This will consist of a cold buffet with drinks. Food will be half vegetarian
and half organic meat produced on the farm. The cost will be £6 per head.
I am a relatively new subscriber to this email group but have been a member
of BES and employee of Defra and its former guises for several years. In
conjunction with Steve Peel of Defra and James Bullock we have planned this
visit in June.
If you wish to attend please contact James by email at [log in to unmask] and
let him know and he will circulate booking forms and arrange payment for
lunch etc. Numbers are limited so please let him know asap and in any case
by the end of May.
Dougal McNeill
Defra RDS - Ecologist and adviser
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