1. Sustainability & Farmland Management Sustainable Farming in Practice Richard Harvey

2. My Objectives for my Farming System Economically viable in the long term Provides an acceptable lifestyle Succession of family generations Sustainable care of the Countryside Sustainable care of the Environment Provision of jobs for local residents Supporting a vibrant, working Rural Economy Produce safe, nutritious and tasty food

3. Manor Farm, Owston 125ha farmland Range of traditional and new buildings on two village sites Rural Location in small village Oakham 6 miles, Melton 8 miles, Leicester 15 miles, Market Harborough 18 miles

4. Manor Farm, Owston, Leicestershire 125 ha Farm Land 100 ha suitable for arable cropping 15 ha permanent pasture 10 ha woodland Animal Feed Production (Manor Farm Feeds (Owston) Ltd) Rural Training Centre Wood Fuel Heating Equipment and Wood Fuel (Rural Energy Ltd)

5. Farm Staff 17 full-time 7 part-time (4 full-time equivalents) Average age 36 years 8 graduates

6. Manor Farm Staff - circa 1925

7. Management of Farmland

8. Integrated Farm Management –The LEAF System An acceptable balance of the priorities:  Farm Income & Quality of Life  The Environment  Wildlife  Food Safety  Animal Welfare  Sustainability

9. Hedge laid in traditional Leicestershire style Management of Farmland

10. Pond – Created 4 years ago in wet area of field Management of Farmland

11. Hedgerow management for nesting birds

12. Management of Farmland Field Wildlife Margins

13. WARNING!

14. Possible harmful species to sustainable farmland management Homo nimbyius

15. Management of Farmland Spreading Fertilizer using GPS and soil sampling

16. Management of Farmland Planting 10% of farm in deciduous woodland –Winter 2003/4

17. Management of Farmland Abbey Fishponds – Reinstated 1997 –View from Footpath

18. Management of Farmland Owston Village from SW – Public Footpath through crop of wheat

19. Management of Farmland Sharing our Countryside with the public and Blowing our own Trumpet

20. Diversification

21. Manor Farm Feeds  Started 1986 – One of 6 ruminant feed producers in Leicestershire  Company has achieved turnover growth for 16 successive years  Now, only ruminant feed producer in Leicestershire  Farm animal, horse and pet foods  Retailed to a local market  Utilises home grown and locally grown ingredients  11 full time and 5 part time mainly local residents (3 disabled employees)

22. Diversification Manor Farm Feeds – Yet another satisfied customer!

23. Diversification Rural Training Centre  Opened summer 2002 in converted cattle shed  Funded under DEFRA Rural Enterprise Scheme & Vocational Training Scheme  IT Training, Management, Business, Environment & Skills Training  Training for farmers, rural businesses and local residence  Training Style: Quality Non qualification based Targeted and timed at immediate need Small groups and one-to-one

24. Diversification From cattle shed to Rural Training Centre

25. Diversification Rural Training Centre –IT Room

26. Diversification Rural Energy  Wood fuel heating using efficient technology  Renewable energy from the Countryside  Encouraging existing woodland to be managed – habitat benefits  Planting of new woodland and energy crops  Creation of new rural industry

27. Diversification Management of old woodland increases habitat diversity

28. Diversification Chipping using existing farm machinery

29. Diversification Manor Farm 100kW boiler heating 2 houses and offices

30. Diversification Manor Farm 100kW wood chip boiler Chip feed conveyor

31. Diversification Wood Pellets made from sawdust

32. Diversification Pellet Stoves for Domestic or small business premises

33. Summary

34. Key Elements of Sustainability in Farmland Management  Undemanding crop rotations  Eliminate chemical and mechanical inputs which give marginal economic returns or environmental downside  Increase in ‘natural habitat areas’, woodland and energy crops  Stabilise the rural land management community  Clearly define true environmental damage from public perception and preference

35. www.manorfarmfeeds.co.uk www.ruraltrainingcentre.co.uk www.ruralenergy.co.uk