Luddesdown Organic Farms Ltd

Features of Luddesdown Organic Farms

Luddesdown Organic Farms Ltd consists of two adjoining farms (Court Farm and Brookers Farm) run as a single unit. The main farm extends to 970 acres situated on the North Downs of Kent. The soil type is chalky loam overlying clay, mostly Grade I with some Grade II. The farm has been fully organic to Soil Association standards since 1988.
The main farm rotation is:- 3 year Grass/Clover Ley, Lucerne or red clover for seed, Winter Wheat/Vegetables, winter beans, wheat and oats.

Also there is a further area of 50 acres which contains five 10 acre plots which have 5 different 'stockless' rotations. Trials have been carried out and monitored by Elm Farm Research Centre to find some successful rotations which will not require any input from livestock. This has assisted in broadening the scope of organic farming rotations.
Composting of manures on the farm is carried out by setting up simple windrows and turning with a tractor foreloader. Also composting of landscape green garden waste using specialist machinery to shred, turn windrows and screen the final product before applying back to the farmland. Currently the green waste is brought in to the farm by Cleanaway on behalf of Medway Council.

Livestock consists of a 100 cow mainly Simmental X suckler herd calving between mid February and late April. Lately we have introduced two native British breeds which are Aberdeen Angus and Beef Shorthorn. The heifers calve to an Aberdeen Angus bull and the cows are run with 2 Beef Shorthorn and 1 Simmental bull. No worming has taken place on the farm as yet, nor warble fly treatment. Veterinary attention is on an individual animal basis only and homoeopathy is used in the majority of cases.
Organic Beef, Pork and Chicken

In September 2006 a small pig herd was established at Luddesdown. They are rare breed, pedigree Gloucester Old Spot pigs which is an old breed from the vale of the river Severn. They were traditionally kept in orchards so folklore has it that the spots were bruises caused by windfall fruit!!

We grow 30 acres of field vegetables, where we plant more than 30 types of vegetables for our Vegetable Box Delivery Scheme. Our aim is to increase our range in line with customer requirements.

Machinery of interest includes a Slatted Mouldboard Plough, which gives very good incorporation and mixing of crop residues. A Harrowcomb Weeder for use in cereals and beans. A Bunnings Muckspreader which gives a very even spread up to a distance of 40 feet. A flail mower which we use for mulching of green manures. A brush weeder is used in vegetables. (More photographs)

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