Farm overview
Manor Farm in Northamptonshire is 200ha, used predominantly for growing arable crops but also has livestock on site. Henry is particularly focussed on utilising regenerative farming practices to drive forward the farm. The farm has been chopping straw for around 40 years and utilising minimal tillage since the early 2000s. The farm’s drill points have been changed to lessen soil disturbance and allow cover crops to be direct drilled when conditions allow, resulting in dramatic reductions in fuel consumption. Continuing to monitor the soil, Henry is benchmarking his carbon footprint using The Cool Farm Tool with his Agronomists and his local farming network. He is also involved in a number of trials on the farm, including reducing inputs, using biological amendments and grazing a diverse range of cover crops. Manor Farm has also been experimenting with infield flowering strips, which have been a huge success and boosted insect populations, including moths and ladybirds.
Project activities
- Creative Arena – an interactive event to discuss and evaluate climate friendly principles which can be adopted on farm (May 2023).
- Demonstration event – Min-till, grazing and farm tour (May 2024).
- Training – BASIS Certificate in Sustainable Land Management course at The Allerton Project (October 2023).
- Trials – Grazing cover crops (Kings).
- Lead Commercial Farm visits – Boughton Estate, Brixworth Farming, Courteenhall, G.D. Jewers & Son, J. H. Simpson & Son, Rookery Farm, Papley Grove Farm, Winwick Manor Farm.
- Demonstration Farm activities – Countryside COP ‘Decarbonising from the field up’ webinar (December 2023).
