Tue, 10 Jan
|Cookstown
Whole Farm Planning with Niels Corfield
You will learn the principles of whole farm planning; 1. how to understand the criteria for selecting appropriate equipment & infrastructure 2. how to minimise capital expenditure by selecting flexible infrastructure 3. save time and facilitate adaptive pasture management
Time & Location
10 Jan, 09:30 – 17:00
Cookstown, 33 Lower Kildress Rd, Cookstown BT80 9RN, UK
About the event
Create a basic whole farm design for your business with sustainable farming advisor, Niels Corfield.
Objectives
- Learn the principles of whole farm planning
- Understand the criteria for selecting appropriate equipment & infrastructure
- Minimise capital expenditure by selecting flexible infrastructure
- Save time and facilitate adaptive pasture management
Topics
- Whole farm planning principles
- Hedge management for function & biodiversity
- Trees on farms & agroforestry
- Surface water capture & redistribution
- Water - Infrastructure & layout
- Fencing - temporary/permanent
- Access - tracks, gates etc
- Yards & materials handling
- Nutrient/manure management - composting, deep bedding etc
- Monitoring & data gathering
- Trials & feedback - exclusion cages, split-field treatments etc
- Designing & design processes
- Maps and mapping tools: field boundaries, field margin, OS, Drones etc
- Surveying & mapping existing: features, vegetation and site conditions
- Microclimates & climate: prevailing winds, seasonal inundation etc
- Thinking tools for selecting best-fit options on your farm
- Setting goals & objectives
- Design portfolio presentation
Topography and Landform
- Contours & mapping principles
- Reading the landscape
Agroforestry systems
- Windbreaks & windbreak theory
- Alleycropping, riparian buffers
- Keyline Agroforestry
Agroforestry Design
- Planting pattern, orientation, spacings
- Tree species selection
What to bring
- Packed lunch
- Notebook, pens etc
- Camera/smartphone (optional)
- Boots & clothing for a farm walk
Who is Niels Corfield?
Niels Corfield has been working to deliver a truly regenerative food system for over 15 years. He is an advisor, researcher, educator, designer & tree nurseryman.
Working to create agroecological landscapes and farms in the UK and Europe he is focused on systems that are low maintenance and productive. He advises and consults on: soil health, planned grazing, agroforestry, and whole farm planning. He helps transition farm operations, through an inclusive/participatory approach.
Upcoming Events
Sat, 03 JunMoyvore03 Jun, 14:00 – 16:00Moyvore, Moyvore, Co. Westmeath, IrelandOnsite Insights: farm walk & practical actions for nature with Farming for Nature Ambassador James Ham - “Hedgerow management and incorporating trees into farming systems.” The Farming for Nature farm walks are an opportunity for FFN Ambassadors to showcase their contribution to nature.
Wed, 14 JunCrecora14 Jun, 18:30 – 20:30Crecora, Skehanagh, Crecora, Co. Limerick, IrelandOnsite Insights: farm walk & practical actions for nature with Farming for Nature Ambassador Sean Condon, an organic dairy farmer from Crecora, County Limerick. He farms about 140 acres of good grassland and runs an extensive dairy farming system, milking 50 cows once a day.
Thu, 15 JunAntrim
Tue, 20 JunBrook Hall Estate and Gardens
Sat, 24 JunConnemara Co. Galway24 Jun, 14:00 – 16:30Connemara Co. GalwayOnsite Insights: farm walk & practical actions for nature with Farming for Nature Ambassador Aonghus Ó Coistealbha, a market gardener with a 1-acre farm where Aonghus grows a variety of chemical-free vegetables including lettuce/salad leaves, onions, tomatoes, radishes, herbs and more.
Sat, 01 JulFalkland01 Jul, 21:00 – 21:05Falkland, The Stables, Falkland Estate, Falkland, Cupar KY15 7AF, UKGO Falkland, a one-day event featuring talks and sessions on regenerative farming, sharing knowledge from leading practitioners, soil health specialists, and farmers on the regenerative journey. This event is for farmers, small holders, growers, educators, and anyone interested in soil health.
Wed, 06 SeptEastbrook Farm, Lower Farm, Bishopstone,