Perry Court Farm

How Perry Court helps the environment.......

Smaller field sizes - more hedge rows Organic and Bio-Dynamic farms all rely on traditional crop rotation and therefore require more individual fields then other types of farming. Perry Court has planted around 1.3km of hedges over the last few years.

From the Kentish Stour Countryside Project newsletter.

The end of an era at Perry Court Farm
A five year programme of hedgerow work funded by Countryside Stewardship at Perry Court Biodynamic Farm in Chartham has finally come to an end. Volunteers from KSCP, students from Hadlow College, and French Exchange volunteers have all pulled together over time to plant 1370m of mixed hedges, manage a further 430m and erect over 2km of stock fencing. Thanks to everyone who has helped out.

One of the hedges planted at Perry Court Farm, in 1999 and 2002

No sprays - more birds
The British Trust for Ornithology carried out an extensive survey of bird populations on mixed lowland organic and non organic farm units. Among others, Perry Court Farm was surveyed, a clear link between organic farms and higher bird populations was recorded. read more

No cost to water companys for cleaning Pesticides, Herbicides, or Fungicides out of drinking water. Cost estimated to be well over £100 million each year

Improving soil structure requires smaller tractors and less diesel.
by the use of crop rotation and composted farm yard manure soil organic mater levels are generally much higher on Organic farms. Typically around 4-5% or more as opposed to 3% or less on conventional farms. Most farmers who have gone from one system to the other have noticed the difference in, for example, the ease with which one can plough after a number of years of increasing OM levels. As the soil becomes easier to work either the number of passes can be cut down or smaller tractors could be used.

Choice of machinery and management practices that reduces diesel consumption,
eg combining several tractor passes over the field in one operation adopting practices such as the use of round bale silage over more fuel expensive clamp or crop cut and bale systems.

Following Bio-Dynamic principles of a' whole farm system' whereby external inputs to the farm are minimised.
Certification rules clearly state that composts and fertilisers should all be produced on the farm and not bought in, as should all animal feed.

Reducing food miles and transport of finished product by focusing on local outlets first.
Local outlets are always a safe and sustainable first step away from the farm gate in marketing terms, at the same time they minimise food miles and reduce the time between harvest and delivery.

Reducing packaging requirements by selling through farm shop, box schemes and farmers markets. These types of outlets benefit from goods either supplied loose, in paper bags or where necessary with a minimum of plastic.

A.G. Brockman and Company
Perry Court Farm, Garlinge Green, Canterbury, Kent. CT4 5RU
DEMETER Certification UK6 License no 102pa