Eifion Pughe
Ffrem Cilywinllan, North Montgomeryshire
With drier summers and fluctuating input costs on the rise, Eifion and Menna are keen to see if they can grow herbs and clover with their grass leys to increase drought tolerance alongside reducing the need for bought in fertiliser.
As they envisage introducing herbs and legume mixtures to their grass leys to be the way forward the project will investigate which establishment method is most effective and efficient to establish a new mixed ley. The project will compare the:
- establishment success of the mixed ley
- establishment cost across different methodologies
- effect on soil biology which will be measured by monitoring worm counts in each plot
The project will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:
- reducing the farm’s greenhouse gas emissions
- supporting improvement in carbon storage and sequestration whilst reducing the whole-farm carbon footprint
- maintaining and enhancing the ecosystem